Role The role of the technical committee is the provision of "safe diving for CMAS members" and seeks to achieve this by "promoting world class standards for all aspects of Scuba Diving and ensuring adherence of them by member federations and dive providers". Its officers who are elected from persons nominated at the CMAS General Assembly by affiliated national diving federations include the following positions – president, secretary, standards director, education director, technical director, diving security director, special tasks director and a number of general members. It oversees the two following systems – a diver training standards system known as the "CMAS International Diver Training Standards" and a certification system known as "CMAS International Diver Certificates". Since CMAS effectively started as a volunteer organisation for hobbyists, its courses tend to reflect the full range of European and world diving standards. Compared to other diving organisations which may be more geared towards holiday and tropical water diving, and while organisations like
PADI or
SSI tend to bring divers into the water immediately, CMAS entry-level training is more extensive, featuring more "classroom" delivered theory.
Qualifications Standards, certification and training delivery The CMAS Technical Committee has developed a qualification system currently known as the "CMAS International Diver Training Standards" which consists of published universal standards for
recreational diving,
technical diving and
leadership diver grades. The CMAS Technical Committee has also developed a
diving certification system called the "CMAS International Diver Training Certification System" for most of its diver training standards and which permits divers that have been trained in accordance with the CMAS International Diver Training Standards, to have their training recognised worldwide particularly in countries where CMAS affiliated federations exist. The system includes a double sided certification card format where one side depicts the achieved CMAS standard while the other side has details of the issuing organisation and the diver. CMAS itself does not provide training or conduct the issuing of certifications – this is available from two sources. Firstly, from national diving federations affiliated to the CMAS Technical Committee using their member diving clubs, their member instructors where the federation is exclusively an instructor organisation or by agreement with independent underwater diving training organizations operating in the countries where those federations are based. Secondly, from specially accredited dive centres known as "CMAS Dive Centers" (CDC) who use dedicated CMAS training materials.
Recreational diver training programmes Standards are offered for recreational diver training for the following grades of scuba and snorkel divers. •
One Star Diver – "a diver who is competent in the safe and correct use of all appropriate open water scuba diving equipment in a sheltered water training area and is ready to gain open water diving experience in the company of an experienced diver." •
Two Star Diver – "a diver who has gained some open water diving experience and is considered ready to take part in dives partnered by a diver of at least the same or a higher grade. The two-star diver may dive with a One Star Diver in sheltered shallow water." •
Two Star Snorkel Diver – "a snorkel diver who has gained some open water diving experience. The snorkel diver is considered ready to take part in dives with other snorkel divers, under supervision if a minor. The CMAS 2 star snorkel diver is considered trained." • Wreck Diver Level 2:– Autonomous, recreational, penetration
wreck diving. • –
Scuba gas planning skills,
bailout to emergency gas supply carried by the diver, management of multiple gas cylinders,
deployment of a decompression buoy from depth,
tethered buoyant emergency ascent, use of
long hose regulator, self-release from entanglement, and use of
backup diving equipment.
Technical diver training programmes Standards are provided for the following technical diver training grades: • • Advanced Semi-Closed Rebreather Diver •
Cave Diver Level II (Apprentice Cave Diver) • Cave Diver Level III (Full Cave Diver) •
Extended Range Nitrox Diver •
Normoxic Trimix Diver •
Overhead environment Scooter • Technical Scooter Diver • Trimix Diver • Advanced Trimix Diver
Leadership diver training programmes Standards are provided for the training of the following grades of recreational snorkel and scuba instructors: • '''''' – "a CMAS 2 star snorkel diver who is interested in and has knowledge of practical snorkel diver instruction. The instructor is qualified to conduct practical lessons in a swimming pool and to teach the CMAS 1 star snorkel diver certificate. The instructor can be used as an assistant instructor in open water, but cannot plan an open water dive and lead a group of divers on his own." • '''''' – "an experienced one-star snorkel diver instructor who has the knowledge, skills, and experience required to lead and instruct 1, 2 and 3 Star snorkel diver students in the classroom, swimming pool, and open water. The experienced CMAS 2 Star snorkel diver instructor may assist in the training and education of CMAS 1 Star snorkel diver instructors." • '''''' – "a three- or four-star diver who has demonstrated a knowledge of the techniques of diving instruction and has proven, under evaluation, to be competent in practical instructional skills and diving safety procedures: They are qualified to train and certify novice diving students in a full CMAS One-Star Diver scuba program." • '''''' – "an experienced one-star instructor who has the knowledge, skills, and experience required to teach groups of divers in the classroom, pool, and in open water, and to train qualified dive supervisors, assistant instructors and assist in the training & evaluation of One-Star Instructors. They are qualified to teach and certify all CMAS diver levels including snorkel instructor levels." • '''''' – "a highly experienced two-star instructor who is competent to train all grades of divers and instructors and able to take responsibility for instructor certification programs and the conduct of diving schools/centres and specialised training courses or events."
Instructor speciality grades Standards are provided for speciality training of assistants,
dive supervisors, snorkel instructors and scuba instructors: • Apnoea Instructor • Instructors Assistant for Disabled Divers • Instructor for Disabled Divers • Instructor Trainer for Disabled Divers • Nitrox Instructor • Advanced Nitrox Instructor • Nitrox Instructor Three Star • Ice Diver Instructor • Trimix Instructor • Advanced Trimix Instructor • Nitrox Gas Blender Instructor • Trimix Gas Blender Instructor • Cave Diving Instructor I (Cavern Diving Instructor) • Cave Diving Instructor II (Full Cave Diving Instructor) • Cave Diving Instructor III (Cave Diving Staff Instructor) • Recreational Scooter Assistant • Technical Scooter Assistant • Overhead Environment Scooter Assistant • Recreational Scooter Instructor • Technical Scooter Instructor • Overhead Environment Scooter Instructor • Semi-Closed Rebreather Instructor • Advanced Semi-Closed Rebreather • Closed Circuit Rebreather Instructor • Children Diving Dive Leader • Children Diving Instructor • Children Diving Instructor Trainer == Scientific committee ==