As an active status SSI Open Water Instructor you can:
In addition to the programs taught by an active status SSI Divemaster: Teach, supervise and issue certifications for the following programs:

Scuba Rangers / Try Scuba / Scuba Skills Update / Perfect Buoyancy / Basic Diver / Referral Diver / Indoor Diver / Scuba Diver / Open Water Diver / Experienced Diver Test / Advanced Adventurer / Diver Stress and Rescue / Dive Guide

Included in our ITC "Basic" Program
Enriched Air Nitrox 40% Specialty Instructor
Marine Ecology Specialty Instructor

• Minimum age: 18 years old
• SSI Divemaster rating or an equivalent rating from a recognized agency in active status
• SSI Enriched Air Nitrox 40 Certification or equivalent
• Logged at least 100 open water dives
• RSTC Medical Statement signed by a physician within one (1) year
• Proof of CPR/First Aid & Oxygen First Aid training within two (2) years
• Be an Open Water Diver or higher for at least six (6) months prior to starting the Instructor Evaluation

Academic Preparation -  Home Study
Prior to beginning the ITC Program you must complete the required sections of the digital learning, Pass the Instructor Training Course pre-test with a score of 100% and complete the required review sections with a score of at least 90%. We will guide you through this process, for more information see the Academic Preparation Tab.

13 Days - ITC Prep + ITC + IE

• 1 Day - In Water Skills Prep Day
• 10 Days - ITC
  • Assistant Instructor & Instructor Training Course
  • Enriched Air Nitrox 40% Instructor Specialty Course
  • Marine Ecology Instructor Specialty Course
• 2 Days - (IE) Instructor Evaluation
  • Theory Exam
  • Standards Exam
  • Rescue Skills Evaluation
  • Confined Water Skills Evaluation
  • Open Water Skills Evaluation

In preparation for the ITC you are required to review your prior academic training, complete the digital academic training of the Instructor Course and familiarise yourself with the SSI Digital Platform "MySSI/Odin". This process ensures that all candidates are at the same level when beginning the ITC and gives you a chance to review dive theory from all of your previous training so that you are 100% prepared as for your ITC and as an Instructor.

Once you have signed up for the ITC we will give you access to all of these materials online and guide you through the preparation.

OUTLINE OF ACADEMIC PREPARATION

• Complete the Pre-Test
• Read Section 1-10 of the SSI Instructor Program Manual and answer the Review Questions.
• Read the SSI General & Training Standards.
• Read the SSI Open Water Diver Manual and answer the Review Questions.
• Review the SSI Total DiveLog, Instructor DiveLog, and Diver Training Record.
• Read the OWD Instructor Manual.
• Read the Diver Stress & Rescue Instructor Manual.
• Read the Advanced Adventurer Instructor Manual.
• Read the Perfect Buoyancy Instructor Manual.
• Read the Enriched Air Nitrox Instructor Manual.
• Familiarize yourself with "MySSI/ODiN"

In Water Skills - PREP *Included FREE

We include a day a of In Water Skills preparation for free to give our Instructor Candidates the best possible start to their training, this day is optional however highly recommended. The day is spent perfecting the skills from the Open Water Diver and SSI Diver Stress and Rescue Courses. The focus is on perfecting skill demonstrations at a Professional Level with neutral buoyancy.

Day 1 - ITC Prep - Included FREE
Orientation and paperwork
Open Water Skills - Professional Level Demonstration Practice
Lunch Break
Rescue Diver Skills - Professional Level Demonstration Practice

Day 2 - ITC
Academic Session 1 – Overview of SSI
Academic Session 2 – Duties of an SSI Dive Professional
Lunch Break
Academic Session 3 – Program Administration
Practical Application Session 2 – Academic Presentation – Open Water Diver
Academic Review

Day 3 - ITC
Academic Session 4 – Academic Sessions
Academic Session 5 – In-Water Teaching
Lunch Break
Practical Application Session 3 – Academic Presentation – Perfect Buoyancy / Specialty
Academic Session 6 – Assistant Instructor Programs
Academic Review

Day 4 - ITC
Practical Application Session 1 – Candidate Water Fitness Evaluation
Practical Application Session 4 – Workshop – Try Scuba and Scuba Rangers
Lunch Break
Practical Application Session 5 – Workshop – Open Water Diver and Scuba Skills Update

Day 5 - ITC
Practical Application Session 6 – Pool/Confined Water Presentation – Open Water Diver Skill
Practical Application Session 7 – Pool/Confined Water Presentation – Perfect Buoyancy
Lunch Break
Assistant Instructor Final Exam and Review

Day 6 - ITC
Academic Session 7 – The Open Water Diver Program
Academic Session 8 – Open Water Instructor Specialties
Lunch Break
Academic Session 9 – Diver Stress and Rescue and Dive Guide
Academic Review

Day 7 - ITC
Practical Application Session 8 – Academic Presentation – Enriched Air Nitrox or Diver Stress and Rescue
Practical Application Session 9 –Academic Presentation – Dive Guide
Lunch Break
Practical Application Session 14 – Dive Briefing Evaluation
Academic Review

Day 8 - ITC
Practical Application Session 10 – Workshop – Diver Stress and Rescue Skills
Lunch Break
Practical Application Session 12 – Pool/Confined Water Presentation – Diver Stress and Rescue
Practical Application Session 11 – Pool/Confined Water Presentation – Open Water Diver & Emergency Skill

