SSI was founded in 1970 and is the largest school-based training agency in the world.
In the Spring of 1999, SSI merged with the National Association of Scuba Diving Schools (NASDS founded in 1967) and created a new synergy in the dive industry. The sales and marketing expertise of NASDS, when joined with the renowned educational products of SSI, created a stronger company that is in a better position to serve dealers, instructors, and ultimately, divers. Together, SSI and NASDS are responsible for a remarkable list of innovations and consequently have been recognized with the highest honors in the diving industry. Some of our most noteworthy accomplishments include:
First
• To require open water classes for certification.
• Integrated teaching systems.
• To require six open water dives for certification.
• To create a sales and marketing program to benefit retailers.
• To require visual inspections of cylinders.
• To introduce a buoyancy compensator device.
• To introduce an alternate second-stage.
• Full-motion video training system.
• Equipment inspection program.
• Risk awareness video.
• To develop a total dive log and recognition system.
• Bob Clark, founder of SSI, and John Gaffney, founder of NASDS, are both given the “Reaching Out Award” and inducted into the scuba industry’s hall of fame in 1999. Ed Christini received the “Reaching Out Award” and was inducted into the hall of fame in 2003.
• Also in 1999, Bob Clark is honored with the prestigious NOGI award for his contributions to dive education; an award also previously given to John Gaffney.
Worldwide
Since the first SSI Regional Centre opened in Southeast Asia in 1983, SSI has expanded around the world at a very rapid pace. This helps ensure that SSI Certification Cards are welcomed all over the planet, wherever you choose to dive.
Each regional centre is operated by a professional staff that handles everything from certification card production to training of SSI Instructors. And because the marketplace is often different from country to country, SSI Regional Centre have some latitude to adapt the SSI system to meet the needs of divers in their region.
Involvement
As well as being a leader in the scuba industry, SSI was one of the founding members of the Recreational Scuba Training Council (RSTC), and was crucial in the development of the Universal Referral Program (URP).
We are certain that your journey through Boat Diving will be everything you imagined and more. Now, let’s go have some fun!
