Course overview

Move into teaching scuba with the SSI Open Water Instructor programme in Phuket, the access point for the Andaman Sea and the Similan Islands. Warm 27-30C water and sheltered training reefs off Racha Yai and Kata give instructor candidates a forgiving environment to rehearse academic and in-water teaching modules before the SSI Instructor Evaluation. You finish as an SSI Open Water Instructor, authorised to certify divers in your own right.

What you’ll learn

• Present SSI academic sessions using digital training materials
• Teach and evaluate pool and open-water skills to instructor standard
• Apply SSI training standards and diver-safety procedures
• Demonstrate clean skills and correct student errors
• Plan, brief and supervise student training dives
• Prepare for the SSI Instructor Evaluation

Prerequisites

• Minimum age 18
• SSI Dive Guide or equivalent leadership certification from a recognised agency
• Certified diver for at least six months
• Minimum 100 logged dives
• Current first aid and CPR provider rating
• Diver medical clearance signed by a physician

What's included · What's not

Not included? Sort the rest of your trip

Flights and accommodation aren’t part of the course price, here’s how to book them around your dates.

Probability of sightings · month-by-month

What you're likely to see each month, based on historic operator logs.

Day-by-day itinerary

1. Day1
   Academic foundations

   Orientation to the SSI training system and your first academic teaching presentations.
2. Day2
   Pool teaching workshops

   Practise demonstrating and teaching confined-water skills to SSI standard.
3. Day3
   Open-water teaching

   Deliver open-water teaching circuits at sheltered Racha Yai under evaluation.
4. Day4
   Standards and safety

   Cover SSI training standards, risk management and dive-business essentials.
5. Day5
   Theory and skills assessment

   Complete dive-theory exams and the skills-demonstration assessment.
6. Day6
   Evaluation preparation

   Mock presentations and a full briefing for the SSI Instructor Evaluation.

Verified through iDive

Every partner school in the iDive network is vetted on safety, instructor credentials, equipment standards and student feedback. Talk to a iDive dive pro on WhatsApp for current availability and reviews specific to Phuket.

Frequently asked questions