PADI Junior Divemaster
JUNIOR DIVEMASTER
Start Your Professional Journey Early.
Love diving and want to take it further? The PADI Junior Divemaster programme gives young divers aged 15–17 the opportunity to start developing the knowledge, skills and leadership abilities used at professional level.
Junior Divemaster is a subset of the full PADI Divemaster course, so this isn't simply an introduction to professional diving. You'll complete a significant part of actual Divemaster training, giving you a valuable head start if you choose to become a PADI Professional when you turn 18.
At Scuba Academy, you'll develop alongside experienced PADI Professionals in an active diver-training environment, with opportunities to see how real courses are organised and participate in appropriate activities under professional supervision.
Develop your diving, challenge yourself and start building the foundations for your future as a PADI Divemaster and potentially a PADI Instructor.
WHAT'S INCLUDED IN YOUR JUNIOR DIVEMASTER PROGRAMME?
PADI Divemaster eLearning
Complete a significant portion of the PADI Divemaster course
Develop your dive theory and diving knowledge
Develop leadership, communication and organisational skills
Learn about dive-site setup and management
Develop and deliver dive briefings under supervision
Complete a dive-site mapping project
Prepare an Emergency Assistance Plan
Develop search & recovery skills
Complete diver rescue scenarios
Develop your diving skills and underwater awareness
Learn alongside experienced PADI Professionals
Regular access to our dedicated scuba training facility
Full scuba equipment provided
PADI Junior Divemaster certification on successful completion
WHAT HAPPENS DURING YOUR JUNIOR DIVEMASTER PROGRAMME?
Junior Divemaster is a big step beyond recreational diver training.
Rather than simply learning more scuba skills, you'll start looking at diving from the perspective of leadership, organisation and responsibility.
You'll complete the PADI Divemaster eLearning, developing your understanding of dive theory and many of the concepts that form part of full Divemaster training.
Then you'll start putting that knowledge into practice.
You'll learn about dive-site setup and management, develop your ability to give dive briefings and complete practical projects including creating a map of a dive site and preparing an Emergency Assistance Plan.
You'll also develop your underwater abilities through search & recovery and diver rescue scenarios, building on the skills and experience you've gained through your previous PADI training.
Alongside the formal course requirements, you'll gain insight into how experienced PADI Professionals organise and manage diving activities.
The aim isn't simply to make you a better diver.
It's to start developing the awareness, judgement, communication and leadership qualities you'll need if you decide to become a PADI Professional.
GET A HEAD START ON PADI DIVEMASTER
One of the biggest advantages of Junior Divemaster is that the training you complete now can form part of your future PADI Divemaster course.
Junior Divemaster is a subset of the full Divemaster programme.
You'll use the PADI Divemaster eLearning and complete a significant portion of the knowledge development, projects, workshops and practical training associated with Divemaster.
So when you turn 18, you don't simply forget everything you've done and start again from the beginning.
Once you're old enough and meet the full PADI Divemaster prerequisites, you can enrol as a Divemaster candidate and complete the remaining requirements of the Divemaster course.
That makes Junior Divemaster much more than another certification.
It's an opportunity to start your professional development early and build knowledge, skills and experience that can take you directly towards becoming a PADI Divemaster at 18.
DEVELOP IN A REAL TRAINING ENVIRONMENT
There's a big difference between learning about dive leadership and actually spending time around diver training.
That's where completing your Junior Divemaster programme with Scuba Academy has a real advantage.
Having our own dedicated scuba training facility gives you regular opportunities to develop your skills without everything having to be squeezed into occasional training sessions.
You'll have time to practise.
Time to improve.
And importantly, opportunities to observe and participate in appropriate aspects of real diver training under the supervision of our PADI Professionals.
Scuba Academy regularly teaches everyone from children taking their first breaths underwater through to Open Water Divers, continuing-education divers and future PADI Professionals.
Being part of that environment allows you to see how different students learn, how instructors communicate and how a professional dive team operates.
That's experience you simply can't get from eLearning alone.
DEVELOP MORE THAN JUST YOUR DIVING
Junior Divemaster isn't simply about becoming better underwater.
It's about developing leadership, responsibility, communication and teamwork.
