Growing The Best Divers On Earth

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We get this question all the time; Many divers ask us, "What is the first course?", or "what is the next course?", or "what is the recommended series of courses I must take to reach my desired level?" Below is a short list of courses in order for those interested in learning what the Progression Pathway looks like.

Recreational Courses are the first courses, and make up the Core Development of a divers' education and training. Just because someone enrolls in a course does not guarantee they will pass and obtain a certification. It is expected that all students will take their courses seriously, dedicating ample time for study of academics, and make serious effort to train during their course. After certification, it is further expected that all divers will dedicate themselves to practicing and internalizing all knowledge and skills they learned during their course so they may gain experience and master their new abilities, before attempting to enroll in the next course. These courses must be completed in order. With the exception of Open Water SCUBA Diver, all courses have prerequisites. After Open Water, a diver may begin some Specialty Courses, and after enough practice, a diver might be ready for the Advanced course. Upon meeting the minimum prerequisite training and experience requirements, a diver may even begin Technical or Rebreather training. Finally, after a diver obtains their Master SCUBA Diver certification, they may move on to Leadership training, or even Occupational training.

1. Open Water SCUBA Diver
2. Advanced Open Water SCUBA Diver
3. Rescue Diver (Requires Nitrox and BLS/O2 as prerequisites)
4. Master SCUBA Diver

With the exception of Nitrox prior to enrolling in a Rescue Diver course, Specialty Courses are not requirements for progression. Instead, they exist to enhance a divers' capabilities in specialized areas not covered by Core Developmental courses.

• Nitrox EANx Diver
• Drysuit Diver
• Altitude Diver
• Sidemount Diver
• Full Face Mask Diver
• Search & Recovery Diver
• UW Naturalist Diver
• UW Archaeology Diver
• Training Assistant
• Spatial Disorientation-Trained Diver
• Ice Diver

These courses train and certify divers in emergency first response procedures, including assessing illnesses and injuries, providing emergency treatment and care, and managing activation of Emergency Action Plans. BLS and O2 Provider are requirements before entering a Rescue Diver or any Technical course, and DFA-Pro is a prerequisite before being accepted as a Leadership candidate.

• Basic Life Support (includes: CPR, AED, and First Aid)
• Emergency Oxygen Provider
• Diving First Aid (includes: BLS, O2, HMLI, Neurological Examination training)
• In-Water Recompression Specialist
• In-Water Recompression Supervisor
• Hyperbaric Chamber Operator

Leadership courses require a very different mentality than Recreational diving does, and they often take a long time to conduct as extensive practice, guidance, and mentorship is the process by which highly skilled, highly trained, qualified professionals are made. Leadership training can not begin until after all Core Recreational courses have been completed, and even then, candidates must be assessed for authorization to enroll before being accepted into a course.

• Assistant Instructor (Not mandatory)

1. Divemaster
2. Instructor
3. Instructor Trainer
4. Course Director

Like Leadership courses, Technical courses require a very different mentality than that of Recreational diving. Candidates must be assessed for authorization to enroll before being accepted into a course, intensive study and practice are mandatory once enrolled, standards are far higher, and so are the expectations--Just like Leadership courses. Also just like Leadership courses, candidates can not begin these training programs until after all Core Recreational prerequisite courses have been completed, and minimum experience requirements have been met.

Open Circuit Technical

1. Technical Essentials Diver
2. Advanced EANx Diver
3. Technical Sidemount Diver
4. Advanced Recreational Trimix Diver
   1. Advanced Recreational Trimix Plus Diver
5. Technical Diver

• Decompression Specialist
• Self-Sufficient Diver

Open Circuit Technical Leadership

1. Advanced EANx Supervisor
2. Advanced Recreational Trimix Supervisor

• NOTE: If not already sidemount certified and wanting to switch from backmounted doubles to sidemount for your technical training and equipment configuration, you will need to first complete the NAUI Sidemount Diver course, or the IANTD Technical Sidemount Diver course.

*NOTE: After Advanced EANx Diver, it is strongly recommended to leave the Open Circuit pathway and immediately cross over straight to Closed Circuit. Open Circuit Trimix use is both extremely expensive and extremely wasteful. Further, despite their increased complexity, Rebreathers offer increased safety, increased options to address emergencies, and reduce gas costs and needs.

Advanced technical specialties include Overhead Environments such as Cave and Wreck courses, and specialty equipment courses such as Diver Propulsion Vehicles for technical use.

Rebreather training may begin at the recreational level, however, just like Technical courses, Rebreather courses require a very different mentality than that of Recreational diving. Candidates must be assessed for authorization to enroll before being accepted into a course, intensive study and practice are mandatory once enrolled, standards are far higher, and so are the expectations--Just like Leadership courses. Also just like Technical courses, candidates can not begin these training programs until after all Core Recreational prerequisite courses have been completed, and minimum experience requirements have been met.

Recreational CCR (RCCR)

1. RCCR Diver
2. Triton RCCR Crossover Course
3. RCCR Deep Diver
4. RCCR Essentials Diver
5. RCCR Altitude
6. RCCR Trimix Diver
7. RCCR Rescue Diver
8. RCCR Elite Diver
9. CCR Self-Sufficient Diver

Technical CCR

1. CCR Diver, Air Diluant (MOD 1) (40M)
   1. Advanced EANx CCR Diver
   2. Triton CCR Crossover Course
   3. CCR Technical Essentials Diver
   4. Advanced Recreational Trimix CCR Diver
      1. Advanced Recreational Trimix Plus CCR Diver
2. CCR Diver, Normoxic Trimix (MOD 2) (60M)
   1. Normoxic Trimix CCR Diver
      1. Normoxic Trimix Plus CCR Diver
3. CCR Diver, Hypoxic Trimix (MOD 3) (100M)
   1. Trimix CCR Diver
4. CCR Diver, Expedition Trimix (120M)

Leadership CCR

1. RCCR Divemaster
2. Advanced EANx CCR Supervisor
3. CCR ART Supervisor

Advanced rebreather specialties include Overhead Environments such as Cave and Wreck courses, and specialty equipment courses such as Diver Propulsion Vehicles for technical use.

Like Leadership, Technical, and Rebreather courses, Occupational courses require a very different mentality than that of Recreational diving. Candidates must be assessed for authorization to enroll before being accepted into a course, intensive study and practice are mandatory once enrolled, standards are far higher, and so are the expectations. Additionally, candidates can not begin Occupational training until after all Core Recreational and prerequisite courses have been completed.

1. Occupational EANx Diver
2. Surface Supplied Diver
3. Operations Supervisor
4. Aviation Operational Diver
5. Aviation Rescue Diver