The PADI Divemaster course is the first step into the professional dive industry, and as such requires a large commitment on the part of the candidate.
The role of Divemaster includes leading certified divers on individual dives or dive trips, briefing and supervising dive activities, conducting Scuba Reviews, assisting Instructors with dive training and more. In dive training the Divemaster assists the Instructor and may demonstrate skills for students, assist individual students master a problem skill, assist with logistics and is a role model for students. Frequently students will ask a role model Divemaster questions before they will ask the Instructor.
Divemasters usually work hard for very little return, they are paid very little but are compensated to some extent with discounts on equipment purchases, air fills etc, being a Divemaster is largely a love affair with diving, while gaining experience to go on to Assistant Instructor & Instructor training.
Ezidive's Divemaster program is an "Intern" program in that it is conducted over a period of time, largely at the candidate's own pace. There are a number of practical sessions with open water students where candidates learn the problems and practicalities of dealing with real students. This approach is different to the compressed Divemaster course offered by others where "Open Water students" are represented by Divemaster candidates pretending to be Open Water students.
There is a lot of work involved for the Divemaster candidate in this course, some of the activities include:-
Knowledge development which includes, Role and characteristics of Divemaster, Supervising diving activities, Assisting with divers in training, Decompression theory, Physics of diving, Physiology, Divemaster conducted programs, Risk management and more.
Waterskills and Stamina. A Divemaster must be fit for diving, here candidates perform four exercises, each of which earns points, the total of which must reach a certain score. For most candidates these exercises will involve some fitness training in a pool to reach the required standard. A dive rescue of an unconscious submerged diver from the bottom is required. This rescue is no different from that performed in the rescue diver course except for the required high standard.
Perform basic Scuba skills, to a demonstration level standard. Here the candidate learns Instructor level skill demonstrations.
Training exercises including, a mapping project of a local dive site, develop an emergency plan for local dive site, equipment exchange exercise (where two divers exchange all their equipment underwater while buddy breathing) and conducting a Divemaster program such as "Discover local diving".
Practical Internship which would normally include participation in a series of Open Water course confined & open water training sessions and one higher level course open water training session.
As you can see there really is a lot of work in the Divemaster course, if you are up for a challenge and are a already a rescue diver, why not contact Ezidive for more information.
Course Cost including Divemaster Manual, PADI Divemaster registration (but not insurance) and at least two reef trips, $1200.