You'll start thinking beyond your own dive and become more aware of the people and environment around you.
You'll see how diving activities are organised, how potential problems are anticipated and how good dive leaders communicate clearly with other divers.
You'll also begin understanding what it means to be a positive role model.
These are important qualities for a future PADI Professional – but they're also valuable skills that extend well beyond scuba diving.
Questions You May Have
WHAT IS PADI JUNIOR DIVEMASTER?
PADI Junior Divemaster is a programme for young divers aged 15–17 who want to start developing dive leadership skills and potentially progress towards becoming a PADI Professional.
Importantly, Junior Divemaster is a subset of the PADI Divemaster course.
You'll complete a significant portion of Divemaster training, with some requirements modified appropriately for Junior Divemaster candidates.
When you turn 18 and meet the full Divemaster prerequisites, you can continue your training by completing the remaining Divemaster requirements.
IS JUNIOR DIVEMASTER A PADI PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATION?
No.
A certified Junior Divemaster is not yet a PADI Member or PADI Professional and cannot independently supervise diving activities or act as a certified assistant.
Those privileges come later, after completing the full PADI Divemaster course and meeting PADI's professional membership requirements.
Junior Divemaster is designed to prepare you for that future progression.
HOW OLD DO I NEED TO BE?
PADI Junior Divemaster is designed for divers aged 15–17 years old.
Once you're 18, you can progress towards the full PADI Divemaster certification provided you meet the appropriate prerequisites.
HOW MANY DIVES DO I NEED?
You need at least 20 logged dives to enrol in the PADI Junior Divemaster programme.
That's different from the full PADI Divemaster course, which requires at least 40 logged dives to begin.
Junior Divemaster therefore gives younger divers an opportunity to start developing their leadership skills and knowledge while continuing to build their overall diving experience.
WHAT CERTIFICATIONS DO I NEED?
Before starting Junior Divemaster, you need to be certified as a:
PADI Advanced Open Water Diver
and
PADI Rescue Diver
You'll also need the required logged diving experience and medical clearance.
DOES JUNIOR DIVEMASTER HAVE ITS OWN ELEARNING?
No.
Junior Divemaster candidates use the PADI Divemaster eLearning.
That's because Junior Divemaster is a subset of the full Divemaster programme rather than a completely separate recreational diving course.
The knowledge you develop forms part of the foundation you'll need if you later progress to the full Divemaster course.
WHAT WILL I LEARN?
Your Junior Divemaster development includes areas such as:
Dive theory
Dive-site setup and management
Dive briefings
Dive-site mapping
Emergency planning
Search & recovery
Diver rescue scenarios
Leadership and communication
Professional-level awareness
You'll also complete the Junior Divemaster exam as part of the programme.
WILL I COMPLETE REAL DIVEMASTER COURSE WORK?
Yes.
That's one of the most important differences between Junior Divemaster and simply taking another recreational diving course.
Junior Divemaster candidates complete a significant portion of the PADI Divemaster course.
This includes areas such as the Divemaster eLearning, dive theory, dive-site mapping, an Emergency Assistance Plan, search & recovery and diver rescue scenarios.
Additional Divemaster requirements are then completed when you're old enough and meet the prerequisites for the full course.
DOES MY JUNIOR DIVEMASTER TRAINING COUNT TOWARDS DIVEMASTER?
Yes.
Junior Divemaster is specifically structured as a subset of the PADI Divemaster course.
When you turn 18 and meet the full Divemaster prerequisites, you can become a Divemaster candidate and finish the remaining training.
You aren't simply expected to start the entire programme again.
That's one of the biggest benefits of starting your professional development through Junior Divemaster.
WILL I GET TO BE INVOLVED WITH REAL COURSES?
Yes, within the limits of the Junior Divemaster programme and always with appropriate PADI Professional supervision.
For example, Junior Divemasters can participate in dive-site setup and management, give dive-site briefings under supervision and act as a role model during appropriate buddy skill demonstrations.
Being around real training gives you an opportunity to see how PADI Professionals communicate, organise activities and work with different divers.
CAN I ASSIST AN INSTRUCTOR LIKE A PADI DIVEMASTER?
Not as a certified assistant.
This distinction is important.
