What is the Divemaster Course

Looking for the first step in working with scuba as a career? Your adventure into the professional levels of recreational scuba diving begins with the PADI Divemaster programme. Working closely with the Scuba Diving North West team, in this program you expand your dive knowledge and hone your skills to the professional level. PADI Divemaster training develops your leadership abilities, qualifying you to supervise dive activities and assist instructors with student divers. PADI Divemaster is the prerequisite certification for both the PADI Assistant Instructor and PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor certifications.

What You Learn

During the PADI Divemaster programme, you learn dive leadership skills through both classroom and independent study. You complete water skills and stamina exercises, as well as training exercises that stretch your ability to organise and solve problems as well as help others improve their scuba. You put this knowledge into action through a structured internship.

As you progress through your Divemaster course, you’ll expand your diving knowledge, hone your skills and increase your confidence. Then, as a PADI Divemaster, you’ll use these attributes to lead, mentor and motivate other divers and experience the joy of seeing them transformed by the majesty of the aquatic realm.

What You Can Teach

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

• Supervise both training and non-training related activities by planning, organising 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 Snorkelling program
• Conduct the PADI Discover Local Diving experience
• Conduct the PADI Scuba Review programme
• If qualified as a Discover Scuba Diving Leader, independently conduct the PADI Discover Scuba Diving programme
• 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 Aqua Mission
• 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 Scuba Gear You'll Use

You use all the basic scuba equipment and some scuba accessories such as a dive slate, dive knife, compass, dive watch, etc.

At this level of your diving career you should have and own all of your diving gear required to dive here in the UK.

The Learning Materials You Need

The PADI Divemaster crew pack includes:

• PADI Divemaster Manual
• Divemaster slates
• PADI Instructor Manual
• The Encyclopaedia 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

There are other required materials that a Divemaster Candidate will need but may have received them during other PADI programmes so they have not been included in the Divemaster crew pack. Please speak to us for the full list of required materials that you will need for the course.

Prerequisites

To take this course, you must be:
18 years old
A PADI Advanced Open Water Diver (or qualifying certification from another training organisation)
A PADI Rescue Diver (or qualifying certification from another training organisation)
An Emergency First Response Primary and Secondary Care (or qualifying first aid and CPR training from another organisation) 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 signed by a physician within the last 12 months.

Other Courses that will prepare you as a PADI Divemaster
Here are some suggestions for other PADI courses that will help make you more successful as a PADI Divemaster:
Search and Recovery Diver (Highly recommended)
Deep Diver (Highly recommended)
Boat Diver
Digital Underwater Photographer
Emergency Oxygen Provider
Enriched Air Diver
Equipment Specialist
Night Diver (recommended as most dives are inland and visibility can be challenging)
Peak Performance Buoyancy (Highly recommended)
Underwater Navigation
Wreck Diver (Highly recommended)

Timescale

6-12 months internship with lots of pool sessions, lots of theory sessions and lots of other stuff! Get in touch, we always meet up with our Divemasters before they commit to this course due to it's length and the commitment required.

What is the Cost?

PADI Divemaster Course - £525.00*
*This price does not include the PADI Divemaster crew pack, dive site fees for Open Water evaluations or your application fee to PADI.