Whether you’re thinking about becoming a PADI® Divemaster, or you’re already a divemaster but not in active status, you may be wondering, “what can divemasters do?” Here’s the short answer:
- Assist PADI Instructors with training and non-training diving activities
- Accompany certified PADI Scuba Divers and Open Water Divers on dives
- Assist with Discover Scuba Diving® programs
- Teach PADI ReActivate®, Discover Snorkeling and PADI Advanced Snorkeler
- Lead Discover Local Diving programs
The list above is just the beginning. PADI Divemasters can also organize conservation activities and (with additional training) teach conservation courses. Sharing your passion for ocean protection is a great way to position yourself as the local diving expert and generate income when you can’t be in the water.
Below are answers to some common questions about what divemasters can do.
Can a PADI Divemaster do DSDs?
With additional training, divemasters can independently conduct Discover Scuba Diving Experiences in a pool or confined water.
After Discover Scuba Diving participants have satisfactorily completed their first dive with an instructor, a divemaster may lead them on additional guided dives within 14 days. The divers must be under an instructor’s indirect supervision and at a maximum 2:1 ratio.
What can PADI Divemasters teach?
- Discover Snorkeling
- The PADI Advanced Snorkeler program including the PADI Seal Team AquaMission: Skin Diver Specialist
- PADI ReActivate
Divemasters can also become qualified to teach:
- PADI Mermaid™ courses
- PADI Freediver™ courses
- Emergency First Response® first aid and CPR courses
With additional training from a PADI Course Director, PADI Divemasters can get certified to teach the following PADI specialty courses:
- Equipment Specialist
- Coral Reef Conservation
- PADI AWARE Specialist
- Emergency Oxygen Provider
- Digital Underwater Photography
- Any PADI Distinctive Specialty courses that don’t require dives
Contact a PADI Instructor Development Center (IDC) for more information or to schedule training. Click the button below, then choose “Instructor Development Center” from the filter menu.
What else can Divemasters do?
Increase your earning potential by pursuing additional training and experience such as:
- Working as a deckhand on a PADI Dive Boat
- Pursuing your captain’s license
- Learning how to service scuba equipment
- Watching marketing how-to videos and learn how to attract new customers
- Be an eco-influencer: organize beach cleanups or other activities. The PADI Torchbearer™ resource guide is packed with activity ideas.
PADI Conservation Activities Locator
Connect with people who share your passion for protecting the underwater world. List your classes, cleanups and other conservation activities on the PADI Conservation Activities Locator. To get started, click below or go to padi.com/listnow and log in with your PADI Pro username and password.
