Professional Scuba Instructor Training

Becoming a professional SCUBA instructor can lead you to some of the most stunning locations around the world. However, training requires a lot of time, effort and concentration. Inexperienced divers place their trust in the skills and ability of diving trainers, so you need to know exactly what you're doing. SCUBA instructors gain qualifications from a reputable SCUBA organization.

Organizations

Several organizations provide SCUBA instructor training qualifications. However, not all courses include the same skill tests, and some SCUBA bodies are more widely recognized. The Professional Association of Diving Instructors has the most members worldwide, with 900,000 certified divers. The National Association of Underwater Instructors trains divers in the US Navy and at NASA, according to the Geoff Wright at the Department of Exercise and Sport at the University of Wisconsin. Most SCUBA diving instructors in America train with either PADI or NAUI, with the majority using PADI. Both have similar course content. However, if you want to focus on more specialist or technical diving training, NAUI may be a better option.

Basic Requirements

In most cases you'll need to be at least 18 years old to become a SCUBA diving instructor. For both NAUI and PADI you need a medical certificate signed by a physician in the last 12 months clearing you for underwater diving. For all organizations you'll need to pass several basic SCUBA training courses. For example, PADI requires either PADI Divemaster or PADI Assistant Instructor certification. Most organizations will accept equivalent training certificates from other reputable SCUBA bodies.

Additional Requirements

PADI asks that you have at least six months of diving experience before training as an instructor. However, within those six months you must have logged at least 60 dives. You also need experience in navigation, night and deep diving before you can start the training development course. PADI and NAUI require either rescue diving or lifeguard training as well as a certificate in CPR and first aid training.

Course Content and Tests

Professional SCUBA instructor training puts recruits through a tough series of both practical and theory tests. The PADI certificate includes 20 core dive skill tests, such as underwater mask replacement and removing and replacing a weight belt. PADI also asks recruits to swim for 800 meters in snorkel and fins without stopping or looking up. Theory exams test your knowledge of key diving concepts such as buoyancy and decompression stops. You're expected to score at least 75 percent on these tests, according to PADI and NAUI.

Considerations

Some SCUBA bodies offer specialty SCUBA instructor training. This might include areas such as underwater photography, ice diving, nitrogen air mix diving or wreck diving. As a professional SCUBA instructor you may find employment in popular diving destinations -- particularly tourist hot-spots such as the Florida coast, the Great Barrier Reef in Australia or resorts on the Red Sea. SCUBA trainers also find work at training centers at universities and sports centers across the USA.