Day 9 - ITC
Practical Application Session 13 – Open Water Presentation – Open Water Diver Skills
Lunch Break
Practical Application Session 15 – Dive Guiding Evaluation
Make Ups / Extra Tutoring

Day 10 - ITC
Academic Session 10 – The Business of Diving
Academic Session – Your Career with SSI
Lunch Break
Marine Ecology Instructor Seminar
Final program and performance review

Day 11 - Rest - Study Day
This day is scheduled to allow for rest and study day but also to allow for make-ups and or extra training / tutoring if required

Day 12 - Instructor Evaluation

Day 13 - Instructor Evaluation

The schedule may be adjusted to allow for candidates training needs throughout the course. Extra tutoring and assistance outside course hours will always be available for those that need it. We are 100% committed to your success of becoming a SSI Open Water Instructor - We believe in Quality Training.

Included in the price are all required Materials - Digital & Physical, Training, Pool & Open Water Dives, Tanks & Weights, Certification Fees, Instructor Evaluation Fee, Processing Fees as well as the Enriched Air Nitrox 40%, Marine Ecology and React Right Instructor Specialties - NO HIDDEN EXTRAS!

• FREE - ITC Prep - In water skills
• Academic Sessions/Workshops
• Pool Sessions
• Open Water Training Dives
• Tanks and weights
• All Digital Academic Materials (value - 685 US)
• SSI Professional Wetnotes Set (value - 80 US)
• Dive Briefing Evaluation Slate (value - 20 US)
• Instructor Evaluation Fee (value - 595 US)
• Instructor Processing Fee (value - 100 US)
• Instructor activation/renewal fee for the current year

Certifications Issued after successfully completion of ITC and IE

• SSI Open Water Instructor
• SSI Diver Stress and Rescue Specialty Instructor
• SSI Enriched Air Nitrox 40% Specialty Instructor
• SSI Perfect Buoyancy Specialty Instructor
• SSI Marine Ecology / Naturalist Specialty Instructor

Please Note

• If you are coming from a dive organisation other than SSI you have to pay a one off Professional Registration Fee of 70US. This fee is not included in the ITC cost. This fee will give you access to;
  • Digital SSI Certification Card
  • Digital Logbook for Scuba, Extended Range & Freediving
  • Specialized Access to Dive Professional Materials - DiveSSI App
  • 24/7 Download of all Pro Materials in all Languages with option to print
  • Access to all Future Training Material Updates Online and in the DiveSSI App

Accomodation
We do not include accommodation in our course price because we know that everyone has different tastes, styles and budgets. Playa del Carmen has a wide variety of options from hostels, airbnb to luxury all inclusive hotels.

We do however work with a local hostel that is close to the shop with good facilities, depending the season the price is around 10 US per night per person for a shared dorm with breakfast.

We also work with Hotel Casa Tucan which is a boutique hotel just around the corner, where standard rooms for 2 people (depending on the season) are about 35 US per night.

If you would like more information about either of these options and/or help setting it up we are more than happy to help. Also if you would like  advice/recommendations on choosing somewhere else that suits your needs just let us know.

Meals
At the Dive Center you have free access to Filtered Water, Tea & Coffee Facilities, as well as a microwave and fridge. Water and Fruit are also supplied on all local Dive Trips. However meals are not included in the program, this allows you to be able to choose meals that you want to eat. Playa has options for all - Vegetarian, Pizza Lover, Meat Eater - it's all here (and we know where).

There are plenty of economical  options close by the Dive Center for grabbing some lunch Tortas (big mexican sandwiches), Tacos and Salads - you can expect to eat and be full for around 3 to 6 US. The local kitchen just next door serves a traditional lunch with soup + main meal + juice for just 60MX / 3.5 US and they will even bring to to the Dive Center! (We eat here a lot!)

There are several large supermarkets with just about anything you want on offer close by, so if you are staying in a hostel or somewhere with a kitchen you can also prepare your own food.

If you be kind to us we may even share our secret list of favorite cheap places for an awesome dinner. 😉

• Diver Stress and Rescue certification or equivalent
• Proof of logged dives
• RSTC Medical Statement signed by a physician within one (1) year
• Proof of CPR /  First Aid / Oxygen First Aid training within two (2) years
• Tablet or Laptop for academic study/presentations
• Total Diving System - BCD, Regulator, Wetsuit, Dive Computer, Buoy & Reef, Mask, Snorkel & Fins
• Lots of positive energy ready to study and train hard 🙂

DIVE EQUIPMENT

As a Dive Professional at Instructor Level ideally you should have your own Total Diving System. At a bare minimum you should have your own:

• Mask, Snorkel, Fins, Dive Computer, Wetsuit, Buoy & Reel

If required BCD and Regulator can be rented from the Dive Center at 50% of the rental cost

We also offer great discounts on dive equipment for our Professional Level Candidates and are more than happy to advise you on dive equipment purchases before your arrival

Equipment Discounts
We offer excellent packages and discounts on equipment for our Professional Level Candidates

Continuing Education
Discounts on all Specialty / Extended Range and Instructor Training Courses and that you take with us in the future