The Organization
The National Association of Underwater Instructors (NAUI Worldwide) has been teaching the world to dive safely since 1959. As the largest non-profit and most respected dive training and certifying organization in the world, NAUI offers a full range of
training programs from Skin Diver through Instructor Course Director, with dozens of specialty courses including Nitrox and Technical diving.
NAUI’s global reputation for the best in training and educational products reflects its core values of quality dive training through education. Many organizations specifically choose NAUI for their diver education programs including Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida, United States Navy SEAL Teams and NASA’s Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory in Houston, Texas (USA) where astronauts train for their space walks.
While NAUI has long been respected for having the highest training standards in the recreational diving industry, we are also highly regarded for our Technical Diver Training. Many of our technical developments have been adopted by other agencies; our
Technical Diving Division continues to produce new theories and research that keep NAUI on the cutting edge of technical diving.
NAUI Worldwide is a membership organization headquartered in Tampa, Florida (USA) with tens of thousands of member instructors, affiliated stores, resorts, and service centers located in countries throughout the world. With tens of thousands of dive professionals and numerous affiliated dive training centers in nations around the globe, we have over one-third (and growing) of the US market with an even larger market share internationally.
For further information on affiliated stores, diver training, educational products and programs, contact NAUI at (001) 813-628-6284 or
nauihq@naui.org; NAUI Europe at 31-(0)548612366 or
info@naui.nl; NAUI Pacific Rim at 603-2146-2631 or
mike@nauipacific.com; or visit
www.naui.org. For specific media inquiries, contact
marketing@naui.org.
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Corporate Mission
“To promote, through quality education, the techniques necessary for the general public to participate safely in underwater activities, and to educate those people in the preservation and protection of our underwater environment.”
“Dive Safety Through Education” is more than our motto; it is the philosophy behind NAUI Worldwide. Since its inception in 1959, NAUI has been dedicated to providing the most comprehensive and safest diver training available in the world, and we continue to be the logical agency of choice among divers who desire a quality education.
As a membership association, NAUI is also dedicated to maintaining the highest levels of quality and integrity, and it is the responsibility of every NAUI member to ensure the quality of NAUI instruction. NAUI standards, policies and ethics are governed by the Association’s Board of Directors, members themselves, who are elected through a democratic election process by the instructor membership.
NAUI members embrace six fundamental values in the pursuit of our mission:
Superior Leadership and Instructor Training
NAUI and its members are committed to providing the highest quality leadership and instructor training possible. Embracing the tenets of over-learning, maximizing individual potential, public speaking, developing personal best aquatic skills, minimum and no impact environmental activism, and learning by doing consistently produces the best graduates.
Democratic Association of Equals
The democratic process in regular elections determines the Association’s leadership, its Board of Directors. Each instructor earns the privilege to cast one vote for a fellow member that he or she believes can best serve the Association. The right to vote carries with it a responsibility and obligation to stay informed about Board of Director candidates and engage in the election process.
Trust and Respect
Superior Leadership and Instructor training are founded in the “Loved One” concept. That is, it is only those we would trust to train our loved ones to dive that we graduate at any level and especially so for leadership and instructor certification. This basis allows us to collectively trust members to behave ethically and respect their abilities as NAUI Leaders and educators.
Academic Freedom
Trust and respect are necessary for members to exercise a most cherished and fundamental right of educational leadership – the freedom to meet the academic needs of their students. Not all students are ready to perform skills one, two, and three always in that particular order. NAUI members are encouraged to explore and thereby discover new and innovative ways to help each individual student, as well as divers they lead and teach meet certification requirements – and further to share those discoveries in the Association publications so that other members may benefit.
Dynamic Growing Body of Knowledge and Skills
Exercising academic freedom and sharing resulting discoveries is a celebration of members’ imaginations. It also leads to ever improving training producing better generations of graduates with each completed course. This directly contributes to and renews our organization’s vitality and relevance to the diving industry in which we compete.
Ever Improving Leadership and Instructor Training
These dynamics produce perpetually improving leadership and instructor training courses as conducted by NAUI instructors, instructor trainers, and course directors, who incorporate discoveries and new methodology. The outcome is superior leadership and instructor training and curricula of excellence that benefit the Association, the diving industry and global public all the while furthering the pursuit of our corporate mission.
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Products and Services
NAUI has earned its reputation as “the most respected diver training and certification
organization in the world” by providing consistently excellent products and services, featuring a complete line of award-winning educational systems, recognition items and support materials for every level of recreational and technical scuba diver training and certification
- Award-Winning Training Materials
for core diver courses, leadership and instructor training and dozens of specialties are available and translated in multiple languages, and use several types of media for maximum learning.
