Assistant Instructor

On Ramrod Key in the lower Florida Keys, this four-day SSI Assistant Instructor course turns experienced divers into confident teacher-assistants. The program is run at a resort adjacent to the Florida Reef Tract, a living barrier reef system that brings shallow patch reefs, coral heads, seagrass flats, and abundant reef fish into daily training dives. You’ll practice confined-water presentations and pool sessions before applying instructional techniques on reef dives, all in warm, clear Gulf/Atlantic waters.

Prerequisites are strict and explicit: you must be 18 or older; hold a Divemaster or equivalent; have Enriched Air Nitrox certification; log 75 dives; and be an Open Water Diver (or higher) for at least six months. That entry bar means classmates arrive with real experience, so instructors focus on teaching skills, program administration, HazMat cylinder handling and in-water presentations rather than basic buoyancy drills. The course schedule compresses academic, pool and open-water components into four intensive days.

Day 1 covers program orientation, HazMat training and classroom work on SSI policies and professional duties. Day 2 moves from teaching theory to pool workshops and Open Water Diver confined-water presentations. Day 3 begins with a candidate water fitness exam, more confined-water presentation practice and academic teaching.

Day 4 wraps with instructor roles, candidate teaching presentations, a final written exam and performance review. Small class sizes maximize hands-on teaching time; for larger groups contact [email protected] or call (305) 872-2215. Why this course stands out: the Keys’ reefs provide predictable conditions—clear visibility, gentle currents and shallow dives ideal for student practice—allowing trainees to refine lesson delivery over colorful coral heads and amid schooling baitfish.

The setting also exposes candidates to local marine life like hawksbill and green sea turtles and nurse sharks, and to the conservation culture that supports reef research and marine sanctuaries in the area. Practical takeaways: expect focused, fast-paced instruction and multiple teaching repetitions in both pool and open water. Bring logbooks and certification cards; complete academic materials before arrival.

Use this standalone Assistant Instructor to gain supervised teaching hours before enrolling in the full Instructor Training Course and Instructor Evaluation. Whether you’re pivoting to a dive-profession career or stepping up your supervision skills, this Ramrod Key program gives you structured practice, expert feedback, and a launchpad into dive instruction on one of the continent’s most accessible reef systems. Travelers typically base themselves in Ramrod Key or nearby Marathon, where lodging ranges from small guesthouses to dive-resort rooms that simplify early-morning boat departures.

If you plan to teach professionally, budget extra days for guided local dives to learn reef lines and popular training sites. Completing academic prerequisites before arrival lets you maximize in-water practice time during the condensed four-day schedule. Contact the team to reserve now.