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SCUBA DIVING DIPLOMA YOUR COURSE GUIDE
LIVE A LIFE MORE EXTRAORDINARY AND ENROL IN ONE OF NEW ZEALAND’S BEST SCUBA DIVING COURSES. Our PADI aligned programme will take your diving to the next level and ensure you learn the skills required to secure your dream job in the best office in the world. Based around the dynamic city of Christchurch, our enthusiastic team will ensure you have fun preparing for your next big adventure.
“Join us at Dive HQ Christchurch and make the move to live your dreams. You will gain a cutting edge qualification, meet amazing people and grow the confidence and leadership skills you need to make the most of your adventures ahead”
DIVE HQ CHRISTCHURCH Your new adventure awaits Dive HQ Christchurch is the best place to take your Diploma of Scuba Diving. We ensure you are trained to the highest level while you also have fun and explore our exciting underwater playground.
QUALITY CREDENTIALS THAT WILL TAKE YOU AROUND THE GLOBE Highly regarded course ensures your opportunities are global. Our qualified graduates are working in exciting jobs all around the world.
EXPERT TUITION Dive HQ Christchurch tutors know their stuff and consistently get amazing reviews from students. They know how to make your course informative and ensure you have fun at the same time.
STUDENT LOAN APPROVED We are NZQA approved which means you can get fees-free or a student loan/allowance for our courses.
DIVE SITES Enjoy our exciting range of local dive sites where you’ll explore underwater shipwrecks, explore local spots all around the South Island. During the course students will do at least 10 night dives. It’s our goal to get you diving as much as possible.
PADI CERTIFICATION Courses are aligned with PADI ensuring the best training and extensive career opportunities.
FUN You’ll meet a great group of people who love the underwater world as much as you, while you live in one of the most exciting growing cities in the world.
WORLD CLASS GEAR AND EQUIPMENT We provide you with the best gear and payment plans to fit your needs.
OVERVIEW Our comprehensive full-time year-long tertiary Diploma will teach you how to SCUBA dive and take you through the required PADI certifications to become a PADI Open Water and Speciality Instructor. Along the way you will complete a huge variety of dives. You will explore local reefs at night, discover underwater wrecks and complete search and recovery dives. Our instructors will work alongside you ensuring you are learning all the skills you need to become an expert diver and ensure you meet all the NZQA requirements. Imagine yourself swimming alongside one of the largest fish in the sea, finding a sunken ship wreck or seeing the joy on people’s faces as they become certified divers. Diving can take you adventuring around the world and opens the door for all those exciting jobs and careers you have dreamed of.
The Diploma programme includes:
Expert tuition from some of New Zealand’s most experienced tertiary dive tutors
PADI certifications from Open Water diver to Speciality Instructor
All the required PADI training materials
Minimum of 100 dives, although most students complete 120 dives
All tank hire and refills for our scheduled dive days
Use of BCD’s and regulators for our scheduled dive days
Scheduled pool use throughout your course
Transport to and from a wide range of dive sites
Accommodation for our training adventure trips
STUDENT LOAN ELIGIBILITY The Diploma of SCUBA diving is approved for Student Loans and Allowances, so there’s no need to worry about money. Contact Studylink and find out how you can apply.
YOUR DREAM JOB Dive HQ Christchurch, Diploma of Scuba Diving is an internationally recognised credential allowing you to deliver PADI dive training in over 180 countries and territories worldwide. Dive HQ Christchurch graduates are highly sought after dive professionals both in New Zealand and overseas. Due to the high quality of our training, we are often approached by companies seeking to employ recent graduates.
Our courses will prepare you for the next step in your journey to become a:
Underwater Photography and Videographer
Navy Diver
Police Dive Squad
Marine Science and Research Diver
Marine Biologist
Dive Centre Operator
Dive Shop Retail Manager
Commercial Diver
Marine Aquaculture Diver Underwater Actor and Stunt Diver Resort Operator
Dive Instructor
LEADER OF THE PACK
GET EXPERIENCE IN:
Our Diploma course is broken into sections and includes the following National Certificate and PADI qualifications:
• Leadership Training • Team Building • Public Speaking • Rescue Diving • Boat Diving • Deep Diving
Diploma in Professional Scuba Instruction
• Search and Recovery • Night Diving
National Certificate in Diving
• Underwater Navigation
Foundation
(1 Year Full-Time)
• Wreck Diving
(Full-Time) or (Part-Time)
PADI Open Water Diver to PADI Speciality Instructor
• Altitude Diving • Hunting and Collecting
PADI Open Water to PADI Rescue Diver
• First Aid & CPR
National Certificate in Diving
National Certificate in Diving
(Full-Time) or (Part-Time) PADI Divemaster
(Full-Time) Instructor Development Course Specialty Instructor Course
Leadership
1
Instruction
2
3
PADI Advanced Open Water Diver
PADI Open Water Diver 6
4 PADI Specialty Courses
7 PADI Assistant Instructor
PADI Instructor Development Course
ILA AVA
5 PADI Rescue Diver
8
PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor
BLE
PADI Divemaster 9
PADI Specialty Instructor Course
SO WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN? The Diploma will take you from a beginner diver to a qualified dive instructor, gaining the following certifications:
PADI OPEN WATER DIVER
You will learn how to use your dive equipment and the necessary skills to dive safely. After certification you will be able to dive to 18 metres anywhere in the world, independent of an instructor.
