Like skipping a stone across the surface of calm water, the more weight we put behind our actions, the more ripples we can make. As PADI Professionals, our impact goes far beyond teaching people how to dive. We are on the forefront of underwater exploration and conservation since the early days of this industry and our programs are an incredible tool to create compassion and awareness for the underwater world.

In this blog, we’ll dive into the incredible versatility of the PADI AWARE Specialty course and how it can serve as a powerful customer acquisition tool for dive professionals and business owners.

Why You Should Incorporate the All New PADI AWARE Specialty Into Your Business Strategy

The PADI AWARE Specialty course is a highly versatile, non-diving scuba diving education course that offers an interactive, discussion-led workshop approach to marine conservation. One of the remarkable features of this course is the accessibility to everyone. There are no age or experience prerequisites, and as you will learn, it can be taught in a multitude of creative ways. 

The revised PADI AWARE Specialty course is focused around the all new 10 Tips to Save the Ocean. Each tip fuels inspiration between you and your students with different levels of impactful continuing education and simple actions you can take to protect the waters you love. 

Right now, every PADI Assistant Instructor and higher has the opportunity to teach this course, making it an invaluable addition to your training repertoire.

1. It Offers Flexibility Through eLearning

In today’s digital age, convenience is key. The PADI AWARE Specialty course offers flexibility by providing an eLearning option. Students can choose to purchase the eLearning module before attending the workshop portion of the course with their Instructor, or the course can be held directly with eLearning materials supplied for review after the Take Action workshops. This adaptability caters to diverse learning preferences and schedules.

2. It’s the Perfect Addition to Open Water Diver

More than ever, new divers are getting into the hobby to explore the underwater realm and make a positive impact. The PADI AWARE Specialty fits perfectly alongside your next PADI Open Water Diver course. Both courses are meaningful introductions to our underwater realm, but together, they create a powerful opportunity to gain new insight into the conservation ambitions of your students. By offering a combination of the PADI AWARE Specialty with the Open Water Diver course, you can quickly break the ice for continuing education opportunities, while also identify local actions they can take upon the completion of their dive training.  

3. It Brings Non-Divers Into the Funnel

But here’s where it gets even more exciting – the PADI AWARE Specialty isn’t limited to certified divers. It serves as a bridge to introduce non-divers to the underwater world and marine conservation. This inclusivity can be a game-changer for attracting a wider, younger, and eco-conscious audience to your dive center.

4. It Allows You to Attract Remote Students Through Online Teaching

In a world that’s increasingly interconnected, the PADI AWARE Specialty course takes full advantage of technology. It can be taught fully remotely via two-way video learning, breaking down geographical barriers. This means you can connect with ocean enthusiasts and potential divers from around the globe, expanding your reach and enabling you to continue your educational journey with divers that have since departed in order to reengage with them.

5. It Can Encourage Prospective PADI Master Scuba Divers with a Focus on Conservation

But that’s not all – this course counts as a continuing education credit for PADI Master Scuba Diver. This means you can create a new foundation for an environment-focused Master Scuba Diver program. Imagine combining the PADI AWARE Specialty with courses like Peak Performance Buoyancy, Digital Underwater Photographer, Dive Against Debris, Fish Identification, or any other fitting course. This synergy creates a path for divers to become conservation-first Master Scuba Divers.

How to Market the PADI AWARE Specialty Course

The new, improved instructor guide makes it easy to start your conservation training journey. The guide clearly outlines the history of PADI AWARE, dives deeper into the 10 Tips to Save the Ocean, and then explores the Take Action workshops. This guide clearly outlines your discussion performance requirements, and gives you tips and tricks to start training and leading the workshops right away.

Now that we’ve uncovered the many facets of the PADI AWARE Specialty, let’s explore some strategies on how to market and sell this course effectively:

Sell it as a Bundle: Create packages targeting eco-conscious divers, offering combinations of eco-focused courses & traditional diving courses to encourage deeper engagement with marine conservation. This also gives you a unique offer for eco-first customers. Consider trying this first alongside your Open Water Diver courses. 
Weather-Proof the Activity: Offer the PADI AWARE Specialty as an excellent alternative for bad weather or dry days.
Engage Your Youth Market: Establish connections with local youth groups and schools, presenting the PADI AWARE Specialty as an introduction to marine conservation for the next generation. This hands-off approach can be a hit for activity days and educational programs. Where relevant, PADI certifications may count as badges for local Scout groups, too. 
Host Online Workshops: Consider offering classes virtually during the low season to re-engage with your diver community, keeping their passion alive and inspiring them for the next season.
Create Marine Conservation Workshops: Offer marine conservation workshops that can serve as an entry point to the PADI AWARE Specialty, similar to a Discover Scuba Diving experience for Open Water Diver courses. These workshops can also be added to your welcome package or onboarding briefing.
Enhance your PADI IDC: Use the PADI AWARE 10 Tips Workshops to create conservation-focused exercises for your PADI Instructor Development Courses. You can also build confidence in your candidates by introducing them to the value of teaching this course and other conservation continuing education courses.

As a side note – PADI Divemasters are also eligible to teach this course and issue certifications upon completion of the training and How to Teach workshops from a PADI Course Director. 

Offer Family-Oriented Programs: Holidays for the whole family are growing in demand. The PADI Aware Specialty course can be a great program for the whole family to participate together and learn interesting insights they can then put to action while diving and snorkeling. As this is a non-diving program, this can be a great inclusion for children and non-divers.
Maximize your Exposure Using the PADI Ecosystem: Utilize PADI Adventures and the PADI Conservation Activities Locator to maximize your reach within the PADI network and connect with divers who share your passion for marine conservation.

The PADI AWARE Specialty isn’t just another diving course; it’s a multifaceted experience and tool that opens doors to a more inclusive and environmentally conscious diving community. Its adaptability and versatility empower dive professionals and business owners to expand their horizons, connect with new, diverse audiences, and make a lasting impact on the underwater world.

So all that’s left is for you to take the first step and integrate this course into your daily operation in order to make a change for the ocean and your business. Dive into your PADI Portals, take a look through the materials and become inspired to take action today. 

If you have any questions on how to get started with teaching this course, you can find more details by clicking on the button below.

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