Learn to Dive
Become certified to SCUBA Dive with a NAUI certification

OVERVIEW AND QUALIFICATIONS

This course is to qualify the diver in the skills and knowledge necessary to perform as a training assistant during diver training sessions. The key objective is to train divers to assist others during training activities overseen by an active-status NAUI Instructor. This course is to enhance the diver’s general skills and abilities and is not a substitute for specific NAUI courses which create NAUI leadership members. Although this course results in certification as a NAUI Training Assistant it does not confer any NAUI leadership certification nor does it qualify the graduate to apply for or receive the benefits of NAUI membership. Consequently, this certification does not allow the graduate to be counted toward student-to –instructor ratios.

Certified training assistants are qualified to perform the tasks of:

  • Temporarily directly supervising remaining students while an instructor conducts a skill with other students.

  • Escorting no more than two diving students on the surface.

  • Escorting no more than two diving students on underwater tours after the instructor has verified the student has demonstrated all entry-level skills.

  • Assisting an active-status NAUI Instructor with other tasks which enhance the safety of students or improve the efficiency of diver training so long as the assistant is under the direction of the instructor.

Prerequisites

  • Age. Minimum is 18 years by the water phase of the course.

  • Certification/Experience/Knowledge.

    • Certification as a NAUI Advanced Open Water Scuba Diver or the equivalent is required.

    • Certification as a NAUI Rescue Scuba Diver or the equivalent is required.

    • Current certification in first aid and CPR is required. Note: Adult CPR training (approximately four hours) meets the requirement for NAUI Training Assistant certification. However, additional CPR training that includes two-person CPR and the use of rescue breathing barrier devices, e.g. pocket mask, face shield, is required to meet the requirements for NAUI leadership certification.

    • The instructor is to ensure adequate student knowledge and capability before any open water training and shall use skill or other evaluations to do so. One open water dive (which does not count toward the minimum number of dives required for the course) may be used as a screening and evaluation dive. This is not required when the student’s diving proficiencies are well known to the instructor.

  • Equipment. Students shall furnish and be responsible for the care and maintenance of their own diving equipment. The instructor shall initially assist the student in checking all student gear to ensure it is adequate and in proper working order.

REQUIREMENTS – ACADEMIC

  • Review of rescue techniques with emphasis on local conditions including problems, possible situations, search techniques, rescues, assists, tows, carries and in-water rescue breathing. Emergency management procedures as applied to divers in open water training in the applicable area. Deployment and use of emergency oxygen first aid. (Certification as an “oxygen provider” is recommended.) Review of first aid as related to diving in particular.

  • Underwater communications techniques to be used by instructors and assistants. The deployment of dive area designators as appropriate for the area. Open water diving procedures and group control. The specifics of arranging and planning for a training dive. Techniques of escorting students on the surface and during underwater tours and during navigation exercises. Safety oriented boat operation and boat diving where appropriate to the area.

  • The roles and responsibilities of the “training assistant” and the legal aspects of diver training. The use of briefings, Divemaster logs, and diver inventory techniques.

REQUIREMENTS – SKILLS

  • Scuba Diving (open water). Compass navigate:

    • A reciprocal course to within 3m (10 ft.) of origin without using visual references.

    • A square pattern to within 3m (10 ft.) of origin.

    • Distances shall be as great as appropriate for environmental conditions.

  • Assisting (open water).

    • Assist divers simulating: a muscle cramp, anxiety, a breathing difficulty and signs of pre-panic.

    • Assist/escort a tired diver and an incapacitated diver to safety.

    • Be in charge of and satisfactorily act as an escort during an open water dive for two other divers.

    • Scuba Diver Rescue.

SOS-ER Requirements

  • The class sessions (in addition to eLearning) will consist of

    • A Minimum of 1 confined water session.

    • A Minimum of 6 open water dives with the instructors.

    • The maximum depth for any open water dive during this course is 40m (130 ft.). No dives are to require actual staged decompression. However, simulated staged decompression may be added to the ascent of a no required- stop dive. Any simulated decompression time spent deeper than 7.6m (25 ft.) must be included in the actual dive time.

Provided Gear

  • We provide buoyancy compensator (BC), regulator sets, cylinders (tanks), and air fills for the course.

Students must provide their own:

  • Mask, snorkels, fins, dive boots, weight belts, and soft weights (we will assist in where to obtain this gear).

  • Open water Checkout Dive options:

    • Local Quarry check out dive fees (usually a daily fee per diver) are not included in the cost of the course.

    • Open water checkout dive trip to Florida is not included. These cost will vary by season, locations in Florida, economy, and personal preferences of the student.

NAUI Training Assistant