By Reinhardt Witbooi Career Development Student 2026 Discovering the underwater...
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Click on the questions below to jump straight to the answers.
1. What is the end goal of the Career Development program?
2. What does the Career Development Program entail?
3. What is the time commitment?
4. What are the prerequisites for joining the Career Development program?
5. Where is Just Africa Scuba located?
6. Why choose Just Africa Scuba?
7. Once I complete the Instructor course, what job opportunities become available to me?
8. Where do you dive besides Gordon’s Bay?
9. Do I need to own scuba gear when becoming an Instructor, why?
10. I already own scuba gear, what other dive accessories do I need?
11. What to expect from a day in the life of a Career Development Student?
12. What can I do with a Dive Master certification?
13. What can a PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor teach?
Developing your scuba diving career to take you from a beginner diver to a PADI Dive Professional. Along with the scuba diving courses you will be getting hands-on experience in the dive business, practical life and work skills, as well as emotional life skills courses. The end goal of this program is to assist you in becoming a well-rounded PADI instructor by expanding your skill set and competencies. Improving your prospects of work and employment worldwide.
All the scuba dive courses, first aid and rescue skills, gear maintenance, retail and customer service, how to manage a dive centre, boat handling, compressor operator, marketing, and sales. All of this is integrated with our special Life Skills & Work Skills Courses, promoting personal development and learning practical life skills. Taking you from zero to hero.
Full-time Program- The program can be completed within 4 months (up to Dive Master) and 6 to 10 months (up to Instructor). Students are expected to attend all the courses, classes, and events held by Just Africa Scuba for 5 days of the week with 2 days off.
Accelerated Program – There is also the option to do an accelerated program if you have time constraints. This option can be very intense and may not be the best choice for many candidates.
Part-time Program – You also have the option to enrol in the Part-time Career Development program to complete your courses in your own time. This is great for people who have a job and can only commit part-time, but this also means that it will take you longer to complete the program and become a dive professional.
The prerequisites for joining the Career Development program at Just Africa Scuba are:
– Full set of Scuba Equipment (can be obtained at our fully stocked retail shop)
– Medical Check-up (completed by a physician in the last 24 months)
– Minimum age of 18 years old.
Our PADI 5 Star Instructor Development Center is located in Gordon’s Bay, a lovely coastal town 40km from Cape Town CBD. We mainly explore the beautiful marine life of False Bay. Situated at the luxurious four-star Krystal Beach Hotel next to the harbour.
Being a 5* PADI Instructor Development Centre, we focus on training confident and conservation-conscious divers and dive instructors. Creating a welcoming and family-friendly atmosphere is of utmost importance to us. This is achieved through personal attention, incorporating life skills in our courses, and our persuasive love and respect for the ocean. You have the opportunity to do extra courses and get experience in different fields of the business, expanding your skill set. We are passionate about training, holistic development, and creating future opportunities for our students.
PADI Pros have the most opportunities for employment around the world. With 1 million certifications issued each year by 6,500 PADI Dive Centers and Resorts around the world, three out of four dive professional jobs are PADI.
PADI offers all their dive professionals work opportunities via a Job Board where PADI Dive Centers all over the world put up Job Postings.
We dive the whole of False Bay, starting from Rooi Els up to Gordon’s Bay, over to Simon’s Town, Glencairn, and we also occasionally dive the cold Atlantic Side at Hout Bay, exploring the wrecks, reefs, and kelp forests.
We also do several dive tours in the year to expose students to diving in different places and conditions.
Yes, it is one of the prerequisites for joining a Career Development Program. It is far more cost-efficient to purchase your own set instead of paying the daily rental fee for the duration of the program.
As a PADI Dive Master or Instructor, you will need your own set of equipment to secure a job.
You’ll need a Compass, Dive Torch, backup Dive Torch, Writing slate, DSMB, Reel, Save a Dive Kit, and a Dive Box (to transport your gear). All items are available for purchase at our Dive Shop.
A typical day consists of arriving at 8 am for a dive briefing, be it for a course or building on your needed 100 logged dives. If we dive Gordon’s Bay… You’ll kit up your gear, jump in your wetsuit and hop on the boat to go and enjoy the Cape Town waters. If we dive Rooi Els, Simon’s Town, or Hout Bay, you’ll pack your gear, jump in the combi, and make your way to the dive site. After your dives, head back to the Dive Center, and then you’ll be washing your gear and hanging it up to dry. After a debrief, the day ends at 16:30.
On non-diving days, students are busy with class-led theory sessions or have time for self-study to complete all PADI’s e-learning material. Depending on the program, set Life Skills and Work Skills Courses are presented in a fun, interactive, and practical way.
There are also ongoing events that the students participate in, for example: beach clean-ups, conservation talks, or volunteering at the aquarium.
Dive Master is your first professional-level certification to get a job in the diving industry. You can assist PADI instructors with their courses. Lead certified divers on fun dives, and work in Dive Shops, Liveaboards, or Resorts. Help load and wash gear and assist with other tasks that Dive Centres require.
Courses and Experiences you can present:
Courses you can present if you do the Speciality Instructor Course:
We offer a Full-time Program, an Accelerated Program, and a Part-time Program. You can join at any time of the year.
PADI Scuba Dive courses, Internships, Work Skills courses, Emotional Life Skills courses, promoting personal development and practical skills.
Get certified from zero to Divemaster in 3 to 4 months, and zero to Instructor in 6 to 10 months.
