In addition to guiding certified divers, Divemasters get to assist on courses, work on dive boats and at dive resorts and teach snorkelling courses. The Divemaster course consists of two parts: Dive Guide and Science of Diving.
This training means you want to take your diving to a professional level. It's the first in a series of courses that allow you to get paid within the diving industry. The definition of a divemaster is that you can be in charge of already certified divers, whether that means simply leading dives, or conducting a refresher course, the outcome of which should be a professional, enjoyable, and safe experience for the paying customer. The divemaster course lasts between 6 and 8 weeks depending on how quickly you progress. The dive school where you choose to do your divemaster certification should be confident enough to say you are a confident and competent scuba diver and have the skill to re-teach and remain safe while doing so.
You should consider the course as a fun, extended job interview. We quite often employ people after they have completed their training.
Since the divemaster course is the first professional course you need to be a proficient diver, so that means you need to be able to dive. The open water course is the first step in learning to dive, so that's a must. After becoming an open water diver you'll need to do the advanced open water. This will make you a much better diver and will help to hone your buoyancy skills. You'll also do a deep dive and a night dive which are essential parts of the divemaster course. When you've completed the advanced open water (explorer 30) you'll be expected to help other divers and that's where the rescue diver course comes in. This course will set you in good stead for the divemaster course since you'll need to be able to help in any emergency situations should they arise when you are leading certified divers. Lastly, you'll need the first aid and oxygen provider course for reasons that should be obvious. So there you have it. The prerequisites for the divemaster course are the open water diver course, the advanced open water course, the rescue course, and first aid and O2 provider.
MAPPING
You'll receive training on how to map a Koh Tao dive site and you'll use the skills to complete a survey underwater. During this dive you'll collect the data required to re-create a dive site map back on land.
RISK MANAGEMENT AND EMERGENCY PLAN
You'll learn to asses risks associated with diving and you'll use this training to construct an emergency plan for a boat diving Koh Tao water.
SEARCH AND RECOVERY
An extension to the rescue diver course, you'll learn to locate and recover items lost by scuba divers and other mariners. You're training will involve patterns and recovery using underwater metal detectors and operating lift bags to bring items to the surface.
GEAR MAINTENANCE
Another essential skill for a career in diving, you'll learn how to recognise faults in scuba equipment and repair them. This is another section of the course that is not mandatory, but something that La Bombona Koh Tao want you to have. It will make you more attractive to dive schools as an employment prospect.
SALES
As we mentioned before, a good employee in a dive center is also a good salesperson. You're training will give you the skills to identify the customer's needs and offer them solutions to those needs, whether it be selling courses or equipment.
DC LOGISTICS
Again, this is not a mandatory part of the divemaster training, but we want you to be as employable in the scuba industry as you can be, so we'll introduce you to the inner workings of our dive school. Your courses will be the following:
Rosters Booking forms Logistics
SPECIALTIES INCLUDED_ NITROX AND DEEP40
We are one of only three dive schools on Koh Tao that offer Nitrox program and Deep 40 program included in your training, so you won't pay any more, but you will gain these skills as standard and become a much more rounded professional. You will not find this in any other divemaster course in Thailand.
INTERNSHIPMany people ask us if scuba training internships are available for the divemaster course. In all honesty we don't often give out internships, only in special cases. You should be aware that many dive centers will do a work-for-course model, but it's more often than not a way of them getting free labour as you'll often work far more hours than what the course is actually worth. We don't believe that people should work for free.
Taking on an internship may work for some people, but be aware your internship will take longer than a standard course and you'll quickly discover the costs of living and the fact that you'll not be able to work until you've completed your obligation to the dive school, may outweigh the benefits.
This is not true of every internship available out there, but do your homework and don't be a slave to a crooked dive shop owner.
