SSI Dive Professional Training

With our ability to move between locations within the Windward and Leeward islands, we can bring our training program to you as opposed to you having to travel to find professional training. The Professional training consists of 3 tiers, Dive Master, Assistant Instructor and then finally Open Water Instructor. There are additional recognition levels (Advanced Open Water Instructor, Divemaster Instructor and Master Instructor) but these are recognition based on numbers and types of certifications granted.

The Divemaster program is the first step on an exciting journey. Earn the respect of your dive buddies and become an ambassador for diving by taking the Divemaster program. All you need to get started are 40 verified/logged dives and certifications in Deep Diving, Navigation, Night & Limited Visibility or at least 5 logged/verified dives experience in each area plus Diver Stress & Rescue. You will be certified as a Dive Guide after successfully completing the Divemaster program.

When your interest is to turn your passion into a profession by guiding certified divers, teaching Ecology programs, assisting instructors or even becoming an instructor yourself, your next step is the Divemaster Upgrade with a minimum of 60 logged/verified. Upgrade to Divemaster right away or any time after by self-studying the Science of Diving materials, passing the Digital Final Exam which makes you an SSI Professional.

So let's talk about what it takes to become a professional:

  • Dive Master - This is the entry level professional certification

    • Open Water Diver Certified with 60 Open Water Dives

    • Diver Stress and Rescue

    • Deep

    • CPR and O2 Certified - React Right covers this requirement

    • Science of Diving

    (if you are missing any of these required certifications, let us know ahead of time

    and we can come early to put you through one or more of these courses)

Diver Stress and Rescue - One of the primary responsibilities of a Dive Master is to keep divers in their charge safe. You must be very capable in your ability to RAPIDLY identify and deal with a diver in distress before it reaches catastrophic consequences

The React Right course is paired with Stress and Rescue as it focuses on CPR, First Aid and O2. It also will prepare you to use an AED. We will talk about the AED as part of your boat kit. Everyone should be certified to administer CPR and since you will likely want O2 on board to handle emergencies, this course will provide the necessary certification to buy and have O2 cylinders filled. This course can be taught as either an initial certification or a refresher (every 2 years). Your insurance company may even give you a bit of a break on your premium based on having this course

Deep Diving

Your basic Open Water certification allows you to safely dive to 60′. This advanced certification will provide the training and knowledge to safely dive to the full recreational limit of 130′. As a Divemaster you will be responsible for leading recreational divers to the full limits of their certification.


Science of Diving

Since you are going to be leading and instructing other divers, it's important that you know the rest of the story. This will better inform you decision making and operational risk management decisions.

The Next Step along the way is the Instructor Training Course

Here we are going to focus on your teaching skills and hone the presentation of your underwater skills so they are instructor demonstration quality

The ITC starts with training for the Assistant Instructors and then once they are done moves on to the full Instructors

Once the ITC is complete, we will have made arrangements to bring an SSI Instructor Examiner in to complete the Instructor Exam and Certify you as a full Instructor

Become a certified Assistant Instructor with SSI

The Assistant Instructor rating is the next step after becoming a Divemaster along the scuba instructor pathway. It allows you to collect valuable teaching experience, practice briefings, teach academics, and conduct in-water training.

If you want to further your career as a dive professional, you can finish the Instructor Training Course, pass the Instructor Evaluation, and become an Open Water Diving Instructor.

Become a Scuba Instructor and Live Your Passion

The training process starts with joining the Assistant Instructor / Instructor Training Course combination accompanied with Digital Learning. After successful completion of the Instructor Training Course (ITC) you will enroll in an Instructor Evaluation (IE) to qualify as an SSI Open Water Instructor. This 10 day training program entitles you to teach various key SSI programs independently like Scuba Diver, Open Water Diver, Enriched Air Nitrox, Diver Stress & Rescue and Dive Guide.