SSI Professional Training · Diani Beach, Kenya

From First Dive To Instructor

Start at any level and follow a complete professional pathway to becoming an SSI Open Water Diving Instructor—with unlimited diving, real teaching experience and personal scuba equipment you keep.

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GO PRO Train · Teach · Travel
📅 4–28 Weeks Depending on starting level
🎂 Minimum Age 18 Professional-level training
🌊 Maximum 40m Within training standards
🩺 Dive Medical Medical clearance required
💵 From $6,399 Beginner package with equipment
Ocean Tribe professional instructor training in Diani Beach, Kenya
REAL TRAINING.
REAL STUDENTS.
REAL EXPERIENCE.
Why Ocean Tribe?

Graduate ready to work

Ocean Tribe has trained dive professionals on Diani Beach for more than a decade. Training is delivered by active SSI Instructor Trainers within a working professional dive centre.

  • Multi-award-winning SSI dive centre.
  • Accredited SSI Instructor Training Centre.
  • Accredited SSI Classified Diving Centre.
  • Professional training on real working dive boats.
  • Warm-water diving on Kenya’s coral reefs.
  • Hands-on teaching and dive-centre experience.
🎓

Real work, not only training

Assist instructors, work with real students, prepare equipment, deliver briefings and participate in daily operations before your Instructor Evaluation.

🤿

Brand-new equipment to keep

Full-price packages include personal scuba equipment—not a rental kit or discount voucher. Your equipment remains yours after the internship.

❤️

Teach beyond diving

The React Right Instructor rating enables you to teach CPR, first aid and AED programs internationally, creating another valuable professional skill.

Your professional pathway

The certification ladder

Every stage involves genuine, assessed training. There are no shortcuts and no “complete the form” upgrades.

01 Foundation

Open Water Diver

The entry-level certification that qualifies you to dive with a buddy to a maximum depth of 18 metres.

02 Experience

Specialty Courses

Nitrox, Navigation, Deep, Night, Computer Diving and Marine Ecology develop a confident, versatile diver.

03 Emergency skills

React Right

Learn CPR, first aid, AED use and emergency oxygen administration before moving into rescue and professional training.

04 Rescue

Stress & Rescue

Recognise diver stress, prevent incidents and manage realistic rescue scenarios from the water through emergency oxygen.

05 First pro rating

SSI Divemaster

Combine Dive Guide leadership with Science of Diving knowledge and begin working as a professional Divemaster.

06 Learn to teach

Instructor Training Course

Develop lesson planning, classroom delivery, pool teaching, open-water teaching and professional presentation skills.

07 Final evaluation

Instructor Evaluation

Demonstrate your knowledge, teaching, water skills and professionalism during the independent SSI evaluation.

08 Keep progressing

Specialty Instructor

Add React Right and optional specialty instructor seminars while working towards higher SSI professional recognition.

Choose your starting point

Instructor internship packages

Already hold some of these certifications? Ocean Tribe can create a bespoke pathway based on your current qualifications.

Complete route Package A

Beginner to Instructor

$6,399
Reduced to $4,999 if you already own suitable scuba equipment.
  • SSI Open Water Diver
  • SSI Enriched Air Nitrox
  • SSI Navigation
  • SSI Deep Diver
  • Night & Limited Visibility
  • React Right CPR & First Aid
  • Diver Stress & Rescue
  • Dive Guide / Divemaster
  • Science of Diving
  • Computer Diving
  • Marine Ecology
  • Instructor Training Course
  • Instructor Evaluation
  • Open Water Instructor rating
  • Enriched Air Instructor rating
  • Science of Diving Instructor rating
  • Stress & Rescue Instructor rating
  • React Right Instructor rating
  • Specialty Diver recognition
  • Advanced Open Water recognition
  • Master Diver recognition
  • All SSI materials and fees
  • Unlimited diving
  • Brand-new scuba equipment to keep
Package B

Open Water / Advanced to Instructor

$5,999
Reduced to $4,599 if you already own suitable scuba equipment.
  • SSI Enriched Air Nitrox
  • SSI Navigation
  • SSI Deep Diver
  • Night & Limited Visibility
  • React Right CPR & First Aid
  • Diver Stress & Rescue
  • Dive Guide / Divemaster
  • Science of Diving
  • Computer Diving
  • Marine Ecology
  • Instructor Training Course
  • Instructor Evaluation
  • Open Water Instructor rating
  • Enriched Air Instructor rating
  • Science of Diving Instructor rating
  • Stress & Rescue Instructor rating
  • React Right Instructor rating
  • Specialty Diver recognition
  • Advanced Open Water recognition
  • Master Diver recognition
  • All SSI materials and fees
  • Unlimited diving
  • Brand-new scuba equipment to keep
Request Your Pathway
🏠

Dorm accommodation

On-site shared accommodation within walking distance of the dive centre, with Wi-Fi and security.