PADI ADVANCED OPEN WATER DIVER
You will complete at least 5 adventure dives, gaining experience in different environments and learning different skills like Navigation, Night Diving, Search and Recovery, Deep Dives, Wreck Diving and Underwater Naturalist. You will be certified to dive to a maximum depth of 30 metres.
EFR FIRST AID
Develop basic first aid skills for life threatening conditions and common first aid scenarios.
PADI RESCUE DIVER
A course that is rewarding and fun. You will learn to anticipate, prevent and manage potential dive accidents during lifelike simulations. These skills will make all the difference in the unlikely event of an underwater emergency.
PADI DIVEMASTER
Become an underwater leader and understand the theory behind SCUBA diving. You will learn to take responsibility of the divers around you, grow your understanding of your environment and learn how dive equipment works.
PADI ASSISTANT INSTRUCTOR
You will be taught how to be a PADI professional and learn their system of diver education. You can also act as an instructional assistant and assume limited teaching roles.
PADI OPEN WATER SCUBA INSTRUCTOR
Learn how to teach PADI courses from Open Water to Divemaster and after passing your Instructor Examination you will become a certified PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor.
SPECIALTY INSTRUCTOR
Specialty instructor courses provide teaching tips and hands-on experience. With over 25 standard PADI Specialty Diver courses available, you have lots to choose from. You’ll learn new techniques to add to the experience you already have and have fun fine-tuning your skills and teaching methods. Plus, you’ll get great ideas for marketing your specialty diver courses.
YOUR FUTURE Diploma Graduates around the globe. BEN BRODIE – “Go for it, it’s the best thing I’ve done, it’s given me so many opportunities” INSTRUCTOR ON A LIVEABOARD IN THE CARIBBEAN
JAMIE BELL – “Thanks to Dive HQ Chch, I have achieved my dream of becoming a Navy Diver.” AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND
JEN CLENT - “Completing the Diploma in Professional Scuba Instruction was one of the best decisions I ever made! Not only did I learn to be a great PADI Dive Instructor but I also met a fantastic bunch of friends and had a brilliant year! It set me up on a path that I never expected - initially travelling and working in Mexico it’s taken me all over the world and now I am a PADI Course Director, Examiner and work for PADI as a Regional Manager. I highly recommend anyone thinking about diving as a career to give yourself a kick-start and sign up today!” PADI REGIONAL MANAGER, NEW ZEALAND AND FIJI
ZOE FOWLER – “It was a great career move, I love this job and the lifestyle” TASMANIA
MATT FLANAGAN– “Since I decided to do the Diploma, I have never looked back, now I’m living the dream” CARIBBEAN ANTIGUA
LINDSAY SORENSEN – “I made amazing friends on the course” INSTRUCTOR - GREAT BARRIER REEF, AUSTRALIA
COLIN WADESON – “Training with Dive HQ Christchurch opened many doors for me all over the world” FIJI /VANUATU
CURT SUTHERLAND – “It definitely set me up for getting a job, now I’m living the dream!” WORKING IN KOH SAMUI, THAILAND
LOUIS KIMBER – “We did so many dives that I developed my skills quickly” INSTRUCTOR AT DIVE HQ CHRISTCHURCH
ZOE ARMSTRONG – “The Diploma is all you need to get an amazing job” INSTRUCTOR - GREAT BARRIER REEF, AUSTRALIA
TOM DONALDSON – “The course set me up to go on to become a Commercial Diver” COMMERCIAL DIVER, CHRISTCHURCH
JACK BROAD – “It changed my life and made me so much more confident” INSTRUCTOR AT DIVE HQ CHRISTCHURCH
MEL ALPS – “Dive HQ Christchurch has given me the professional edge as an Instructor” INSTRUCTOR AT DIVERS DEN, AUSTRALIA
OUTSTANDING QUALIFICATION WE WORK WITH PADI Dive HQ Christchurch is proud to provide PADI qualifications alongside our Diploma of Scuba Diving. This means you will receive dual qualifications that set you up for the best opportunities after you’ve completed our course. PADI is the world’s largest and most respected scuba diving training organisation and their divers carry the most sought after scuba credentials in the world. No matter where you choose to dive, your PADI scuba certification card will be recognised and accepted. With more than 6,000 PADI dive shops and resorts operating in more than 180 countries and territories, you will have access to more job opportunities as a PADI professional.