There are cases for and against doing your training with a large or small dive school. If you do your training with a small school you are more likely to be involved in the workings of a scuba dive center. Understanding how a dive school actually works is essential if you want to work in the industry. That said, many people just do the divemaster course for fun and do not intend to work as a divemaster, and in this case a large diving school might be a better option, they will have many candidates at the same time, meaning the social aspect can be better, but be aware the competition for work in said dive school after you've completed the courses will be fierce, and you may not have any chance of getting a job. Koh Tao has both options, but remember this. You'll be immersed in the local community regardless of which dive school you choose, so it's best to visit a few schools on Koh Tao and discover the one that feels right to you.
The Koh Tao divemaster community is a vibrant one and it's a guarantee you'll have fun during your training. Not only is the course fun but the island is full of like-minded people who have decided to stay on the island for an extended period. This means you are sure to meet friends for life. There is ample shared accommodation where you may find other candidates from other dive schools doing their divemaster course or instructor course. You'll also find a wide range of evening entertainment from dive bars to nightclubs which will make your stay on Koh Tao a memorable one.
This really depends on how much time you want to spend in Thailand after your stay in Koh Tao. Visas are relatively easy to extend and in most cases, you can get a visa upon your arrival in Thailand and you can extend it month by month in the immigration office which is located right here on Koh Tao. Your training will last around 7-8 weeks, so generally speaking, you can get a visa on arrival then just extend once, although many people decide to stay longer and choose to do multiple extensions. If you choose to do multiple courses during your stay, let's say open water all the way to DM, then you can seek to book an educational visa, although we personally wouldn't advise the option as there is a lot of red tape to get through and it's often not a practical solution. Speak to your local Thai embassy before you plan your trip to Thailand and see what options they give you.
Thailand Has Incredible Marine Life - During your course Koh Tao will give you so much back, especially when you are in the water. The divemaster course gives you a perfect opportunity to see everything. We have divers going out every day of the year, so as one of our candidates you'll have ample opportunity to join them for as many dives as you please during your course. You can basically join any instructor on any course for the duration of your stay with us. The water is crystal clear and the marine environment is one of the best the world has to offer. Think huge schools of fish, massive barracuda, the odd turtle and of course the whaleshark.
We are located on a beautiful resort - Our learning environment is one of the best on the island. When you aren't in training you can hang out by our infinity pool or take a stroll down the best beach Koh Tao has to offer in the picturesque Chalok bay. The beach in Chalok bay also has some amazing restaurants and bars, but unlike Sairee, it has a relaxed vibe, much of what you'd expect of a tropical island.
We are a family run business - Bryan (Scotland) and Rocio (Spain) are very much involved in the program. Rocio is the main instructor for our candidates, but Bryan also hosts workshops like equipment maintenance and sales workshops. Since the owners are so heavily invested in the program there are no corners cut. They want to ensure their brand says quality, so if you happen to work elsewhere people will notice your level of training and ask you where you were trained.
Koh Tao has very high standards - Koh Tao is the number one destination for diving in Thailand, so there are plenty of dive schools and thus the standards are very high. A dive school would simply fail if they weren't up to the standard of the others. If you do your divemaster course in Koh Tao. You can work with us - After you have finished your divemaster course we know you are good at what you do, so why search Koh Tao for other workers when we know we've trained the best. Everyone who completes the divemaster course with La Bombona diving have the chance to work here.
Our divemaster course is different - We've mentioned this previously in the article, so you have it in black and white, but we really do it differently here. Much more bang for your buck.
We have wing BCs - You can choose to do your divemaster course in a wing BC which is another first for the Koh Tao dive industry. This sets you up if you are planning to do any tech courses.
We have instructor positions - We are an expanding dive center, and we are currently on the lookout for new instructor candidates, so if you really want to change your life and become an instructor we always give opportunities to our own as they know how the dive operation works.
Koh Tao is a magical place - Both of the owners of La Bombona Diving came to Koh Tao on vacation and decided to come back and set up a life here. There is something about the island that draws you back. Come and do. a bit of diving and you'll discover for yourself
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