7 months +$1,750
4 months +$999
🐢

Nine Ecology Specialties

Coral, Fish, Shark, Manta & Ray, Sea Turtle, Marine Mammal, Invertebrate, Nudibranch and Blue Oceans Ecology.

+$499
🦁

Three-day safari

Three days and two nights in Tsavo East, including game drives, lodge accommodation, meals and park fees.

+$400
🎓

Five Specialty Instructor courses

Choose from Wreck, Sidemount, Deep, Night, Navigation and other available instructor specialties.

+$499
Built for a life less ordinary

Who is it for?

🌊 Adventure seekers Who want a real job that allows them to travel.
🎒 Gap-year students Looking for a structured year with a professional qualification.
💻 Career changers Ready to step away from the nine-to-five.
🧭 Career breakers Looking for direction, challenge and new skills.
🎖️ Military and emergency services Transitioning to a new civilian career.
❤️ Patient ocean lovers With a genuine interest in teaching others.
Complete beginner route Up to 6–7 months

Build certifications, log the required dives and gain substantial real-world experience before the Instructor Evaluation.

Advanced / Rescue-level route 2–4 months

Your exact duration depends on existing certifications, logged dives, course scheduling and individual progress.

Experience before evaluation
100+

Dives and real experience

Many interns finish with well over 100 logged dives. Unlimited boat diving at Ocean Tribe’s standard Diani sites is included throughout the internship.

  • Tanks, weights and air fills included.
  • Boat transfers and professional dive guide included.
  • Training dives, experience dives and course assists.
  • One-year Ocean Tribe Dive Club membership.
  • Dive discounts, equipment benefits and exclusive events.
  • Further-afield trips such as Kisite may carry a surcharge.
Gear up like a professional

Your equipment

The full internship price includes a brand-new personal scuba setup that is yours to keep. If you already own suitable equipment, select the reduced package price.

Gold Package

$1,239
Recommended retail price: $2,100

Professional-grade performance and durability.

  • BCD: Cressi Aquawing Plus
  • First Stage: Cressi MC9 SC
  • Primary: Cressi Compact Pro
  • Octopus: Cressi Compact Pro
  • Console: Cressi Digi 2
  • Shearwater Tern TX or Peregrine TX
  • Optional air transmitter: $300

Silver Package

$949
Recommended retail price: $1,299

A reliable and affordable professional starter kit.

  • BCD: Cressi Start Pro
  • First Stage: Cressi MC9
  • Primary: Cressi Compact
  • Octopus: Cressi Compact
  • Console: Cressi Console 2
  • Computer: Cressi Donatello
  • Cressi wrist-mount compass
Required

Dive Pro Extras

$300
Recommended retail price: $385

Essential personal items for professional diving.

  • Cressi Altum Shorty wetsuit
  • Cressi Maui fins
  • Cressi F1 mask and dry snorkel
  • Cressi Grip cutting tool
  • Cressi marker buoy
Beyond the training manual

Skills you will use every day

Ocean Tribe develops the practical, technical and guest-service skills required inside a professional dive centre.

01

Practical dive-centre skills

01 Cylinder and gas operations
  • Understand markings, dates and working pressures.
  • Check inspection and service information.
  • Gain supervised experience filling air and Nitrox cylinders.
02 Dive-centre operations
  • Use DiversDesk to manage bookings.
  • Take reservations and organise schedules.
  • Process payments and dive-package invoices.
03 Equipment care and repairs
  • Diagnose common regulator and valve problems.
  • Replace mouthpieces, DIN and yoke O-rings.
  • Clean low-pressure inflator assemblies.
  • Rinse, inspect, store and rotate rental equipment.
04 Safety and dive technology
  • Assemble and operate emergency oxygen equipment.
  • Understand common dive-computer programming.
  • Explain modes, settings and basic troubleshooting.
02

Guest service and communication

05 Guest communication
  • Give clear, friendly information in person and by phone.
  • Explain and correctly adjust rental equipment.
  • Describe conditions and sightings honestly.
06 Briefing and dive planning
  • Understand local tides and weather.
  • Deliver professional dive briefings.
  • Provide accurate weighting advice.
07 Equipment and destination advice
  • Explain equipment features clearly.
  • Recommend equipment for different goals.
  • Discuss international dive destinations knowledgeably.
08 Professional development
  • Follow industry and equipment developments.
  • Understand conservation work and current trends.
  • Represent Ocean Tribe’s standards consistently.
🧠 Professional judgement
🛠 Technical confidence
💬 Guest communication
🤝 Team reliability
Example professional itinerary

Your 16-week journey

This sample itinerary shows the progression from arrival through Divemaster, instructor training and practical teaching experience. Longer beginner pathways allow additional time for dives and experience.

