THE SSI ASSISTANT INSTRUCTOR PROGRAM PROVIDES CANDIDATES WITH THE KNOWLEDGE AND TRAINING NECESSARY TO PERFORM THE DUTIES OF AN ASSISTANT INSTRUCTOR. THESE DUTIES INCLUDING CONDUCTING ENTRY-LEVEL SCUBA TRAINING UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF AN OPEN WATER INSTRUCTOR, AND INDEPENDENTLY CONDUCTING SCUBA SKILLS UPDATES, TRY SCUBA, AND PERFECT BUOYANCY PROGRAMS.

DIVERS SUPPLY INDY ASSISTANT INSTRUCTOR PROGRAMS ARE OFFERED TWICE A YEAR… IN THE SPRING IN MID-APRIL/EARLY MAY AND IN THE FALL IN SEPTEMBER. BOTH PROGRAMS ARE SCHEDULED FOR SIX DAYS RUNNING OVER TWO CONSECUTIVE WEEKENDS (FRIDAY-SATURDAY-SUNDAY). CLASSES RUN FROM 8:00 AM TO 5:00 PM EVERY DAY, CONSISTING OF A COMBINATION OF CLASSROOM AND CONFINED WATER DIVING INSTRUCTION.

CANDIDATE PREREQUISITES:

• MINIMUM AGE: 18 YEARS OLD.

• HAVE LOGGED AT LEAST 60 OPEN WATER DIVES TOTALING 40 HOURS OR MORE.

HAVE THE FOLLOWING ACTIVE STATUS SSI CERTIFICATIONS OR AN EQUIVALENT FROM A RECOGNIZED TRAINING AGENCY:

• DIVEMASTER

DURATION:

• RECOMMENDED HOURS FOR COMPLETION: 35-42. THE NUMBER OF CLASSES, HOURS AND SESSIONS PER DAY ARE SET BY THE INDIVIDUAL INSTRUCTOR, BASED ON THE CANDIDATE’S NEEDS, ABILITY, AND LOCAL WATER CONDITIONS.

ACTIVE STATUS QUALIFICATIONS:

IN ADDITION TO THE PROGRAMS TAUGHT BY ACTIVE STATUS PROFESSIONAL DIVE GUIDES, ACTIVE STATUS ASSISTANT INSTRUCTORS MAY TEACH, SUPERVISE, AND ISSUE CERTIFICATIONS FOR THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS:

• SCUBA RANGERS

• TRY SCUBA

• SCUBA SKILLS UPDATE

• PERFECT BUOYANCY

IN ADDITION TO THE DUTIES PERFORMED BY AN SSI DIVEMASTER, ACTIVE STATUS ASSISTANT INSTRUCTORS MAY ALSO:

• TEACH THE OPEN WATER DIVER ACADEMIC AND POOL/CONFINED WATER SESSIONS (EXCEPT FOR EMERGENCY ASCENT SKILLS) UNDER THE INDIRECT SUPERVISION OF AN ACTIVE STATUS OPEN WATER INSTRUCTOR.

• DIRECTLY SUPERVISE AND EVALUATE SURFACE SKILLS DURING OPEN WATER TRAINING DIVES FOR THE PEN WATER DIVER PROGRAM UNDER THE INDIRECT SUPERVISION OF AN ACTIVE STATUS OPEN WATER INSTRUCTOR.

• REGISTER TO BECOME A SPECIALTY INSTRUCTOR FOR SOME SSI SPECIALTY PROGRAMS.

• ENROLL IN AN INSTRUCTOR TRAINING COURSE