PADI: Beneath the Surface of Success – Exploring the Business Behind the World's Leading Diving Organization
Tim Boehnlein Apr 12, 2024
PADI, which stands for the Professional Association of Diving Instructors, started in the 1960s with two friends, John Cronin and Ralph Erickson. Both were passionate divers and felt that the existing diving education programs were lacking. They wanted to create a system that was more flexible, accessible, and focused on practical skills.
In 1966, they founded PADI with the goal of revolutionizing diving education. They developed a modular training system that allowed students to progress at their own pace and choose courses that suited their interests and goals. This approach, known as the PADI Open Water Diver course, was a departure from the rigid and time-intensive programs offered by other organizations at the time.
PADI's emphasis on practical skills and hands-on training quickly gained popularity among divers. As the organization grew, it expanded its course offerings to cover a wide range of specialties, from underwater photography to wreck diving. PADI also developed a network of affiliated dive centers and instructors around the world, making it easy for people to access quality diving education wherever they were.
Today, PADI is the largest diving training organization in the world, with millions of certified divers and thousands of affiliated dive centers and instructors. Its innovative approach to diving education has helped to make diving more accessible and enjoyable for people all over the globe.
