The Deep Ecology Divemaster program will introduce candidates to the arena of professional diving. The goal of our instructional staff is to train our students to be PADI Divemasters with a balanced focus on excellent customer service, optimum diver safety and a strong knowledge base of Oahu’s marine environment. Completion of this program will prepare you to enter the professional diving community with strong first hand experience and a valuable skill set.

Prerequisites

The process begins with acquiring the Divemaster manual and the medical release packet from our shop. Please read all nine chapters of the manual and complete the knowledge reviews for those chapters. Divemaster Candidates (DMC) must have the medical form signed by a physician. Other prerequisites for the program: candidates must be at least 18 years old, have 20 logged dives, and proof of progression through the Rescue and EFR level. Once all prerequisites, knowledge reviews, and medical physical are completed, the candidates are ready for the Divemaster Orientation.

Orientation

At the orientation, DMCs will meet with the instructor and discuss the overview of the program. Deep Ecology provides DMCs with valuable hands on experience working with certified and student divers, in addition to opportunities to learn the behind the scenes workings of a busy dive operation. Therefore all DMCs must exhibit the following:

Professionalism

When at the shop or dive site, DMCs are representing the company, PADI, and the instructors. Professional appearance, attitude and behavior are expected at all times.
Accountability. Take the initiative to complete academic preparation on own time and attend scheduled study sessions at the shop.
Personal Responsibility & Work Ethic. Approach the internship opportunities as you would a job. Internships will only be credited when jobs are completed from start to finish.
Availability. Completion of the program rests with DMC availability to complete all required segments of the training. Call the shop in advance each week to inform staff of your availability.
Purchase of Materials. At the orientation DMCs must purchase the Dive Knowledge Workbook, the Encyclopedia of Professional Diving, and the RDP Wheel.
Gear. All DMCs must have or be actively purchasing gear.

During the orientation, the instructor will work with the DMCs to develop a game plan to complete all requirements of the program. The Divemaster program breaks down into three parts: academics, water skills, and internships.

Academics

There are nine chapters and knowledge development sections in the Divemaster manual. All these must be completed and answers reviewed with an instructor. There are also eight exams that must be passed by a score of 75% or more. Preparation for these exams must be done on DMCs own time. During the orientation, the instructor will discuss the most efficient way to approach these exams. The shop will schedule group sessions to review specific subject material, but candidates must complete workbook exercises and have reviewed appropriate materials before participating in those sessions. Exams can be taken anytime at the shop and left in instructor’s inbox to be graded. Individual review and Q&A sessions with the instructor should be done after internships or during a meeting scheduled through the shop.

Water Skills

During the course, DMCs will be tested on water skills and stamina. There are four timed swimming exercises, a graded rescue assessment, an equipment exchange ( to test in-water problem solving ability), and a session to demonstrate the 20 basic SCUBA skills at instruction quality. Additionally, the DMC must map a dive site of their choice and develop an emergency assistance plan for that site. Deep Ecology provides opportunities for the DMC to hone those skills during the Tuesday and Friday Turtle Bay pool sessions, where the candidate can also earn internship credit helping with the Discover Scuba Diving activities at the resort. Lastly, DMCs must log 60 dives before being signed off as a Divemaster.

Internships

PADI requires candidates to complete 11 internships during the Divemaster program. Deep Ecology provides DMCs a number of opportunities to not only complete the internships, but to acquire valuable work experience in the process. DMCs train on certified dive charters, Introductory dives, Open Water, Advanced and Rescue classes. Candidates are expected to approach these opportunities as if they were a job, completing all tasks and showing initiative when assisting the instructor with the charters and classes. The internships are graded and those results are discussed during a briefing between the DMC and the instructor. Internships are scheduled by the shop depending on group sizes, logistics and DMC availability. Candidates are asked to inform the shop regularly of their availability to assist with these sessions.

The professional staff of Deep Ecology is excited to work with all candidates as they make the transition from recreational diving to professional diving. The academic segment of the program is designed to be a self motivated independent study course. Candidates are expected to take the initiative in regards to the academics and to be available to participate in group study sessions to cover dive theory material. DMCs are encourages to practice the 20 basic SCUBA skills before they are graded by the instructor. Watching the PADI Open Water DVD is a good way to review and preparing with another DMC is a good method to practice. Lastly, candidates are expected to approach all internships with professionalism.

In addition to the academics, water skills and internships, candidates should familiarize themselves with the unique marine life found in our waters. DMCs are asked to learn about the endemic species found here and to abide by Deep Ecology’s no-collection and direct action policy. As a professional, this will provide you with a skill set to be an informative guide as well as have developed diving practices that illicit good role model behavior with regards to interacting with the marine environment.

The goal of the professional staff at Deep Ecology is to guide candidates through the process of transitioning from recreational diving to professional diving. Beyond crossing off a list, the program encourages and provides opportunities to seek a balance between providing the best possible customer service and learning the positioning and control required to ensure optimum safety for certified and student divers alike. Finding that balance is the craft that will make a DMC from the Deep Ecology program an employable and sought after Divemaster.