COMPARING COURSES The Diploma is our most popular career training programme. Here’s how it compares to other qualifications we provide and what you end up with once you’ve finished.
PROGRAMMES AVAILABLE
DIPLOMA
Duration: Full-time
40 Weeks
12 Weeks
12 Weeks
16 Weeks
Duration: Part-time
n/a
Min 16 Weeks
Min 16 Weeks
Please Enquire
Foundation or Equivalent
Leadership or Equivalent
FOUNDATION LEADERSHIP INSTRUCTION
Prerequisite Diving Qualification None None Minimum Age
17 1/2
16
18
18
Logged dives during course
100+
40
20
40+
Student Loans available*
✓
✓
✓
✓
PADI Open Water Diver
✓
✓
✗
✗
PADI Advanced Diver
✓
✓
✗
✗
PADI First Aid
✓
✓
✗
✗
PADI Rescue Diver
✓
✓
✗
✗
PADI Divemaster
✓
✗
✓
✗
PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor
✓
✗
✗
✓
PADI Instructor with 5 Specialties
✓
✗
✗
✓
* Student allowances available for full-time study.
STUDY IN CHRISTCHURCH Live and study with a world renowned adventure playground at your doorstep. Enjoy the beautiful Banks Peninsula and the depths of the Pacific Ocean and Alpine Lakes, with numerous water and snow activities just a stone’s throw away. Christchurch has a fun and diverse student culture. As the city rebuilds there is an emphasis on creating great bars, restaurants, parks and activities to cater for all tastes. Weather you love to hit the slopes during winter, enjoy stunning art and productions or like to boogie the night away in bars and clubs, Christchurch has so much to offer. Enjoy the excitement of living in the city as it develops and rebuilds to become one of the most exciting cities of the 21st century. Do something different, be part of the fun!
Start here
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FREQUENTLY ASKED
QUESTIONS
DO I NEED TO KNOW HOW TO SCUBA DIVE?
You can start our course having never been scuba diving. We will teach you right from the beginning, starting with basic snorkelling and scuba skills.
WHAT ARE THE HOURS?
The diploma course is usually Monday to Thursday 8.30am- 5pm with some days finishing earlier. There are some evening and overnight sessions to complete night dive training. Part-time courses are usually run over one evening a week with every second weekend diving and the occasional evening session to complete night dive training.
WHAT IF I WANT TO DO A PART TIME COURSE?
The Diploma of Scuba Diving is a full time course; however we do provide National Certificate Programmes on a part time basis.
DO I NEED TO BE A GOOD SWIMMER?
Students need to be able to swim 200m or snorkel 300m and float/tread water for 10mins. Professional level divers will need to be relatively strong swimmers.
WHAT EQUIPMENT DO I NEED?
Diploma students are required to own their own snorkelling package; this includes a suitable wetsuit/drysuit, mask/snorkel/fins, weight belt, gloves/boots, surface signalling device, compass, torch and line cutting tool. We also recommend purchasing your own hardware and we offer great package deals and finance options. The part time students are required to have the same equipment as for diploma students. A full equipment list is provided.
WHAT ARE THE MEDICAL CRITERIA?
Our student divers are required to have passed a current diving medical undertaken by a Doctor or Physician. This medical must remain valid for the duration of the course of study.
IF I HAVE ASTHMA CAN I DIVE?
This depends on your situation and needs to be discussed with a Registered Doctor.
WHERE DO YOU DIVE?
At some of the New Zealand’s best dive sites including Banks Peninsula, Kaikoura, Lake Coleridge and the Marlborough Sounds.
HOW DO I ENROL?
It’s easy, all you need to do is complete an application and organise a time to meet and chat about the course.
IS IT EASY TO GET A JOB AS A DIVE INSTRUCTOR?
Our graduates are sought after and usually find their dream position with ease. Dive HQ Christchurch prides itself on getting you job-ready, so you can easily move onto your next adventure.
HOW DO I ENROL? 0800 DIVE HQ (0800 348 347) We make it easy for you, just give us a call and we can arrange a meeting with one of our friendly Instructors. We will answer any questions you have, show you around and assist you with the enrolment forms. WHAT ABOUT PART TIME COURSES? If a full time course isn’t for you perhaps one of the National Certificate Programmes would work. Part time courses are usually run over week nights and weekends. We make an effort to offer a flexible course schedule to fit in with your lifestyle and work commitments.
? n i s ’ o h W
Your new adventure awaits CONNECT WITH US: divehqscuba.co.nz
0800 DiveHQ (348 347)
Facebook.com/DiveHQChristchurch
Academy of Diving Trust is registered as a Private Training Establishment by NZQA and has approval to sub-contract to Dive HQ Christchurch.