PADI Internships - Rescue Diver certified to PADI Instructor

If you’re currently a PADI Rescue Diver (or qualifying certification from another dive training agency) and you wish to pursue a professional path to becoming a PADI Instructor, then we’ve developed the following PADI internships to help you make your dream come true and embark on a professional dive career. Our PADI diving internships includes the PADI Divemaster course and the PADI Instructor Development course. For more information on the content of these courses, please see the 'Path to Pro' section.

Although PADI revised the Divemaster curriculum in 2011 and introduced new components to their standardised course, at Utila Dive Centre we regularly update and are constantly evolving our Divemaster course to be one of the most cutting edge and dynamic programs worldwide. Even in 2013 there are still additional workshops and benefits to taking the Divemaster course with Utila Dive Centre, such as our specialty programs, Project Aware Coral reef surveying program, or Discover Tec workshops.

If you have a PADI Rescue (or equivalent agency), then you can start with the PADI Divemaster course (every Monday) and continue all the way through to PADI Instructor in approximately 6 weeks (arrive 4 weeks prior to a scheduled PADI Instructor course). Our Divemaster internships are a great way to gain additional experience before you enroll in the PADI IDC with us. If you are short of the 40 dives required to start the Divemaster course, WE INCLUDE UNLIMITED DIVING with our program, since you need to have 40 logged dives to start the Divemaster course. So, depending on how many dives you are short, we will schedule a pre-week to the Divemaster program where you start getting involved in coral reef surveying, log dives and improve essential dive skills such as your buoyancy control and air consumption. The pre-week will take you up to the required 40 dives - which many dive centers cannot include due to limited resources! We would recommend an early reservation as we do have limited spaces/materials and small group sizes.

Our 'Premium Pro Plus’ program includes the PADI Instructor Development Course, Emergency First Response Instructor and Master Scuba Diver Trainer preparation program. Our ‘Premium Pro Plus’ program will train you beyond a regular PADI ‘Open Water Scuba Instructor’, then, after the Instructor course is completed, we will train you as a ‘Master Scuba Diver Trainer’. We will allow you to intern with our full time Instructors at the Utila Dive Centre on Utila so that you will get to put into practice what we taught you during the IDC under the watchful eyes of our seasoned professional staff.  There's no other facility in the Americas that has daily PADI courses or classes scheduled in a way that will allow you to assist on at least 5 PADI courses, from Open Water to Rescue, and gain invaluable real world experience and organizational and logistical skills. By the end of our internship you will have issued up to 15-25 PADI certifications and can apply for your PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer rating. You will also have earned a valuable reference from our Career Development Center, which is good for life, wherever you travel in the world as an Instructor.

When you compare our package deals to the cost of a college degree, IT training, or professional and technical trades that can costs from tens of thousands of dollars through to six figure sums, you'll see the cost and time of becoming a scuba Instructor is soon repaid in 3-6 months, with a rewarding lifestlye as a perk of the job!!! All Pro Programs pricing includes island reef fees, log books, pertaining course manuals and rescue pocket mask, in house certification processing (if required). All course materials and PADI fees are included in quote (although paid separately). Zero hidden extras - or we'll pay them!

For Rescue certified divers (or equivalent), the Divemaster and Instructor with Emergency First Response Instructor, (6 week program) Cost $3650 includes 7 night’s accommodation in Mango Inn hotel, 2 months reef fees, log books, course manuals, new 2012 Instructor manual/Divemaster crew pack, Instructor course IDC crew pack, EFR Instructor manual, Rescue pocket mask, RDP's (Table and E-RDP ML). PADI fees are included in quote of $3650 but PADI Divemaster fee of $99, EFR Instructor fee of $95 and PADI Instructor application and examination fees of $720, are paid direct to PADI with credit card at time of application and not to Utila Dive Centre.

Book online and we’ll apply our GoPro 3.0 price on the Instructor course, and this package costs $3550 with total savings of over $262 on individual course prices and no hidden extras!!!!

The MSDT (5 specialty Instructor course) module, with all fees and materials and optional internship costs an additional $1070 if prepaid at the same time, otherwise an additional $1155 at a later date.

A complete set of scuba equipment from Scubapro can be purchased with this package, including a full set of MK25 regulator/Seahawk BCD and all other gear from head to toe, with duffle bag. Reduced from MSRP of $3400 to $2200, an amazing unmatched offer and great saving!

We'll provide 7 nights dorm style accommodation in our hotel the Mango Inn when you first arrive on Utila, giving you plenty of time to find a suitable apartment. We would estimate living expenses, including food/rent (based on sharing an apartment), at $800 per month. So for between $5-9k (depending on whether you choose the equipment package and/or MSDT option) you can have 2-3 months living on a Caribbean island, become fully trained in a new career as a PADI Instructor, enjoy amazing diving, and obtain a full set of scuba equipment. This is just the beginning of a great lifestyle change.

You can complete the academics with PADI's e-Learning course now. Though additional costs apply, the e-Learning course gives great time savings prior to arriving on Utila for candidates on limited timelines. For more information on how to sign up for this option, please let us know of your interest.

We're also offering International Yacht Training programs that can be taken concurrently and in conjunction with our Divemaster and Instructor internships.  The IYT/PADI Dive Boat Mate is being offered and scheduled in conjunction with our PADI Divemaster and MSDT internships, and we will be offering training all year round and e-learning is best completed independently prior to arriving on Utila and supported with our Instructors remedial training. The IYT Dive Boat Mate course allows our PADI pro's to start tendering and driving boats as second command, logging sea time and once an individual has completed 180 days (4 hours = 1 day) of sea time, as dive boat crew, they are eligible to take the IYT Coxswain Boat Captains course, which we also offer at Utila Dive Centre.  For candidates who are training to become PADI Instructors with us on our MSDT program, there is also the option to qualify as an IYT/PADI Dive Boat Mate Instructor, thereby increasing your own employment prospects and that of the future PADI Divemasters you train, and increasing your earnings potential and own maritime teaching experience.

Please see the following section for more information on the IYT training and courses offered at Utila Dive Centre.

There's never been a better time to train as a PADI Divemaster or Scuba Instructor, with a growing dive industry worldwide, but also in recent years the expansion and growth of the yachting industry and recreational super yachts, makes this the perfect compliment to enhance your dive training and employ-ability in dive resorts, and on day boats, liveaboard vessels and super yachts worldwide. We encourage early enrollment on these courses as we have very limited spaces, please inquire for costs and scheduling.