PADI Divemaster

What is a PADI Divemaster? What does a PADI Divemaster do?, Well the answer to those questions may well depend on whereabouts in the world you are located both as a student and as a fully qualified PADI Divemaster.

Working abroad, PADI Divemasters spend their days as dive guides, knowing where to take their guests for that extra special dive, dive sighting or maybe conducting Discover Scuba Diving. Discover Local Diving experiences, as a dive guide on a safari boat.

In the UK you will carry out PADI Scuba Review programmes, Discover Scuba Diving, Run a Day Boat dive operation as a Dive Marshal. Work in a school dive team to deliver PADI Courses as well dealing with logistics and being the one that students will likely come to as they see you as a more approachable individual to ask that question of.

When you started your diving journey you learnt basic skills and then honed them in the pool and open water environments. You probably took the PADI Advanced Open Water Course so you could dive to 30 metres and learn about some basic navigation skills as well as trying the first dive of the many PADI Specialties available. Maybe you fancied trying a Diver Propulsion Vehicle and had designs on being 007 for half an hour.

You didn’t become a Rescue Diver to be a hero, or to be rescuing divers left right and centre. Or to sit on the boat all uptight waiting for that unlikely event of a diver being in need of rescue. You became a PADI Rescue Diver to give you the knowledge and the skill base should you find yourself or another diver in an unfortunate situation.

Then perhaps you looked closer at the people who taught you to dive, your family members keep asking you about diving? Nieces and Nephews ask about your adventures underwater, you find you want to pass on some of the knowledge you have gained. You find you want to learn more about the theory behind diving. You enjoy diving with people not as confident as yourself so you can help them enjoy the wonders of the undersea environment. Do you want to share your world and adventures with family and friends, more importantly would you like to introduce them to a new world and help them take their first breaths underwater.

Its not important if some of the above applies to you or if it all applies to you because the PADI Divemaster programme is about all of these things put together and more. Its about developing your knowledge of the PADI system, scuba equipment and the environment so when a student asks a question you can answer with confidence and lay their fears to rest. Its about developing your dive skills to Instructor standards, its about helping people who may struggle with a skill, you can be the kingpin in their learning by helping them master a skill. Its about being flexible, being professional, being able to organise and run a days dive operation. Its about researching dive sites, its about guiding divers, its about taking responsibility for divers. Its about anticipation above and below the surface, can you be in the right place at the right time, can you spot a potential problem before it arises and fix it whilst not damaging an individuals confidence. Its about teamwork and being an integral and important part of a dive team, its about keeping diving safe and enjoyable for everyone. Becoming a PADI Divemaster course is no easy task but you will gain entry into the professional ranks of PADI Divers and if you want to work within diving anywhere in the world then being a PADI Pro will open far more doors for you then any other agency in the recreational diving industry.

Will you get paid in the UK?  highly unlikely is the most probable answer, but you can gain a place with a dive school on their team. This gives you access to students to teach and to develop your skills, work with Instructors, meet people and go diving. This where if you want to go further that you invest in yourself, increasing your knowledge, building your experience, diving in different environments. Acting as a dive marshall, running dive trips, research dive locations, work as shore support for other Instructors, watch and learn, refine your theory knowledge. its where you start to develop friendships, take additional courses. It is where you start to build your portfolio. Being involved with a dive school gives you an invaluable insight into the dive industry. The satisfaction you can gain from helping someone overcome a difficulty and master a skill iis priceless. This all adds up to an important time if you wish to go on further along the PADI Professional path.

Will you get paid abroad? There is a slight chance that you may gain employment overseas as a dive guide but your going to need to stand out from the crowd of other applicants so you need to put yourself in a position to do that (see above). More than likely you may get work on odd days with different dive centres on a freelance basis whilst you build your experience. It certainly wont make you rich, it is more about a lifestyle. Work hard and you may get a dive centre sponsor you through an IDC Course, this option can also be available be in the UK with some dive centres.

Becoming a PADI Divemaster is the first step on the PADI Professional ladder and can be the gateway to a life you never thought possible, it will give you the chance to share your experience, to look after other divers, gain experience, gain knowledge and respect, to introduce people to new sights and sounds, to teach people, to guide people both above and below the surface

The real test of a PADI Professional or Dive Professional is to master all environments, to be able to work effectively both at home and abroad, in a pool, in a lake or inland sites, from the shore and from boats at sea. To gain the respect of other professional divers. To do this you have to go diving and expose yourself to different environments. If you can achieve this then you can be proud of what you have achieved and your high standard of diving.

After becoming certified as a PADI Divemaster you will be authorized to:

• Supervise both training and non-training-related activities by planning, organizing and directing dives
• Assist a PADI Instructor during the training sessions for any PADI Diver course
• Conduct the PADI Skin Diver course and PADI Discover Snorkeling program
• Conduct the PADI Discover Local Diving experience
• Conduct the PADI Scuba Review program
• If qualified as a Discover Scuba Diving Leader, independently conduct the PADI Discover Scuba Diving program.
• Earn the PADI Digital Underwater Photographer Specialty Instructor rating to be able to teach the PADI Digital Underwater Photographer specialty.
• Independently guide Open Water Diver course students on the tour portion of Open Water Diver course Training Dives 2, 3 and 4 at a ratio of two student divers per certified divemaster.
• Accompany Open Water Diver students under the indirect supervision of a PADI Instructor during:
  • surface swims to and from the entry/exit point and during navigational exercises
  • when the instructor conducts a skill, such as an ascent or descent, a Divemaster can remain with other student divers (with an individual student or buddy team)
• Accompany student divers during Adventure Dives or Specialty training dives under the indirect supervision of a PADI Instructor.
• Conduct the PADI Seal Team Skin Diver Specialist AquaMission
• Conduct subsequent dives under an instructor’s indirect supervision for Discover Scuba Diving participants after participants have satisfactorily completed the first dive with a PADI Instructor.
• Teach Emergency First Response courses after successfully completing an Emergency First Response Instructor course.

At a glance, compare what you can teach when you continue your professional diver education.

The PADI Divemaster crewpak includes:

• PADI Divemaster Manual
• Divemaster slates
• PADI Instructor Manual
• The Encyclopedia of Recreational Diving – a comprehensive overview of diving physics, physiology, and equipment
• Scuba Tune-up Guidebook
• PADI Professional Log
• DSD Cue Cards
• PADI Pro Bag
• PADI Divemaster Application package

Prerequisites

To take this course, you must be:

• 18 years old
• A PADI Advanced Open Water Diver (or qualifying certification from another training organization)
• A PADI Rescue Diver (or qualifying certification from another training organization)
• An Emergency First Response Primary and Secondary Care (or qualifying first aid and CPR training from another organization) course completion within the past 24 months.
• Have at least 40 dives to begin the course and 60 for certification
• Be fit for diving and submit a Medical Statement (PDF) signed by a physician within the last 12 months.

There are other required materials that a Divemaster Candidate will need but may have received them during other PADI programs so they have not been included in the Divemaster Crew-Pak.  Please ask your PADI Instructor for the full list of required materials that you will need for the program.

 If you would like to know more about the PADI Divemaster Course Schedule, would like to book onto a course, then please email: info@recntec.org.uk or call 01727827301

We are a PADI 5 Star Instructor Development Centre offering all PADI Courses from Beginner to Professional as well as full retail outlet and servicing facility. Rec n Tec is your one stop scuba shop for all your diving needs.