Share your passion for scuba diving by becoming a PADI Divemaster. As a PADI Divemaster you will be able to supervise scuba diving activities and assist PADI Instructors with the training of student divers. During the PADI Divemaster programme you will learn leadership skills, increase your dive theory to instructor standards and stretch your organisational and problem solving skills to new heights. With your PADI Instructor acting as your guide, you will increase your confidence in the water and be shown how to control student, novice and experienced divers in all environments and situations.
Minimum age: 18 years
Course Prerequisites: PADI Rescue Diver (or equivalent), 40 logged dives, CPR and First Aid certification within the last 24 months, medical clearance to dive.
What will I do?
The PADI Divemaster programme has three sections. In the first of these, Knowledge Development, you delve deeper into the many areas of dive theory. You will complete the nine self-study sections via the PADI eLearning platform and then combine this with formal classroom sessions, culminating in an exam on subjects ranging from dive physics, supervising student divers, physiology, risk management and the RDP.
Your skills and physical fitness are tested in the Water Skills and Stamina section. You will also be given the opportunity to brush up your own skills to Instructor standard. You will be assessed on the skills taken from the PADI Open Water Diver programme as well as how you handle stressful situations that you may encounter whilst diving with a buddy or helping a student diver.
Don’t worry if you are not an Olympic class swimmer, the stamina tests are to ensure that you have a reasonable level of fitness, not to get you ready for a cross channel swim. The details of these are available when you book onto the programme. Pre-course pool sessions under the guidance of one of our Staff Instructors are available to give you the opportunity to improve your skill level and fitness prior to the start of your programme.
In the final section, the Practical Application, you will practise all you have learnt throughout the programme, either by completing a series of training exercises if you are on an intensive programme, or complete the rest of your training under an internship style programme. In the confined water training you will be shown how to control students and novice divers in a safe manner whilst assisting a PADI Instructor on courses. The open water training includes the supervision of both students and certified divers. You will also be required to make a map of a chosen underwater feature of a local dive site and produce an Emergency Action Plan.
Aquasport also offers you the chance to learn more about the day to day running of a busy dive centre. This is ideal for divers wishing to take more of an active involvement at their local centre or for divers looking to use their certification whilst travelling. The programme involves modules such as compressor operations and cylinder filling, retail training, equipment servicing and dive centre operations. All these are aimed at making you more attractive to future employers in the industry. More information about these programmes is available on request.
How do I get started?
Self-study is a major part of the PADI Divemaster learning process. The PADI materials you need to complete the programme are the PADI Divemaster eLearning, the RDP table and electronic version, and the Encyclopaedia of Recreational Diving. A deposit of £325 is required and you will receive your PADI Divemaster eLearning and Crew-Pak.
Once you have paid your deposit and enrolled on our PADI Divemaster programme you have full use of the pool and classroom facilities available at Aquasport free of charge to prepare yourself for this intensive course.
How long will it take?
The PADI Divemaster programme takes place over a minimum of two weekends. However, to certify as a Divemaster will take as long as is necessary for you to successfully complete all the required sections. The intensive programme combines all the training into two weekends with the home study and other exercises fitting in around these dates. In all, from start date to completion, you can be certified within three to four weeks if you are willing to put in the time and effort required.
The internship programmes combine the first weekend's intensive training with a longer practical period. This is better suited to those of you wanting a slower, less intense experience.
The course starts on a Friday at 6.30pm and continues over the Saturday and Sunday from 8am until 6pm over two weekends, usually a few weeks apart. Intensive and internship options are available on request, subject to candidate numbers.
What will I need?
As the Divemaster is a professional level programme, the minimum age for enrolment is 18 years. The PADI Rescue Diver or equivalent certification is required for you to start your Divemaster programme. Divers certified through other agencies should contact Aquasport first as there may be additional requirements to your certification.
To enrol on the course you must have completed a minimum of 40 logged scuba dives. In order to certify you need to have at least 60 logged dives, including experience in night diving, deep diving and underwater navigation.
A valid CPR and First Aid certification within the last 24 months is also required. The EFR programme is ideal for this.
Before you start the course, we will need a Diving Medical signed by a physician, dated within one year prior to your programme start date. We recommend the HSE medical if you wish to work as a PADI Divemaster in the UK.
As well as the PADI materials already mentioned above, you may also find the standard PADI manuals from your previous programmes come in handy.
Equipment rental is not included in the cost, so you will need to rent from us or bring your own. A full list of requirements is available at the centre on request.
How much does it cost?
PADI Divemaster Programme £675
A non-refundable deposit of £325 is required when you book your programme with Aquasport. You will receive your PADI Divemaster eLearning and Crew-Pak and associated materials needed to start the programme.
Balance of payment is due four weeks prior to the start of your training.
In addition, you will need to pay for your entry to the open water dive site and any required air fills while away from the centre. This is approximately £30 a day.
Upon completion of the course, there is a PADI Divemaster Application fee which is payable directly to PADI.
Where can I go from here?
The PADI Divemaster is the first level of Professional diving. It is the prerequisite for all PADI Instructor programmes. As a certified Divemaster you can work with a centre or resort dealing with both certified and non-certified divers. You may also enrol on the EFR Instructor programme held at Aquasport International and teach the EFR and CFC programmes to our Divemasters of the future.
