Why become a PADI Divemaster?

Because This Could Be Your New Office In Less Than 30 Days.

There are many reasons to become a PADI Divemaster:

• You want to turn your passion for scuba-diving into a career in the diving industry.
• You just want to be a better, safer diver for your own peace of mind.
• You have a Gap Year and want to travel the world and work while you go.
• Your company has offered a Career Break and you want to try something different from the daily grind of the 9 to 5.
• You are a Service Leaver from one of the UK Armed Forces wishing to use the Enhanced Learning Credits (ELC) scheme. In this case, please also see our separate Military Resettlement website for further details.

There are loads of other reasons, but what is common for all of them is that by the end of the Divemaster course you will be a more knowledgeable, more experienced, more out-going scuba-diver ready to join the ranks of Open Water Scuba Instructor (OWSI) if you wish!

The course is intense: covering the high-level of dive theory and scuba skills needed to become a PADI Instructor plus the personal attributes required to work as a PADI Professional anywhere in the world.

By working alongside Thailand Divers' experienced Instructors and Managers, you will achieve these goals and gain the real-life experience of teaching PADI courses with real-life students.

Please click the link below as this will take you to our listing on Trip Advisor, where past customers have left lots of comments on the standard of teaching here at Thailand Divers.

     CLICK HERE.

Introduction to your Instructor and fellow Divemaster candidates.

Paperwork.

Presentations:

• Introduction
• Supervising Certified Divers

Theory presentations and exams part 1.

Skill Circuit: Skills 1 to 10.

Theory presentations and exams part 2.

Skill Circuit: Skills 11 to 20.

Swim tests and Rescue Assessment

Mapping Project.

The philosophy of the internship option is that you will learn by applying the principles and skills you have learned in the classroom and swimming pool to actual supervision and teaching situations. At Thailand Divers, this means that you will be assisting our Instructors on real courses with real customers!

You will gain a huge amount of teaching and diving experience during this stage, as well as seeing how different instructors have their own teaching styles when it comes to courses. This ensures that you receive a more balanced approach to your internship- rather than being just a clone of your Instructor, you can adapt the different techniques used to your own style or even create your own!

You will also see the behind-the-scenes workings of a busy, successful dive company in Phuket: from the day-to-day operation of the dive centre with the sales of courses and equipment; teaching in the classrooms; to the back-office operations of equipment maintenance and storage, plus the logistics involved in running a day trip boat. By actively being involved and being part of the team at Thailand Divers, you will gain a lot of experience and insight into how a dive centre operates which will put you in good stead for future employment within the dive industry.

• Non-accommodated option: 35,000 Baht
• Accommodated option: 50,000 Baht

This price includes the PADI Divemaster Crewpak and includes everything you’ll need to start the PADI Divemaster program. The complete set of materials includes:

• The Encyclopedia of Recreational Diving - a comprehensive overview of diving physics, physiology, and equipment.
• The Diving Knowledge Workbook – a self-study guide used in preparation for the Divemaster and Instructor exams.
• DSD Instructor Cue Cards
• Divemaster Slates
• PADI Divemaster Manual
• *NEW* Instructor Manual 2010

To take the Divemaster course, you must be:

• At least 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 (EFR) (or qualifying first aid and CPR training from another organization) course completion within the past 24 months.
• Have at least 20 logged dives
• Be fit for diving and submit a Medical Statement (PDF) signed by a physician within the last 12 months.

Divemaster candidates meet course performance requirements and:

• Complete knowledge development segments, Knowledge Reviews in the PADI Divemaster Manual and the Divemaster Final Exam.
• Create an Emergency Assistance Plan for a designated dive site.
• Complete stamina and waterskills exercises.
• Complete a diver rescue assessment.
• Complete the dive skills (20 Skill Circuit).
• Complete practical application skills.
• Complete an internship (Option 1) or Practical Assessment (Option 2).

At time of certification, verify the diver has:

• Logged at least 60 scuba dives including experience in night diving, deep diving and underwater navigation.
• Completed EFR Primary and Secondary Care training within 24 months.
• Read and agreed to the PADI Membership and License Agreement.

During the PADI Divemaster Course you will increase your knowledge about diving by attending Knowledge Development presentations from your Instructor as well as doing self-study from the Divemaster Manual, Diving Encyclopedia and Diving Knowledge Workbook.

