Dive training agency RAID have announced the release of their fully revised Open Circuit Level 2 program.

The course has been totally revamped and renamed RAID Advanced 35. As the name implies, diver training is conducted to a maximum depth of 35 meters (115 feet).

The new program has been significantly upgraded in content from the original RAID Level 2 Diver Program and offers many opportunities for the diver and RAID Dive Store in terms of stimulating diver interest in continuing education. The program is designed to directly link in with the RAID Explorer 30 program which now becomes a practical subset of RAID Advanced 35. In turn, RAID Advanced 35, with diver training going beyond the traditional 30 meters offered by other agencies, has direct links with the new RAID Deep Course (coming soon) and other RAID Diver Specialties.

RAID International Recreational Training Director Mark McCrum stated: “At RAID we believe this is the most comprehensive advanced diver program in the industry and we are very proud of the final product which will surely excite divers and dive stores alike. For example, all the eManuals have been fully revised and redesigned, delivering a new graphical format and making learning even easier. We have also added in some unique dive skills not included in programs offered elsewhere. Another ground breaking feature is Nitrox can now be done in conjunction with either the RAID Advanced 35 or RAID Explorer 30 Courses. In terms of prerequisites, to undertake the Advanced 35 Course, applicants must be certified as a RAID Open Water 20 diver (or equivalent). Any diver trained by another training agency is of course welcome on this and other RAID programs. However, because RAID typically has more enhanced content in their programs when compared to other training agencies – for example, we do not treat buoyancy as a specialty course – RAID Pros will gladly fill-in any gaps to achieve mastery of the Advanced 35 content.”

RAID International Training Director Paul Toomer said: “This is an awesome step forward for diver training in general and we can openly applaud the work Barry and Celia Coleman (RAID Founders) did to create the foundation on which this program was based. I am sure this will be the most popular advanced diver program in the industry in the not too distant future, especially with the acknowledgement RAID is getting worldwide for the quality of our programs, evidenced by our rapid growth, the level of professionals we are attracting and now with full service Regional Offices in 12 countries.”

“All the English materials for the RAID Advanced 35 are immediately available online and some of our RAID Regional Offices have already started with translations,” said Terry Cummins, RAID International Business and Marketing Director. Cummins went on to say: “I have been around a long time, been involved in writing advanced courses for other training agencies and I have to say this program is the most extensive advanced diver training available today. I am confident that no other agencies has this level of competence built in to their programs or deliver such skill development directly after entry level training. For dive stores, it is very, very marketable and redefines what the term advanced diver really means.”

Visit www.diveraid.com or contact your local RAID Regional Office for more details.