START

Welcome to Diani

Collection from Mombasa or Ukunda Airport, transfer to Diani, accommodation arrival, dive-school orientation and introduction to the internship team.

Airport pickup Accommodation Orientation
WEEK 1

Orientation and Open Water course

Settle into Diani, complete equipment fitting, review your schedule, begin digital learning and complete the four-day SSI Open Water Diver course.

Local orientation Equipment fitting Open Water
WEEK 2

Begin to get advanced

Develop specialist skills while building logged-dive experience.

Navigation Deep Nitrox Experience dives
WEEK 3

Learn your rescue skills

Complete React Right CPR and First Aid followed by the SSI Diver Stress & Rescue course.

First Aid CPR Stress & Rescue
WEEK 4

Begin Divemaster training

Move into Science of Diving and Computer Diving while practising demonstration-quality skills and logging dives.

Dive theory Computer Diving Skills practice
WEEK 5

Get more specialised

Complete Night & Limited Visibility training and continue building experience in varied conditions.

Night diving Limited visibility Experience dives
WEEK 6

Start the Dive Guide course

Focus on professional responsibility, leadership, supervision and the practical skills needed to guide certified divers.

WEEKS 7–10

Divemaster trainee

Assist dive leaders, support daily operations and develop confidence, judgement and leadership under supervision.

Assist dive leaders Daily operations Log dives
WEEKS 8–12

Divemaster certification and work experience

Complete the remaining Divemaster requirements and apply your professional skills within real dive-centre operations.

SSI Divemaster Work experience Professional development
WEEKS 13–15

SSI Instructor Training Course

Progress through ITC preparation, the SSI Instructor Training Course and the independent SSI Instructor Evaluation.

ITC preparation Instructor training Instructor Evaluation
WEEK 16

Instructor continuing education

Complete Specialty Instructor development and team-teach alongside an experienced instructor to build confidence working with real students.

Specialty Instructor Team teaching Teaching experience
Please note: The exact course order and dive schedule may change according to weather, ocean conditions, availability and individual training progress.
Plan before you travel

Practical requirements

Prerequisites

  • Minimum age: 18 years.
  • Pass the SSI dive medical requirements.
  • Swim 200 metres unaided.
  • Float or tread water for 10 minutes.
  • Working level of English.
  • A genuine interest in teaching.

Medical clearance

Professional-program candidates require medical documentation signed and stamped by a licensed doctor. Complete this before travelling and bring the original documents for your Instructor Evaluation and application.

View Medical Questionnaire

Not included

Flights, visas, accommodation unless you select a dormitory bolt-on, breakfast, dinner, personal dive insurance, tips and personal spending are not included.

Booking: A 30% deposit secures your place. The remaining balance is due 30 days before arrival. Contact Ocean Tribe with your preferred start date and current certification level for the correct tailored booking link.
A life worth living

Take the shot

“If today was the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?” — Steve Jobs
“All your dreams can come true if you have the courage to pursue them.” — Walt Disney
“You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” — Wayne Gretzky
“Many of our dreams first seem impossible, then improbable, and when we summon the will, they soon become inevitable.” — Christopher Reeve
Discover Diani underwater

What you might see

From reef residents to seasonal ocean visitors, every dive brings a different experience.

Sea turtle underwater
Reef favourite

Sea turtles

Watch for turtles cruising the reef or resting below ledges.

Moray eel among the reef
Look in the crevices

Moray eels

Look carefully into the reef’s sheltered cracks and holes.

Lionfish with distinctive spiny fins
Reef resident

Lionfish

Distinctive stripes and fan-like fins make them unforgettable.

Colourful nudibranch
Tiny treasures

Nudibranchs

Slow down and search the reef for these colourful sea slugs.

Manta ray underwater
Seasonal · October–March

Manta rays

Keep an eye on the blue for a graceful passing manta.

Whale shark underwater
Seasonal · October–March

Whale sharks

These ocean giants may visit Diani during the seasonal window.

Wildlife, not a promise: Sightings depend on the season, dive site and ocean conditions. Never touch or chase animals, and always remain clear of the coral.
Everything you need to know

Instructor internship FAQs

How much are flights to Kenya and which airport should I use?

Flights from the UK or Europe are often around £500, although prices vary by season and booking date. Compare current airline prices before booking.

The main international airport is Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta (NBO). From Nairobi, fly to Ukunda Airport (UKA), only minutes from the dive centre. Some international services also fly to Mombasa Airport (MBA), approximately 40 kilometres from Diani.

