Different diving agencies may have similar syllabi, but the specificity of minimum standards can vary widely. Higher instructor and student certification standards ensure better training results. There tend to be only small differences between the skill syllabus of sidemount or technical diving courses at comparable/equivalent levels in different agencies. However, the minimum performance standards required of students can vary greatly, between one agency and another. Higher minimum performance standards ensure that every student attains their certification with a consistently higher and more reliable level of proven competency. I currently provide diving certifications through RAID - as I recognize that this agency has striven to apply performance standards far above the norm. Having already taught for several different certification agencies, I feel that delivering courses through RAID offers my students a superior training experience.I create skilled divers, not 'minimum standard' clones and every certification issued has to be earned by the student. What most experienced technical divers would state is that the choice of an instructor is far more critical than that of a certification agency. It is the instructor who shapes your course - through the culmination of their breadth of experience, mindset, teaching ability, and motivation to produce quality results.