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Divemaster
Love scuba diving? Want to share it with others on a whole new level? Take the PADI Divemaster course and do what you love to do as a career. Scuba divers look up to divemasters because they are leaders who mentor and motivate others. As a divemaster, you not only get to dive a lot, but also experience the joy of seeing others have as much fun diving as you do.
The PADI Divemaster course is your first level of professional training. Working closely with a PADI Instructor, you’ll fine-tune your dive skills, like perfecting the effortless hover, and refine your rescue skills so you anticipate and easily solve common problems. You’ll gain dive knowledge, management and supervision abilities so you become a role model to divers everywhere.
As a PADI Divemaster, you’ll lead others as you supervise scuba diving activities and assist with diver training. Whether you want to work at a faraway dive destination or close to home at a local dive shop, the adventure of a lifetime awaits you. PADI Divemasters are respected dive professionals who are aligned with the largest and most respected dive organization in the world – PADI.
PADI Rescue Divers who are at least 18 years old may enroll in the PADI Divemaster course or 15 to 17 year olds for the Junior Divemaster. You also need to have:
Emergency First Response Primary and Secondary Care (CPR and First Aid) training within the past 24 months.
A medical statement signed by a physician within the last 12 months.
At least 20 logged dives for the Junior Divemaster
At least 40 logged dives to begin the course and 60 dives to earn certification.
Note that qualifying certifications from other diver training organization may apply – ask your PADI Instructor.
What will you learn?
The PADI Divemaster course teaches you to be a leader and take charge of dive activities. Through knowledge development sessions, water skills exercises and workshops, and hands-on practical assessment, you develop the skills to organize and direct a variety of scuba diving activities. Topics and practical workshops include:
The role and characteristics of the PADI Divemaster
Supervising dive activities and assisting with student divers
Diver safety and risk management
Divemaster conducted programs and specialized skills
Business of diving and your career
Awareness of the dive environment
Dive setup and management
Mapping an open water site
Conducting dive briefings
Organizing a search and recovery project and a deep dive
Conducting a scuba review and skin diver course
Assisting with Discover Scuba Diving and leading Discover Local Diving programs
Your instructor may also offer the PADI Deep Diver and Search and Recovery Diver specialty diver courses along with your divemaster training to help you meet all requirements and to broaden your abilities.
How can you start learning now?
Sign up for Divemaster Online – PADI’s eLearning option – to start now. You can work through eight knowledge development sections using a web-based system that lets you learn at your own pace. You also have access to an online version of the Divemaster Manual for reference during and after the course.
Email us to enroll in the course and get your Divemaster Crew-Pak, which also includes other reference materials – like the PADI Instructor Manual and The Encyclopedia of Recreational Diving – that you’ll need during the course.
Consider taking Dive Theory Online, another PADI eLearning® program, that takes you step-by-step through dive physics, physiology, skills, equipment and environment, plus a Recreational Dive Planner (RDP) review. By successfully completing Dive Theory Online, you can get credit for half of the Divemaster Final Exam. Your PADI Instructor can explain how this works when you meet to schedule knowledge review sessions along with your water skills exercises, workshops and practical assessments.
What scuba gear will you use?
As a dive professional, you’ll want to have all your basic scuba equipment, including a dive computer, a dive knife, and at least two surface signaling devices. During practical skills exercises, like underwater mapping and search and recovery, you’ll use a compass, floats, marker buoys, lift bags and slates. Your PADI Instructor may suggest additional gear that will be useful throughout your diving career.
Price | $2200 per person and excludes DM Crew Pack ($60), excludes eLearning ($290)
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Open Water Scuba Instructor
If you like people, have a passion for scuba diving and want an extraordinary life – become a PADI Instructor. Teaching scuba diving allows you to share your love of the aquatic world with others while doing what you enjoy – being in, around and under water. PADI Open Water Scuba Instructors and PADI Assistant Instructors are the most sought-after dive professionals around the world because they’ve completed the program that sets the standard for training dive professionals. You earn a PADI Instructor rating through hard work and commitment, but you’re rewarded with a job that lets you share incredible underwater adventures with others – transforming their lives for the better and enriching yours.
Are you ready to join the ranks of the dedicated professionals who teach the world’s most progressive and popular scuba diver education programs? Then Go PRO with an Instructor Development Course.
The Instructor Development Course (IDC) is made up of two parts – the Assistant Instructor (AI) course and the Open Water Scuba Instructor (OWSI) program. Most dive professionals complete the entire IDC and go on to attend an Instructor Examination (IE), which is the final step to earn a PADI Instructor certification.
Successfully completing just the AI course results in a PADI Assistant Instructor qualification. When an AI is ready to progress, attending an OWSI program allows entry into an IE to earn a full PADI Instructor rating.
Dive professionals who hold an instructor rating with another diver training organization may be eligible to enroll directly in the OWSI program. This recognizes prior instructor training and provides a path to become a PADI Instructor.