Topics covered in the presentations are:

1. The Role and Characteristics of a PADI Divemaster
2. Supervising General Diving Activities for Certified Divers
3. Assisting with Students in Training
4. Dive Theory Introduction
5. The Physics of Diving
6. The Physiology of Diving
7. Equipment
8. Decompression Theory and the RDP
9. Divemaster Conducted Programs
10. Risk Management
11. The Business of Diving
12. Furthering Your Dive Career

You will also be required to complete the PADI Divemaster Final exam which is composed of eight sections with multiple-choice questions:

1. Divemaster Conducted Programs
2. Supervising Certified Divers
3. Assisting with Student Divers in Training
4. Physics
5. Physiology
6. Equipment
7. Skills and the Environment
8. Decompression Theory and the Recreational Dive Planner (RDP)

You will also need to produce an Emergency Assistance Plan with information on how to manage an accident at a local dive site.

Stamina Exercises

There are four exercises that evaluate your stamina and water skills that must be completed prior to certification:

1. Swim 400 metres without stopping using no swimming aids and any stroke or combination of strokes.
2. Stay afloat by treading water, floating etc. for 15 minutes, with hands (not arms) out of the water for the last two minutes.
3. Using a mask, fins and snorkel only, swim with your face in the water for 800 metres without stopping.
4. Wearing full scuba equipment, push or tow an inert diver in full scuba at the surface for 100 metres nonstop without assistance.

Diver Rescue

You must successfully demonstrate an effective simulated rescue of an unresponsive, non-breathing diver underwater.

You must demonstrate the following 20 basic scuba skills so that each skill earns at least a 3, and the total for all 20 is 68 or higher. Additionally, Skill #8 (Mask removal, replacement and clearing) must score at least a 4.

1. Equipment assembly, adjustment, preparation, donning and disassembly.
2. PADI Predive safety check (BWRAF).
3. Deep water entry.
4. Buoyancy check at the surface- attain neutral buoyancy.
5. Regulator-to-snorkel and snorkel-to-regulator exchange.
6. Proper five-point descent.
7. Regulator recovery and clearing.
8. Mask removal, replacement and clearing.
9. Air depletion exercise and alternate air source (AAS) use stationary for 30 seconds.
10. Free-flow regulator breathing.
11. Fin pivot (both low-pressure and oral inflation).
12. Proper five-point ascent.
13. Remove and replace weight system on the surface.
14. Controlled emergency swimming ascent (CESA).
15. Hovering in midwater for 30 seconds.
16. Underwater swim without mask.
17. Remove and replace weight system underwater.
18. Remove and replace scuba unit underwater.
19. Remove and replace scuba unit on the surface.
20. Buddy breathing stationary and swimming (both as donor and receiver).

There are three core skills that you will learn during this stage of the course and you will be scored by your Instructor on each one:

1. Mapping Project
   You will survey an open water dive site and create a detailed map of the site showing (as applicable to the site) underwater relief, important points of interest, any relevant environmental notes, recommended entry/exit areas, local facilities, and potential hazards.
2. Equipment Exchange
   In confined water, you will demonstrate the ability to solve unanticipated problems underwater by exchanging all scuba equipment (except exposure suits and weights) with a buddy while sharing a single regulator second stage.
3. Divemaster-Conducted Programs
   Under the supervision of the Instructor, you will conduct two real or simulated PADI programs:
   
   • A PADI Discover Scuba Diving program (in confined water).
   • A PADI Discover Snorkeling, Scuba Review, Discover Local Diving or Skin Diver course.
   
   You will demonstrate to your Instructor that you can give an effective briefing and debriefing, and conduct the inwater activities safely for a PADI program that may be taught entirely by a PADI Divemaster.

During the Practical Application and Internship stages of the Divemaster course, you will also be evaluated on your Professionalism and Leadership skills.

In particular, your Professionalism will be evaluated on the following categories:

1. Level of active, positive participation in the training sessions.
2. Ability to serve as a mentor to student divers.
3. Willingness to follow directions.
4. Positive attitude/demeanor toward student divers and staff.
5. Positive attitude/practice towards caring for the environment.
6. General understanding of a Divemaster’s role.
7. Appearance.