Diving instructors get certificates

Exploring the underwater world of the deep blue Caribbean sea is rapidly becoming an extracurricular activity enjoyed by both locals and foreigners. Unfortunately the one controlling the action 60 feet down–the dive master that is–has been and still is predominantly not Belizean. One local dive shop is trying to change all that. For the past 2 weeks, Sea Sports has held a dive master instructor training course aimed specifically at getting more Belizeans under the water.

John Searle, Sea Sports Belize

“I think that we need to promote scuba education in Belize. We would like to have more Belizeans scuba instructors, to fill the top-level jobs that are coming up in this rapidly expanding segment of our tourism industry. Of the ones that reached the level of instructor, we have 2 from San Pedro, and Linda my wife, from Belize City she is a resident, also a couple other residents that live out on Caye Caulker. All the rest of assistant instructors were Belizeans, all from Placencia, Seine Bight, Caye Caulker and San Pedro.”

The participants who completed the course today received certificates from the Professional Association of Dive Instructors (PADI) as well as the Belize Tourism Board. Searle says the next dive instructor course and the instructor exam will be given again in October and then in June of next year.