Welcome to the Oceanauts Pro Academy: Assistant Instructor
Moving from leading dives to changing lives. The Assistant Instructor (AI) rating is your formal entry into the Oceanauts Pro Academy, bridging the gap between Divemaster and Open Water Instructor.
This is not a standard "click-and-book" course. The Pro Academy is a selective, application-based professional development program. We don't just want you to show a student how to clear a mask; we want to develop you into a highly effective Coach—someone who instills confidence, improves self-esteem, and commands a dive deck with authority and empathy.
The Oceanauts Standard: Why We Are Different
Our Academy goes far beyond minimum agency standards. When you begin your professional teaching journey with us, you can expect:
- Intelligent Progression: We teach modern pedagogical psychology. While our ultimate goal is always to produce exceptional, neutrally buoyant divers, you will learn how to intelligently use staged progression—including kneeling—as a vital tool for safety, patience, and building initial student confidence.
- Cold-Water Mastery: If you can control a class comfortably and effectively in our local conditions, you can teach anywhere in the world.
- A Post-Certification Pathway: We aren't just looking for students; we are looking for future colleagues. Suitable graduates of our Academy programs have ongoing mentorship and potential pathways to teach locally with the Oceanauts team.
What Can an SSI Assistant Instructor Do?
The AI rating makes you a vital educational asset to any dive center. You move beyond being an assistant and gain the power to:
- Teach Academics: Deliver the theory sections of the Open Water Diver program.
- Master the Pool: Conduct confined water sessions (excluding emergency ascents) under indirect supervision.
- Evaluate Skills: Assess surface-performed skills during Open Water training dives.
- Issue Certifications: You are fully authorized to teach and certify students in Try Scuba, Scuba Skills Update (Refresher), Perfect Buoyancy Specialty, and the Explorers Program.
- Bonus Instructor Ratings: Upon certification, you will also be eligible for free online upgrades to become a Specialty Instructor for Computer Diving and Marine Ecology!
The Application Process
Because we invest heavily in our candidates and keep our cohorts strictly capped for maximum 1-on-1 mentorship, direct checkout is disabled. We want to ensure the Academy is the perfect fit for your career goals.
- Submit Your Interest: Click the "Contact Us to Apply" button to send us your current certification level and dive experience.
- The Discovery Call: We will schedule an informal, 15-minute chat with our Instructor Trainer to discuss your goals, review your readiness, and explain the course structure.
- Your Invitation: If you are a good fit for the cohort, we will formally invite you to join the Academy and walk you through the scheduling and onboarding process.
Course Prerequisites & Requirements
- Certification Base: SSI Divemaster (or equivalent). You must have held an Open Water Diver certification for at least six (6) months prior to starting.
- Prerequisite Ratings: Must hold an Enriched Air Nitrox 40% certification (or equivalent).
- Experience to Start: Minimum of 60 logged open water dives (totaling 40+ hours).
- Experience to Graduate: Must log a total of at least 75 open water dives (totaling 50+ hours) prior to final certification.
- Medical & Fitness: Must provide a Physician's Approval to Dive (a formal diving medical examination within the last year) and pass the Candidate Water Fitness Evaluation.
- Active Status Requirement: Must hold a current certification in CPR, First Aid, and Oxygen Administration (e.g., SSI React Right) completed within the last 24 months.
Logistics & Inclusions
- Location: Intensive classroom, confined water, and open water sessions at Oceanauts HQ and local training sites.
- What's Included: SSI Pro Digital Learning Materials, an SSI Pro Polo Shirt, comprehensive in-water workshops, and direct mentorship from our training team.
- What to Bring: A complete, professional-grade Total Diving System (your gear must be the benchmark for your students), a drysuit and thermals for long coaching hours, plus your professional slates.
Professional Note: This course is the critical foundation block of the Instructor Training Course (ITC). Assistant Instructors are significantly better prepared for their final Instructor Evaluation (IE) because they have already mastered the core teaching mechanics. Please note that upon completion, you will be responsible for your annual SSI professional registration fee.