Professional Technical and Recreational Diving

Professional Technical and Recreational Diving (ProTec) is an international diver certification agency based in Munich, Germany.

ProTec was founded in 1997.[1] ProTec offers diving education standards and training procedures for beginners through to advanced and diving professionals. These standards and procedures are used by diving instructors to conduct diver training courses. ProTec is accredited with authorities in Spain,[2] Egypt[3] and with the German DIN-EN-ISO Institute for the ProTec diver ISO levels[4] and the ProTec instructor ISO ranks.[5]

Training and certification system

Dive training at ProTec consists of theoretical and practical units as with most other diving agencies. There is a division into 2 main areas: Freediving and Scuba diving. The scuba certifications are divided into recreational diving and technical diving, where recreational is further subdivided into introduction and core and specialties. Technical certifications are categorised similarly.

Unlike other agencies, ProTec has two systems of certification for a few main levels. The certifications Open Water Diver (OWD), Advanced Open Water Diver (AOWD) and Divemaster (DM) based on RSTC standards, and the European certification system according to CMAS guidelines (1,2,3 - star system).

Recreational scuba introduction and core competences

  • Intro Scuba – an Introduction to Scuba Diving according to ISO 11121.[6] At ProTec this is a preliminary step to the beginner certifications.
  • Basic Scuba Diver - supervised diver (ISO 24801-1), entry level certification,[7]
  • Junior OWD - supervised diver (ISO 24801-1), simplified open water diver certification for children aged 10 years and over.
  • OWD - autonomous diver (ISO 24801-2), open water diver certification,[8]
  • 1* Diver - autonomous diver (ISO 24801-2), according to CMAS 1 STAR program,[9]
  • AOWD - advanced open water diver certification,
  • 2** Diver - according to CMAS 2 STAR program,[10]
  • Master Diver
  • 3** Diver - according to CMAS 3 STAR program
  • Dive Master - (ISO 24801-3[11]), Divemaster, dive guide
  • Dive Supervisor – from professional dive guide to dive director, non-teaching
  • Assistant Instructor - (ISO 24802-1[12])
  • Prime Scuba Instructor - (ISO 24802-2[13])
  • Speciality or Technical Instructor according to speciality or technical diving course
  • Master Scuba Instructor
  • Assistant Instructor Trainer
  • Instructor Trainer
  • IC Inspector

Recreational scuba specialties

Technical diving

  • Nitrox 2 – Advanced Nitrox[16]
  • Gas Blender 1 – (ISO 13293) covers Nitrox,[17]
  • Gas Blender 2 – (ISO 13293) covers Nitrox and Trimix,[17]
  • Intro Trimix – Trimix 1, max. 45m, Normoxic TRX
  • Normoxic Trimix – Trimix 2, max. 60m, Normoxic TRX
  • Advanced Trimix[18] – Trimix 3, max. 90m
  • Advanced Deep – max. 45m on air or nitrox
  • Extended Range[19] - maximum 55m on air or nitrox
  • Intro Wreck – technical wreck level 1 (max. 40m/130ft, 1/3 single tank rule,  one main guideline, no restrictions)
  • TEC Wreck – technical wreck level 2 (2 indep./double cylinder - 1/3 rule - plus stage/deco cyl, jump/gab reel use, moderate restrictions)
  • Advanced Wreck – technical wreck level 3[clarification needed]
  • Intro Cave – technical cave level 1 (max. 40m/130ft, 1/3 single tank rule,  one main guideline, no restrictions)
  • Full Cave – technical cave level 2,[20]
  • Advanced Cave – technical cave level 3,[clarification needed]
  • Rebreather – with depth levels from 40m to 100m per class/type (manual/electronic/hybrid)[21]

Freediving

References

  1. ^ "About Us". www.protecdive.com. Retrieved 27 March 2023. This information was retrieved from the ProTec website, subpage about us, and matches with the German trademark register
  2. ^ M. Mercè Santmartí i Miró (2011-06-27). "Resolució AAM/1814/2011, de 27 de juny, per la qual s'estableixen les equivalències entre qualificacions oficials de busseig d'esbarjo i les qualificacions de busseig de Professional Technical Diving". Diari Oficial de la Generalitat de Catalunya, documentId=585388 (in Catalan). Retrieved 2022-04-26.
  3. ^ "The CDWS recognize the following training agencies". www.cdws.travel. Retrieved 2022-04-26.
  4. ^ "DIN-EN-ISO Registration Number RX004". TÜV Rheinland - DIN CERTCO - Certificates and Registrations. 2018-10-16. Retrieved 2022-04-26.
  5. ^ "DIN-EN-ISO Registration Number RX005". TÜV Rheinland - DIN CERTCO - Certificates and Registrations. 2018-10-16. Retrieved 2022-04-26.
  6. ^ "ISO 11121:2017". ISO. Retrieved 2022-04-27.
  7. ^ "ISO 24801-1:2014". ISO. Retrieved 2022-04-27.
  8. ^ "ISO 24801-2:2014". ISO. Retrieved 2022-04-27.
  9. ^ Massay, Philippe (2017). Manuel de formation pour plongeur ProTec 1* et ProTec OWD (in French). France, Belgium. p. 76.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  10. ^ Klimpel, Manfred (2014). Manual ProTec 2** Diver / Advanced Open Water. International: KDD Digital. p. 136. ISBN 978-3-00-040784-0.
  11. ^ "ISO 24801-3:2014". ISO. Retrieved 2022-04-27.
  12. ^ "ISO 24802-1:2014". ISO. Retrieved 2022-04-27.
  13. ^ "ISO 24802-2:2014". ISO. Retrieved 2022-04-27.
  14. ^ Kaiser-Hagenow, Ina (2013). Manual del Buceador de Rescate y Primeros auxillos / ProTec (in Spanish). Spanish: KDD Digital. p. 98.
  15. ^ "ISO 11107:2009". ISO. Retrieved 2022-04-27.
  16. ^ Hirschmann, Gerhard (2002). Nitrox diver manual (Kursbuch zum Nitroxtauchen für Sporttaucher) / ProTec Professional Technical Diving (in German) (6th ed.). Europe, Germany: Alpha-Verlag. p. 52. ISBN 3-932470-01-X.
  17. ^ a b "ISO 13293:2012". ISO. Retrieved 2022-04-27.
  18. ^ Gerhard, Hirschmann (2000). Trimix diver manual [Arbeitsbuch zum Tieftauchen mit Trimix] / ProTec Professional Technical Diving (in German) (3rd ed.). Europe, Germany: Alpha-Verlag. p. 64. ISBN 3-932470-04-4.
  19. ^ Hirschmann, Gerhard (2000). Extended range workbook (Arbeitsbuch zum Tieftauchen für Fortgeschrittene) / ProTec Professional Technical Diving (in German) (4th ed.). Europe, Germany: Alpha-Verlag. p. 98. ISBN 3-932470-03-6.
  20. ^ Tolksdorf, Martin (2007). Fascination Cave Diving [ProTec Professional Technical & Rec. Diving] (in English and German) (2nd ed.). Europe, Germany: Alpha Verlag. p. 204. ISBN 978-3-932470-16-5.
  21. ^ Gerhard, Hirschmann (2000). Rebreather diver manual [Kursbuch zum Tauchen mit Kreislaufgeräten] / ProTec, Professional Technical Diving (in German) (3rd ed.). Europe, Germany: Alpha-Verlag. p. 62. ISBN 3-932470-02-8.