A PADI Divemaster who has been a certified diver for six months may enroll in the PADI Instructor Development Course. You also need:
At least 60 logged dives and 100 dives to attend an IE.
Emergency First Response Primary and Secondary Care (CPR and First Aid) training within the past 24 months.
A medical statement signed by a physician within the last 12 months
You also need to be an Emergency First Response Instructor, but you can earn this rating during your instructor training.
What will you learn?
Over a minimum of five days, but usually more like seven, the IDC teaches you to conduct all PADI core courses. You’ll be able to organize and present information, conduct skill development sessions and control open water dives. Basically, you become a better public speaker and get really good at demonstrating skills while watching out for student diver safety. Key topics include:
PADI Standards and Procedures for courses you can teach with in water workshops
Learning, Instruction and the PADI System
Risk Management and Diver Safety
The Business of Diving and your role as an instructor
Marketing Diving and Sales Counseling
You may be able to get college credit or the Assistant Instructor course and Instructor Development Course.
How can you start learning now?
Register for IDC Online – PADI’s eLearning option that lets you study independently at your own pace before class. There are nine interactive knowledge development sections. Prestudy online saves classroom time, which allows more time for practicing the skills that distinguish you as a PADI Instructor.
Also, sign up for Dive Theory Online, if you haven’t already completed it or it’s been more than a year since you went through it. The program is a straightforward review of dive physics, physiology, skills, equipment and environment, plus using the Recreational Dive Planner (RDP). By successfully completing Dive Theory Online, you can get credit for the dive theory exam requirement during your IDC.
Email us to enquire about our next IDC.
What’s an IE?
An Instructor Examination (IE) is a two-day evaluative program that tests an instructor candidate’s teaching ability, dive theory knowledge, skill level, understanding of the PADI System, and attitude and professionalism. PADI IEs are standardized and conducted by specially trained PADI Instructor Examiners. The IE location, testing environment and examination sessions are organized to be as objective as possible to fairly and consistently evaluate a candidate’s abilities. Only those who meet the IE performance requirements earn the respected PADI Instructor certification. There is a fee for attending an IE.
Price | Please email us directly to discuss prices.
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Master Scuba Diver Trainer
The PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer rating sets you apart as a dive instructor who takes continuing education seriously and is committed to teaching a variety of courses. (Potential employers like this.) Being an MSDT signifies that you’ve got the experience and certifications to offer all the training a diver needs to become a Master Scuba Diver – the ultimate recreational diver rating.
All PADI Instructors who have certified at least 25 PADI Divers and have earned at least five PADI Specialty Instructor certifications can be Master Scuba Diver Trainers. This rating is the next step up the professional ladder and is a prerequisite for IDC Staff Instructor as well as for many TecRec Instructor ratings.
More scuba diving and more fun sharing what interests you – that’s what teaching specialty diver courses is all about. The best way to learn how to make your specialty diver courses really special is to take a specialty instructor course from your local PADI Course Director. Specialty instructor courses provide teaching tips and hands-on experience that you can implement right away. With 25 standard PADI Specialty Diver courses, and numerous distinctive specialties, you have lots of choose from – so get going.
All PADI Instructors will benefit from taking specialty instructor training courses, especially those who are ready to step up to the Master Scuba Diver™ Trainer (MSDT) rating, which requires at least five PADI Specialty Instructor certifications.
PADI Assistant Instructors, instructor candidates in training, and PADI Divemasters are eligible to enroll in certain specialty instructor courses. Some specialties have additional prerequisites and exit requirements – ask your PADI Course Director for details.
What will you learn?
You’ll learn new techniques to add to the experience you already have in a specialty area and have fun fine-tuning your skills and teaching methods. Plus, you’ll get great ideas for marketing your specialty diver courses.
Price | Please email us directly to discuss prices.
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IDC Staff Instructor
Just as scuba divers look up to divemasters, instructor candidates really respect IDC Staff Instructors. As the name implies, IDC Staff Instructors assist with instructor training and share their wisdom and experience with new PADI leaders. Taking the IDC Staff Instructor course provides you with in-depth knowledge of the instructor development process and prepares you to shape the next generation of PADI Professionals. It’s also a great career move.
Master Scuba Diver Trainers (MSDTs) who are ready to be excellent role models and agree to use the PADI System and components in their entirety may enroll in an IDC Staff Instructor course.
What will you learn?
After a pre assessment of your instructor-level knowledge of dive theory, exemplary dive skills and role-model presentation techniques, you’ll participate in these sessions:
Instructor development standards, procedures and curriculum
How to organize and conduct the PADI Assistant Instructor course
The psychology of evaluation and counseling
Evaluating knowledge development, confined water and open water teaching presentations
Plus, you’ll get to audit an IDC or practice teaching many curriculum components.
As an IDC Staff Instructor, you can independently teach PADI Assistant Instructor courses as well as assist with IDCs and other instructor-level continuing education courses.
How can you get started?
Email us to enquire about our next IDC and IDC Staff Instructor training course.
Price | Please email us directly to discuss prices.