A Junior Divemaster is not a PADI Member and cannot supervise diving activities or act as a certified assistant in the same way as a full PADI Divemaster.
You can participate in specific activities under the direct supervision and within the limits established for the Junior Divemaster programme.
The purpose is to learn and gain experience, not to replace the role of a qualified PADI Divemaster.
WHY IS TRAINING AT SCUBA ACADEMY AN ADVANTAGE?
Professional-level development benefits enormously from practice and exposure to real diver training.
Because we have our own dedicated training facility and run regular courses, you're not limited to only seeing diver education during occasional hired sessions.
You'll be around real students and experienced instructors, giving you opportunities to see how training is organised and how different situations are managed.
It also gives us greater flexibility to spend time developing your individual diving skills and areas that need more practice.
DO MY SCUBA SKILLS NEED TO BE PERFECT?
No.
You're already expected to be an experienced young diver with Advanced Open Water and Rescue Diver certifications, but you're still here to learn and develop.
Junior Divemaster will challenge you to improve your diving abilities, awareness and understanding considerably beyond normal recreational training.
WILL I LEARN RESCUE SKILLS?
Yes.
You'll build on your previous Rescue Diver training and complete diver rescue scenarios as part of your Junior Divemaster development.
The emphasis begins moving beyond simply performing a rescue skill towards developing greater awareness, judgement and problem-solving ability.
WILL I COMPLETE A DIVE-SITE MAP?
Yes.
The dive-site mapping project is one of the practical projects Junior Divemaster candidates complete.
You'll learn to gather information about a dive site and turn that information into a useful map.
It's also one of the parts of your Junior Divemaster development that comes directly from the wider Divemaster programme.
WHAT IS THE EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE PLAN?
You'll prepare an Emergency Assistance Plan for a designated dive site.
This gets you thinking about the bigger picture surrounding diving activities – including what resources and emergency services are available and how assistance would be activated if something went wrong.
DO I NEED A MEDICAL?
Yes.
PADI requires Junior Divemaster candidates to have medical clearance to dive.
We'll explain the appropriate requirements and paperwork before your programme begins.
HOW LONG DOES JUNIOR DIVEMASTER TAKE?
We don't believe Junior Divemaster should simply be rushed through as quickly as possible.
It's a development programme, and there's real value in having time to practise, gain experience and become involved in the diving environment.
The exact schedule will depend on your existing experience, availability and progress.
Having regular access to our training facility and courses gives us the opportunity to make your Junior Divemaster experience about much more than simply completing the minimum requirements.
IS ALL THE EQUIPMENT PROVIDED?
Yes.
Full scuba equipment is provided throughout your Junior Divemaster programme.
As your diving becomes more advanced, you may also decide that you'd like to start building your own personal equipment setup.
We're happy to advise you on equipment as your diving progresses.
CAN I WORK AS A JUNIOR DIVEMASTER?
No.
Junior Divemaster does not provide PADI professional status and doesn't qualify you to work as a PADI Divemaster, independently guide certified divers or act as a certified assistant.
The programme is about training, development and preparing for your future progression.
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN I TURN 18?
Once you're 18, you can enrol as a PADI Divemaster candidate provided you meet the full course prerequisites.
These include having at least 40 logged dives, current CPR and First Aid training completed within the previous 24 months and appropriate medical clearance.
Because Junior Divemaster is a subset of the Divemaster course, you'll already have completed a significant portion of the training.
You'll then complete the remaining PADI Divemaster requirements rather than simply starting your development again from the beginning.
Before certification as a full PADI Divemaster, you'll also need to meet all of PADI's Divemaster certification requirements, including having at least 60 logged dives.
JUNIOR DIVEMASTER HIGHLIGHTS
Why wait until 18 to start developing your future?
Junior Divemaster gives passionate young divers the opportunity to take on a genuine challenge and start developing the knowledge, experience and leadership abilities associated with professional-level diving.
And because it's a subset of the PADI Divemaster course, the work you put in now can help you progress towards the full Divemaster qualification when you turn 18, rather than simply starting again.
At Scuba Academy, you'll combine structured PADI training with the benefit of developing around real students, real courses and experienced PADI Professionals.
If diving is something you can see being part of your future, this is an exciting place to start.