Beginner Diver to PADI Professional…
Heading for a career in Scuba Diving?
Your first diving experience may be like a fish taking to water, the equipment
feels comfortable and buoyancy control comes naturally to you. Alternatively
it might be more like a buffalo crossing an African river full of crocodiles...awkward, nerve wracking and far from graceful!
Either way once you descend and get a good look at life below you will be
awe-struck, fascinated and hungry for more.
For most people, that first
time kneeling on the ocean floor and taking a moment to relax, letting the
inquisitive fish swim around so close among the sway of water, then looking
up to see the sun twinkling on the surface and breaking through into majestic
beams of light, is the moment they realise that this will not be the last time. Good dive professionals will make you feel safe, confident and enthusiastic and they
make it look like a breeze because they enjoy their job.
Such individuals can
inspire the idea of becoming a dive professional yourself. But what do you
need to do to get to this level? Can anyone do it?
The first step would be to make a plan for your time and also your finances.
Diving courses can be expensive but absolutely worth the price!
You must
first pass your
Open Water Course (3-4 days) in which you will study diving
theory after which you must pass an exam to complete the course. You
will master certain skills initially in the pool and then in the ocean. During
this course you will learn about equipment function, safety and emergency
procedures for both yourself and your buddy. You will learn everything you need to experience our underwater world.
Advanced Course (2-3 days) will fine-tune your competency and judgement. You will
learn more about marine life and the importance of your respect for the ocean.
You will learn how it feels to dive at depth during your deep dive, and the
importance of dive plans and being a conservative and safe diver. You will have better buoyancy control and air consumption.
Rescue Diver (3 days) and EFR (Emergency First Response) will take you
through the more serious diving emergency procedures, including how to
rescue panicked or unconscious divers both on the surface and at depth, and
how to deal with immediate first aid in any situation.
After this, you are free to move onto the
first step of becoming a dive professional, your
Dive Master Course. Bear in
mind you must have 40 logged dives before you can start this programme so
make a plan and keep diving!
For many people the DM course is a stepping stone to becoming an
Instructor, or if photography is your thing then you may want to
become a DM then focus on underwater photography as a career.
These are some options to consider.
Where do you want to do your DM
Course? Study the suitability of countries and options, this course will take a
minimum of around three weeks in order to cover all topics and gain sufficient
experience. Some shops offer internships, which allow you to work in all
areas of the dive shop and boat, this may take much more time but provide
you with valuable experience and knowledge of career possibilities within
the industry. For more detailed info, check out
this video from PADI.
Next up? Your
PADI Instructor Development Course. Here you will be guided through everything you need to be able to pass on your love of the sea to others. You will be able to introduce people to our amazing underwater world and get to witness first-hand the awe that new divers experience - that same awe you had yourself when you first started diving :)
Being a PADI Pro will take dedication, patience, fitness, health
and an eagerness to learn. Are you a team player? Are you a natural leader?
Are you energetic and keen to take care of the safety and happiness of your
customers? Most importantly are you dedicated to Scuba Diving and the
protection of marine life? If the answers to these questions are yes then you
are definitely on the path to a rewarding and fulfilling lifestyle and career!