- Proven Teaching Methods
– Thorough training is the key to diving enjoyment. We are absolutely dedicated to ensuring you are trained in a program tailored to your specific needs; a NAUI-sanctioned course that incorporates the best blend of time-proven and progressive methods.
- Fun, Interesting Classes
– NAUI training is FUN! NAUI Instructors are taught to teach, not just recite material by rote. NAUI Instructors are professional educators, knowing the best learning conditions are enjoyable conditions.
- Extensive Class Availability
– You can enroll in a class at your local NAUI-Affiliated dive retailer, college or university, with an independent NAUI Instructor at a local swimming pool, or at a NAUI-Affiliated dive resort in a tropical paradise. NAUI’s Try Scuba and Passport Diver programs can have you in the ocean the same day you begin your training!
- Highest Industry Training Standards
– NAUI has the highest training standards of any diver training agency, and more thorough training produces highly competent and competent divers.
- Corporate Alliances
– NAUI has numerous corporate alliances with organizations such as Florida’s Walt Disney World Resort®, The Florida Aquarium, and NASA’s Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory. NAUI divers are recognized Olympic and professional athletes, leaders in the scientific, academic, technical and military communities, the Hollywood film industry and a host of other professional fields around the globe.
- Extensive Field Support
– NAUI has regional offices around the world to assist with training needs and to provide regional field support for our tens of thousands of facilities, professional educators and members.
- Excellent Customer Service
– NAUI’s Customer Service Department is known for its efficient, knowledgeable staff and helpful support. And, our eBusiness Center is open 24/7 for your convenience.
As a dive industry leader, NAUI is deeply dedicated to fulfilling our motto of “Dive Safety Through Education”.
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Technical Diving Division
NAUI Technical Diving Division was started in 1997 with the goal of creating a higher standard of training worldwide by codifying technical diving community training practices. We formed advisory councils comprised of professional divers, engineers, physicians and researchers to help us develop all aspects of our training. This resulted in the formation of a
Technical Training Advisory Board and
Rebreather Advisory Board to assist in the development of technical diving standards and training.
NAUI Technical Diving Division has implemented policies that will assure the diver of the highest technical instructor quality. As a result, NAUI Instructors can provide you with the skills, knowledge and discipline to manage technical diving while minimizing risk.
If you would like to add this lucrative division of training to your dive center’s
business contact our Technical Division head office or one of the representatives listed
below. In the Pacific Rim, Michael Tong
mike@nauipacific.com, in Europe, Jelle Buisman,
info@naui-europe.com, in Africa, Mike van Niekerk,
mikenaui@iafrica.com, in South
America, Alvanir De Oliveira,
naui@uol.com.br!
Technical Training Head Office
Tim O'Leary, Director - Technical Training Division
P.O. Box 3867
South Padre Island, Texas 78597
Office Phone 956-761-7986
Fax 956-761-6039
Email: nauitec@aol.com
The following NAUI Representatives are authorized to qualify all levels of NAUI
Technical divers including NAUI Technical Course Directors who, in turn, can train
and qualify NAUI Technical Instructors.
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NAUI Technical Training Advisory Board
|
Chairman |
Timothy R. O'Leary, DMT
President, American Diving And Marine Salvage |
|
Members |
Bruce Weinke, Ph.D.
Los Alamos National Labratory |
John Duggan
Major, USAF Air Sea Rescue, Retired |
Terrence Neal Tysall
President, The Cambrian Foundation |
Captain Steve Belinda
Technical Charter Boat Owner/Operator |
Charles "Scooter" Sellers
Technical Course Director Cave Diving |
Jan Neal
President, Underwater Dynamics Corporation |
Don Barthelmess
Director, Marine Diving Technology, S.B.C.C. |
Lt. Cmdr. Lonnie Sharp
United States Navy |
Peter Readey
President, Steam
Machines and Marine Engineer |
Capt. Billy Deans
Steam Machines |
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NAUI Rebreather Advisory Board
|
Chairman |
Timothy R. O'Leary, DMT
President, American Diving And Marine Salvage |
|
Members |
Bruce Weinke, Ph.D.
Los Alamos National Labratory |
Peter Readey
President, Steam Machines And Marine Engineer |
ML Nuckols, Ph.D., PE
Professor of Ocean Engineering, U.S. Naval Academy |
John Clarke, Ph.D.
Scientific Director, Naval Experimental Diving Unit |
David Fullerton
Sherwood Engineering Ltd. |
James Kirk, MsEE
Senior Staff, Johns Hopkins University |
Capt. ME Knafelc, MD,
Ph. D.
Senior Medical Officer NEDU |
Clay S. Hedricks, Sr.
BMCS (EOD) Retired |
Ron Scorese
NAUI CCR Workshop Director and Explorer |
Gerard Newman
NAUI CCR Course Director
|
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