Professional Development

OK, maybe you’ve completed the Rescue Diver course, you’re really hooked on diving, and now you’re thinking about turning professional. Or maybe you’re already a certified Divemaster, or even an Instructor, and now you want to further your education to enhance your professional qualifications. So what’s your next step ?

Divemaster is the first step in the pro ladder. A DM wears many hats, including supervising the activities of certified divers, and serving as an instructional assistant in the training of student divers; in addition, a DM may independently conduct a few selected dive programs. The DM course combines independent study with a number of formal classroom sessions, places an emphasis on developing a thorough knowledge of dive theory while honing personal dive skills, and incorporates practical hands-on experience through a comprehensive internship program.

Assistant Instructor is the next professional level. Through formal presentations and practical application, the AI course introduces instructional and evaluative skills, enabling the AI to become more directly involved in training student divers, and often qualifying the AI to independently conduct a number of specialty diver certification programs. Some training organizations require AI as a prerequisite to Instructor, while it is an optional rating with others.

Instructor is the next rung up the ladder of professional certification programs. The Instructor Development Course (IDC) and subsequent Instructor Examination (IE) focus heavily upon instructional and evaluative skills, in the classroom as well as confined and open water, to develop and verify expertise in the overall administration of recreational training programs. Advanced Instructor ratings typically are based upon continuing education, specialty ratings, and experience.

Specialty Instructor ratings may be achieved through formal Specialty Instructor courses, or alternately they often can be obtained through direct application to the certifying training organization, based upon extensive personal diving experience; in general, a separate Specialty Instructor rating is required for each specialty diver course that is offered.

PADI is the Professional Association of Diving Instructors, the world’s largest and most-recognized recreational diver training organization. The following PADI professional certification courses are available at Elite Divers, providing comprehensive leadership-level dive training: