Become a Certified Assistant Instructor with SSI
The Assistant Instructor rating is a significant milestone in your scuba diving career. After completing the Divemaster certification, this role allows you to gain valuable teaching experience. By practicing dive briefings, teaching academic lessons, and leading in-water training, you prepare for the next phase in your diving journey. Becoming a Diving Assistant Instructor is an ideal step to build the skills needed for a full instructor role.
What Does an Assistant Instructor Do?
In this role, you will work alongside certified instructors to help teach dive courses. You will assist in conducting dive briefings, guiding in-water training, and helping with academic lessons. This experience enhances your leadership and communication skills, which are vital for success. Additionally, you will gain experience in managing students and leading dive groups, preparing you for future progression in the diving industry.
Steps to Becoming an Assistant Instructor
To reach this level, you must first complete the Divemaster program. Once you’ve earned your Divemaster certification, you can enroll in the next course. This program equips you with the necessary skills to assist instructors, lead dive briefings, and supervise students during dives. It provides hands-on experience to build confidence and prepare you for the next stage of your career.
The course includes both practical and theoretical components. By working with certified instructors, you will better understand how to run dive courses and manage students, ensuring you are well-prepared for leadership roles in the diving community.
Benefits of Becoming an Assistant Instructor
Reaching this level offers numerous benefits. First, it provides essential teaching experience, helping you refine leadership skills. You will learn to conduct briefings, manage dive groups, and assist in courses, which are all crucial for progressing toward becoming an Open Water Diving Instructor.
Additionally, this certification opens up career opportunities. It allows you to assist in a wide range of dive courses, exposing you to different teaching environments and experiences. This will pave the way for further growth, such as earning your Open Water Diving Instructor certification.
Advancing Your Career
Once you’ve earned your Assistant Instructor certification, the next step is to continue advancing your education. By completing the Instructor Training Course and passing the Instructor Evaluation, you can achieve the Open Water Diving Instructor certification. This will allow you to teach independently, opening up more career opportunities in the diving industry.
Conclusion
Becoming an Assistant Instructor with SSI is a crucial step in your diving journey. It provides hands-on experience that helps you develop the skills needed to advance your career. Whether you aim to pursue full instructor certification or assist other divers, this step is vital for your future in scuba diving.