Domestic airlines may include Jambojet, Safarilink, AirKenya, EastAfrican and Skyward Express. Check connections carefully, as an overnight stay in Nairobi may be required.

Do I need a medical examination?
Professional candidates require a medical form signed and stamped by a licensed doctor. Complete the assessment before travelling and bring the original documents, as they may be required for the Instructor Evaluation and instructor application.
Do I need vaccinations or travel medication?
Consult a qualified doctor or travel-health clinic. Requirements depend on your medical history, route, country of departure and current public-health guidance. Ask about malaria prevention and carry prescription medication in its original packaging.
How long does the training take?

Duration depends on starting level, logged dives, course availability and individual progress. A full beginner route may take approximately six to seven months.

  • 40 logged dives are required to begin Divemaster training.
  • 60 logged dives are required for Divemaster certification.
  • 100 logged dives are required to enter an Instructor Evaluation.
What are SSI Instructor and Divemaster qualifications worth?
SSI professional qualifications are internationally recognised. Open Water Instructors may teach eligible entry-level programs and qualified specialties. Divemasters supervise certified divers, assist instructors and conduct activities permitted by their professional rating.
Can I work as an instructor afterwards?
Yes. After passing the SSI Instructor Evaluation, you can apply for instructor positions internationally. Employment cannot be guaranteed, but Ocean Tribe provides guidance, references and placement leads where possible.
What happens if I do not pass the Instructor Evaluation?
Ocean Tribe will help prepare you again without an additional course-training fee. You remain responsible for any applicable SSI re-evaluation fee.
How does unlimited diving work?
Unlimited boat dives at Ocean Tribe’s standard Diani sites are included during the internship. Tanks, weights, air fills, boat transport and a guide are included. Further-afield trips may carry a surcharge.
Is the equipment really mine to keep?
Yes. The full-price packages include a new BCD, regulator set, console, dive computer, mask, snorkel, fins, booties, wetsuit and equipment bag. Exact brands and models are confirmed with your package.
What happens during the Kusi season from May to July?
Diving continues throughout the year. Ocean Tribe uses more sheltered sites and adjusts schedules around wind and sea conditions. The reefs are often quieter during this period.
What is there to do when I am not diving?
Options include wildlife safaris, kitesurfing, skydiving, fishing, other watersports, restaurants, beach venues and exploring Swahili culture and the coast’s history.
Do I need dive insurance?
Suitable dive insurance is strongly recommended. Check depth limits, professional-training exclusions and emergency-treatment cover. Specialist providers include DAN and DiveAssure. Confirm whether professional liability coverage will be required.
What safety and emergency procedures are in place?
Ocean Tribe follows an emergency action plan. Boats carry emergency oxygen, first-aid supplies, life jackets and rescue lines. Staff follow diver-accounting, boat-cover and emergency procedures. Bring a small personal first-aid kit and recommended medication.
How can I access money in Kenya?
ATMs are widely available and many accept international cards. M-PESA mobile money is widely used. A local Safaricom SIM may be purchased subject to registration requirements. Notify your bank before travel and carry more than one payment method.
Can I bring my family?
Yes. Diani has childcare options, nurseries and international schools. Research arrangements that suit your family before travelling.
What is the local communication infrastructure like?
Kenya has modern mobile networks. Local SIM cards and data packages are readily available for unlocked phones. Wi-Fi is available at the dive centre, although speed varies by location.
Which electrical plugs are used?
Kenya uses approximately 240V at 50Hz and British-style Type G plugs with three rectangular pins. Bring an adapter and check that your devices support the local voltage.
Can I stay for work experience afterwards?
Further experience and training may be available after successful completion of the Instructor Evaluation. Opportunities depend on eligibility and availability and may include specialty-instructor development and team teaching.
What is the approximate cost of living?
The supplied guide estimates approximately US$500 per month, including accommodation. Actual spending depends on housing, food, transport and lifestyle. Local transport includes tuk-tuks, matatus, motorcycle taxis and conventional taxis.
What entertainment and nightlife are available?
Diani has beach bars, restaurants, live entertainment and places to dance while retaining a relaxed coastal atmosphere. Ask the Ocean Tribe team for current recommendations after arrival.
How should I keep myself safe?
Avoid carrying unnecessary valuables or large amounts of cash. Store documents securely, use reputable transport, take additional care at night and follow current local and official government travel advice.
How do I book?
Use the booking button or WhatsApp Ocean Tribe with your intended start date and current certification level. A 30% deposit secures your place, with the remaining balance due 30 days before arrival.
Your professional journey starts here

Learn it. Live it. Teach it.

Turn your passion for the ocean into an internationally recognised professional qualification and a career that can take you around the world.

Build My Package Email Ocean Tribe

Diani Beach, Kenya · +254 700 934 854 · info@oceantribe.co