PADI Divemaster: A Complete Guide and What to Expect
So you’ve decided to take the leap and become a professional PADI Divemaster?
I’ve put together a complete guide on what to expect with this amazing course and hopefully, it’ll help prepare you for what’s in store!
What is a Divemaster?
The PADI Divemaster certification is the very first step in becoming a professional scuba diver. It’s the first professional level rating in the whole PADI system! The role of a Divemaster is varied but an integral part to the PADI system and can open up a lot of doors career-wise.
As a PADI Divemaster, you’ll be qualified to supervise both training and non-training related activities, assist in various programmes, lead recreational dives, conduct dive briefings, conduct scuba review programmes and teach & certify both skin divers & snorkelers.
If employed directly by a dive centre, You’ll also be expected to perform several customer service duties like offering recommendations and answering customer queries. You’ll need to know your way round the dive centre, help with preparing equipment and of course, help pack everything away at the end of the day. It’s definitely a very ‘full on’ role but a highly rewarding one and a great introduction to the rest of your PADI career!
How To Become a Divemaster?
To gain the PADI Divemaster certification, there are some diver prerequisites that need to be met:
PADI Open & Advanced Open Water Diver
EFR Primary & Secondary Care Training within 24 months
PADI Rescue Diver
40 logged dives (60 at the time of course completion)
Medical evaluation & clearance for diving by a certified physician within 12 months
What Does the Course Entail?
The course itself consists of three sections:
1. Knowledge Development
you’ll be given a Divemaster manual in which you’ll need to complete all knowledge reviews across 9 topics. You’ll also need to watch the PADI Divemaster Video, PADI Specialty Diver videos and read the Encyclopaedia of Recreational Diving and the Business of Diving books. Finally, you’ll take the PADI Divemaster final exam and don’t worry, if you don’t score 75% or higher on the first try, you can always re-test and your instructor will always be on hand to help!
2. Water Skills
This section of the course requires you to undergo timed swims, a rescue evaluation and refine your basic scuba skills. It’s not as stressful as it sounds, don’t worry!
3. Practical Application
The final portion of the PADI Divemaster course is all about developing your skills and applying what you’ve learnt to real or simulated situations. This will include drawing up an emergency assistance plan, a search and recovery task and drawing up a dive site map. You will also be assisting your instructor or other instructors during actual courses with real students.
Once you complete all the requirements for the course, you will earn your PADI Divemaster Certification and become an official PADI PRO Member!
How Long Does the Course Take?
The PADI Divemaster course is performance-based with a minimum of 10 days of training, however, it is completely dependent on how many dives you have logged already and how much time you can put in. Taking these factors into consideration, the course can take anywhere between 10 days to a couple of months! If you can, I’d actually recommend doing a Divemaster internship. It’ll give you an allotted amount of time to dedicate yourself purely to the course without any outside interference. You’ll get to learn from and work alongside some of the best PADI instructors and understand how everything works day by day. You’ll help to greet customers and prepare equipment as well as learn your way around the boat and become a valued member of the team. If there’s a group of interns all learning at the same time, you’ll even make lifelong friends and be able to network for any potential jobs after you certify.
How Much is the Course?
This depends on where you decide to take the course. Different locations will come with different price tags whether it be at home or abroad. I did mine in Thailand :)
Can I Find Work as a Divemaster?
Absolutely! It’s all about having the right attitude and making yourself known. Networking is important within the diving industry so make sure you attend the PADI member forums once you certify. This will help introduce you to the right people as well as learn more about the professional side of the industry. It’s also best to write up a professional CV to hand out to dive centres and of course, do your research. A can do attitude and a positive mindset always goes a long way!
I hope this guide has helped somewhat in preparing you for your PADI Divemaster course!
I really enjoyed mine, I hope you enjoy yours just as much!
