Go Pro · Careers
As a PADI 5 Star Career Development Centre — the highest rating PADI awards — we can take you all the way from certified diver to working instructor. Two routes, one destination: a career on and under the water.
Enquire nowA gap year and a professional diving career in one. Click through the information pack to see how the programme works, what it includes and what you need to apply.
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Our immersive dive internship. Train all the way to PADI Instructor while gaining real dive-industry, business and customer-service experience — the employability edge that makes your CV stand out anywhere in the world.
The classic professional ladder, course by course. Start with Divemaster — your first pro rating — then continue through Assistant Instructor and the full Instructor Development Course to become a PADI Instructor.
| Blue Ocean Programme | Go Pro training | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Gap year, career change, or a full start in the industry | Divers who want to go pro at their own pace |
| How it runs | Structured year-long internship in a live dive centre, with rotations and continuous evaluation | Course by course: Divemaster, then the Instructor Development Course |
| Training | All PADI courses up to Instructor, with training dives included | PADI Divemaster, Assistant Instructor and Open Water Scuba Instructor with the PADI Instructor Examination |
| Extras | Business and leadership skills, branded uniform, staff gear discount, CV and job placement, Intern Village community | Hard gear rental included, 15% off equipment, rescue and Search and Recovery workshop, buoyancy clinic, Welcome IDC pack |
| Starting point | Minimum age 15, no prior dive experience needed, interview and application | PADI Divemaster for the IDC: 18 or older, 60 logged dives, EFR within 24 months |
| Cost | Contact us | Full IDC R42 950 (see breakdown) |
Both routes end with you qualified as a PADI professional — the difference is how you get there and what you carry with you afterwards.
The Blue Ocean Programme is the full-immersion option. Over a structured year you don't just train — you work alongside our Divemasters, Instructors and Course Directors, learning how a dive business actually runs. Alongside your diving you pick up the business, operational and customer skills that turn a certified instructor into a genuinely employable one. If you want to change careers, take a gap year with real substance, or walk into any dive centre in the world and add value from day one, this is your route.
Go Pro professional training is the flexible option. You progress course by course — Divemaster, then instructor-level training — at a pace that fits around your life. It's ideal if you already have diving direction, time constraints, or you simply want to earn your professional ratings without committing to a full programme.
Not sure which fits? Tell us where you're at and what you're after, and we'll map out the path that makes sense for you.
Every professional route runs through the same ladder: Divemaster, then the Instructor Development Course (the Assistant Instructor and Open Water Scuba Instructor programmes), then the PADI Instructor Examination. After that you can add EFR Instructor, Specialty Instructor ratings and Master Scuba Diver Trainer, and eventually IDC Staff Instructor.
The IDC emphasises development rather than testing, so it is a low-stress place to learn from your mistakes. We also teach the business side of the industry, because a successful diving career needs a solid business foundation as well as passion for the water.
Instructor Development Course in 2026: the full IDC is R42 950 including course materials (R23 450), Assistant Instructor tuition (R7 500) and Open Water Scuba Instructor and EFR Instructor tuition (R12 000). PADI’s own application, Instructor Examination and EFR registration fees are charged in pounds on top. See the full breakdown, requirements and how to prepare →
Do I need experience to start? No. Tell us where you are in your diving and we'll map the path from there — many of our pros started as complete beginners.
How long does it take? The Blue Ocean Programme runs over roughly a year; the Go Pro route is flexible and can be done course by course at your own pace.
What can I do once I'm qualified? Guide and teach divers, and work at dive centres and resorts around the world — a PADI Instructor rating is recognised globally.
What does it cost? The full Instructor Development Course (IDC) is R42 950 in 2026, including course materials and your Assistant Instructor and Open Water Scuba Instructor tuition (see the breakdown). The Divemaster course and the Blue Ocean Programme are priced to suit your starting point, so get in touch and we'll put a quote together for you.
Tell us a bit about yourself and where you are in your diving — we'll talk you through both routes and the next intake.
