One of the major roles of a PADI Divemaster is to act as an assistant in training to a PADI Instructor. This can consist of many roles including control, demonstration assistance, course logistic preparation, dive guiding, equipment troubleshooting, and more. During the PADI Divemaster course, you will be frequently assisting Ocean Tribe PADI Instructors during real PADI dive courses (if there is not a required course happening at that time then simulations will substitute).
Assisting in Training- What Roles Might a PADI Instructor Assign a Divemaster to Help With?
Control
One of the Divemaster’s most crucial assisting in training roles is to help the PADI Instructor keep control of a dive group. This puts the Divemaster in a supervisory role of dive course students when the instructor is otherwise engaged with another student in a mobile exercise. Or more PADI pros are required by standards to be present in the water with higher student numbers.
Demonstration Assistance
A number of the PADI skills such as air sharing skills are much better demonstrated with the Divemaster assisting in training. If the Divemaster is part of the demonstration then all students can see exactly what is going on and the skill doesn’t have to be demonstrated multiple times so everyone can see.
Course Logistic Preparation
Assisting in training roles often requires the Divemaster to make sure that all the course logistics are in place. This can include packing the spare box, gearing up student divers, and making sure a CESA or descent line is available. Or even that all tanks are filled, ready, and loaded onto the boat for diving. There are so many ways PADI Divemasters can be called to help out with preparing course logistics so it’s good to be on your toes.
Dive Guiding
A Divemaster might be called upon to lead the tour section of PADI courses, while the PADI Instructor pays close attention to the students and their reactions, meeting performance requirements. Dive guiding is also a job that is frequently performed by PADI Divemasters with certified divers.
Equipment Troubleshooting
On a dive boat, nothing is more disappointing than a canceled dive. Nothing is more worrying to an inexperienced student than a malfunctioning piece of dive equipment. A PADI Divemaster assisting in training should make sure that they have the knoweldge and spares to ensure that dives do not get cancelled and minor equipment adjustments can be made.
Assisting in Training- The Divemaster is Often More Approachable in the Dive Student’s Mind
It is often the case with student divers that they seem to ask the PADI Divemasters for advice, hints and tips during diver training. This is rather than approach their PADI Instructor who they find not as approachable as the friendly Divemaster. The key is in the title! DiveMASTER….
