Do you want to become a Divemaster and do marine conservation? Join our project and do both! Do your Divemaster at Gili Shark Conservation Project and you can contribute to marine conservation while gaining your PADI Divemaster qualification too.
Want to know what our marine conservation project is about?
The Gili Shark Conservation Project is an award-winning grassroots organization. We’re based on the beautiful paradise island of Gili Air, Indonesia. Our research team (which could include you!) join us from all over the world.
We work year-round to promote conservation efforts through education and research. We collect abundance data in the Gili Matra Marine Recreational Reserve. We assess the health of the environment and act to enhance marine protection and health.
You don’t need to be a shark expert to join! Anyone with a passion and commitment to marine conservation is welcome.
If you want to make a difference while doing your Divemaster internship, come and join us! We work closely together and have a family-like atmosphere. At most, we will have 10 participants (AKA Shark Warriors, or Sharkies!) at a time. You’ll be a critical member of the team.
What’s so special about this Divemaster internship?
You seriously get the best of both worlds! You’ll learn about, and take part in all our conservation focussed research methods. As well as your standard Divemaster internship activities!
These include Remote Underwater Video (RUV), roving survey dives, photographic identification, Unite Gili, Reef Check surveys, Coral Health Index surveys, coral restoration, AWARE Dive Against Debris and our coral time-lapse project. We also do weekly beach cleanups which are so good for your soul. What we’re trying to say is as well as a Divemaster, you’ll become an epic citizen scientist and eco-warrior!
We do our Divemaster internship in partnership with PADI 5 star dive resort, Oceans5. During your time with us, you’ll benefit from knowledge development, training water skills, workshops, and hands-on practical assessment. You’ll cultivate the ability to organize and direct a variety of scuba diving activities. Topics and practical workshops include:
- The role and characteristics of the Divemaster
- Supervising activities and assisting with student divers
- Diver safety and risk management
- Divemaster conducted programs and specialized skills
- Business of diving and your career
- Awareness of the dive environment
- Dive setup and management
- Mapping a dive site
- Conducting dive briefings
- Organizing a search and recovery project and a deep dive
- Conducting a reactivate program and skin diver course
- Assisting with Discover Scuba Diving and leading Discover Local Diving programs around the Gili Islands
- Knot workshop
- How to use a liftbag workshop
- How to use an SMB workshop
- How to check a current workshop
- How to plan a dive workshop
- Safety procedures on the dive boat
- Beach and Reef Clean up workshops
It sounds like a lot, right?! Don’t worry – you have plenty of time. You’ll spend time doing scientific diving and activities with Gili Shark Conservation Project. And you’ll split your days also doing training with Oceans5.
During your Divemaster internship, you get unlimited diving: up to four dives a day! If you’re not already obsessed with scuba diving, you will be at the end of this.
We’ll let the Divemaster Sharkies convince you
People join us from all over the world for many reasons. Because they love the ocean and all its contents! Because they love sharks and scuba diving. Or if they’re considering pursuing a career in marine conservation.
Get inspired by some of the Sharkies who’re doing their Divemaster internship now!
Emma – “I think it’s really cool how much focus is put on diving (and living) sustainably and learning how to help protect fragile ocean ecosystems. Especially becoming a professional, I can pass that on to people I work with in the future.”
Janaya – “It built my confidence as both a diver and a person. I learned that I can do things I’d previously doubted I could, and do them well. Also, I feel more able to contribute to saving our oceans, which is extremely crucial at this time.”
Sam – “The project gave me the ability to become a top-notch professional diver and at the same time learn and contribute to ocean conservation. The research is real and important – and so were the amazing friends I made along the way!“
Martin – “It provided me with the best combination of contributing to a worthy cause in marine conservation and getting DM qualified. I thoroughly enjoyed the mix of assisting with research related dives and assisting the dive Instructors from Oceans5 with their students. My experience with the Sharkies and Oceans5 will forever remain with me.”
Come and join them!
What you need if you want to become a Divemaster
Anyone with a passion for marine conservation can join our project! But there are some prerequisites for becoming a Divemaster:
- Certified as a PADI Advanced Open Water and PADI Rescue Diver
- Logged a minimum of 40 scuba dives
- Completed EFR Primary and Secondary Care training within 24 months
- Medically evaluated and cleared for diving by a physician within 12 months
- 18 years old
Our Divemaster internship is usually six weeks long. So you can help with marine conservation efforts and meet the Divemaster requirements. If you don’t have requirements 1, 2 or 3, stay for longer! Then you have time to gain the required experience to start. The Divemaster internship is a great value bundle – it’s just a $700 add-on
The Divemaster internship schedule – what you’ll be doing on the reg
In your first week with us, we’ll get you settled straight in! You’ll have your orientation with Gili Shark Conservation Project. Then you have the Divemaster internship introduction with Oceans5. You’ll complete your PADI Scientific Diver and PADI AWARE Shark Conservation specialties.
You’ll start your Divemaster theory, workshops, skills circuits, and water skills. You’ll continue these throughout the internship.
You’ll do your deep dive and search and recovery scenarios and/or Diver Rescue. Every week we do an AWARE Dive Against Debris, a beach cleanup, Unite Gili and a community day. So they’ll always be a part of your schedule too!
In your second week, you’ll join our research team and do scientific dives and data entry. You’ll assist with the PADI Scientific Diver course. You’ll do your emergency action plan and start practicing your briefings.
You’ll learn to check current and entry/exit points, and do dive set up and management.
In your third week, you’ll continue to take part in some of our research dives! You’ll start to map an assigned dive site. And you’ll practice guiding and start assisting with courses.
In your fourth week, you’ll complete your dive site map. And continue assisting with courses and do snorkeling supervision. You’ll guide a dive by the end of the week.
Week five is a continuation of practicing all the skills. Finally – your last challenge – the equipment exchange! In week six, you may have finished with your Divemaster internship. Then you can join the scientific dives for the rest of your time.
If you still have skills to complete, you can continue with them too. In any extra weeks, you can continue to practice all your skills as well as join our research dives.
You’ll be more than ready to be a dive professional or to get a job in marine conservation after your experience!
What’s included in your Divemaster internship
● PADI Scientific Diver Distinctive Specialty Course
● PADI AWARE Shark Conservation Distinctive Specialty Course
● PADI Crew Pack
● Unlimited diving including rental equipment and guides
● Shared accommodation in beautiful Villa Nangka
● 3 delicious meals a day during project days
● In-country transportation by our lovely drivers Wayan & Kadek
● Return boat ticket from Bali/Lombok to Gili Air
● Project T-shirt
● Visa support
What’s not included in your Divemaster internship
● Flights
● Indonesian visa
● In-country spending money
● Travel and/or dive insurance
● PADI Membership Fees
● Rental of dive computer
How you can join us on the Divemaster internship
It’s simple as ABC! We have a questionnaire for you to complete so we can get to know you better. Once you’ve submitted this, you’ll hear from us within two working days.
If you want to become a Divemaster and join us and because you have a deep love of the ocean and sharks. Or if you’re hoping to get a job in marine conservation. Join our Divemaster internship in Indonesia for the best of both worlds! Send us a message or connect with us on Facebook and Instagram if you have any questions. Join us to dive in Gili Air’s paradise!
Written by: Tash Allen
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