padi

PADI, or the Professional Association of Diving Instructors, is the world’s largest scuba diving training and certification organization. Through a global network of affiliated dive centers and resorts, PADI offers diver training from entry-level courses to professional certifications and instructor development.

Founded in 1966 by John Cronin and Ralph Erickson, PADI standardized scuba instruction and created a widely adopted curriculum and certification system. The organization is based in the United States and operates worldwide, with regional offices and thousands of affiliated centers.

PADI’s training framework centers on three elements: knowledge development, confined water skills, and open water dives. Core certifications begin with Open Water Diver, followed by Advanced Open Water Diver, Rescue Diver, and professional ratings such as Divemaster and Open Water Scuba Instructor. In addition to core courses, PADI offers numerous Specialty certifications (for example, deep, wreck, and underwater photography) and digital learning options through PADI eLearning.

PADI emphasizes diving safety and continuous education, with Emergency First Response (EFR) training for emergency care, often bundled with diver certifications. Certification is widely recognized by dive operators around the world, enabling divers to validate their training for travel and on-site diving.

The organization has faced critique about commercial practices and market dominance, but it remains the most widely used certification standard in the recreational diving community, and it also promotes ocean conservation through the PADI AWARE Foundation.