Do extra courses and get experience in different fields, expanding your skill set.
PADI Professionals have the unique power to influence those around them, paving the way to a future where humanity lives in balance with the ocean.
As a parent, I put full trust in Just African Scuba’s career development program to assist my son in developing his passion into a solid career. Not only does Just African Scuba have the correct program in place to assist your child to become a first-class scuba instructor who will confidently teach others about the beauties of the sea, while keeping the correct safety measures and equipment protocols in place, the program also covers developing your child’s business acumen and honing his professional conduct by setting clear, reasonable and firm boundaries. Marius leads by example with a broad experience in various fields of business and fosters a love for nature and our environment. Marius further instills a sense of responsibility and appreciation for the environment and stimulates their eco-consciousness through practical experiences and teachings. His calm demeanour is used to give solid life-coach advice and manages to give his students firm direction without curbing their personality or goals unnecessarily. A sincere and respectful thanks to the team @justafricascuba.
This year has taken me out of my comfort zone and led me on more adventures than I could count. Diving in our beautiful Cape waters, photographing adventures, and creatures during our underwater digital photography course, the surreal experience of feeling weightless on our deep dive course. Here it’s just you, the deep blue, and nature. The adventures don’t end when we leave the water. Building my very first snowman, witnessing pods of dolphins, doing our first aid course, and trying not to laugh as you have to do first aid to the beat of the song “Staying Alive”. I wish I could put the whole experience into words but then I would never stop typing. So why not join me and experience the adventures for yourself with the Just Africa Scuba family? Because that is what my mentors and friends have become. A family.
Just Africa Scuba’s Career Development Program has been key in assisting our daughter to transform her dreams and passion for the ocean into a career. Obtaining a Dive Instructor qualification in cold water, with very low visibility and strong currents equips the Student with a unique skill set which truly sets them apart. The Team acted as an extension of our family with firm values, good morals, discipline, and respect for others. It is always daunting to have young adults (especially girls) leaving the safety and security of home, but Just Africa Scuba’s program provides a safe environment in which your child can grow and develop under constant supervision, guidance, and control.
Just Africa Scuba is the epitome of a dive centre. They accommodated my very demanding schedule and got me from an advanced diver to a dive master, with Four specialties, within two months. The expertise, combined with an actual passion that the crew has, exceeds any other centre I have dived with. Just Africa Scuba went over and above what they were required or expected on the daily, including and not limited to a fully stocked Red Bull fridge and an eagerness to match. I can’t wait to go back to Gordon’s Bay for this under-the-radar gem of a dive centre and add to the 40+ dives I have already done with them!! If it wasn’t clear enough, a very high recommendation goes out to Just Africa Scuba!!
Madagascar was definitely the best adventure I have ever had. Every moment felt like a dream🤩… and Just Africa Scuba made this possible! Every part of the trip was well planned and memorable. The marine – and land life is unbelievable.
After finishing matric, I felt very lost on what to do next. I wasn’t ready to start university yet, but in today’s time, the options for after-school activities are scarily limited. The life skills program offered me many chances to travel, explore, meet new people and develop myself, as well as my skills. This team has driven me to be more than what I am and learn more about what’s happening in me and around me. I’ve developed so much since I began, and I know every day I’m here, I am growing and learning something that makes a difference, whether it is in my life or others. Not to mention having fun and getting to dive every other day!
Impeccable service and excellent teaching. I spent about 2 months with the team as a student to get my Assistant Instructor qualification from being an Advanced Diver. Truly a 5-star experience that I will be recommending to anyone interested in Scuba Diving in Cape Town. Thank you, Just Africa Scuba.
Didn’t know what I’m going to do in life and discovered JustAfricaScuba how thankful I am that I joined is indescribable I learned so much about myself and obtained life skills that will make me successful in a business one day working with the staff and learning from them opened my mind and eyes to obtain as much info as possible and they made it possible getting tips and tricks all the time on how to be better, the diving is spectacular and diving with people and getting to know new people completely had my interest. I appreciate the efforts and time you have invested in my life so that I can achieve great heights, ever thankful.
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Read MoreWe offer a Full-time Program, an Accelerated Program, and Part-time Program.
The full-time program can be completed within 4 months (up to Dive Master) and 6 to 10 months (up to Instructor).
The prerequisites for joining the Career Development program are:
– Full set Scuba Equipment (can be obtained at our fully stocked retail shop)
– Medical Check-up (completed by a physician in the last 24 months)
– Minimum age of 18 years old.
Being a 5* PADI Instructors Development Center, we focus on training confident and conservation-conscious divers and dive instructors.
Creating a welcoming and family-friendly atmosphere is of utmost importance to us. This is achieved through personal attention, incorporating life skills in our courses, and our persuasive love and respect for the ocean.
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Read MoreOur PADI 5 Star Instructor Development Center & Watersports Shop is located in Gordon’s Bay, a lovely coastal town 40km from Cape Town CBD. We mainly explore the beautiful marine life of False Bay.
We focus on training confident and conservation-conscious divers and dive instructors. This is achieved through personal attention, incorporating life skills in our courses, and our persuasive love and respect for the ocean.
We have an on-site swimming pool and luxurious 4-star hotel accommodation at the Krystal Beach Hotel. Enjoy drinks & meals at the restaurant with beautiful views of the marina, ocean and mountains in Gordon’s Bay.