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Becoming a scuba instructor doesn’t just give you a career. It gives you a passport to the world. With your certification in hand, you can work anywhere there’s water, from tropical islands to luxury liveaboards, teaching, guiding, and exploring.
It’s a life of freedom, global movement, and meaningful connection. And the journey begins right here with Ocean Tribe’s Diving Instructor Internship Program in Kenya.
Your scuba instructor certification is recognised around the world. That means you can work across continents, from Europe’s sun-drenched coastlines to Southeast Asia’s island chains and the Caribbean’s turquoise shallows. Dive centres in Thailand, Australia, the Maldives, Egypt, and Mexico all rely on travelling pros. We even have a centre in the Philippines which happily takes seasonal pros following their graduation at Ocean Tribe
You won’t be tied to a desk or a single location. Many instructors live on dive boats, rent beach bungalows, or stay in seasonal crew housing. Resorts and liveaboards often offer contracts that last just a few months, giving you the flexibility to move between jobs and countries at your own pace.
Dive work follows the sun. In Europe, countries like Spain, Greece, and Italy see high demand from May to September. These scuba instructor jobs often include accommodation and offer competitive wages. When the European season ends, you can head to places like Thailand, Indonesia, or the Caribbean, where the peak runs from October to March. Kenya, Egypt, and other parts of Africa also offer year-round work with busy holiday peaks.
By timing your moves with the seasons, you can cover most of the year with back-to-back contracts. It’s a rhythm that balances earning, exploring, and growing as a diver.
Being a dive instructor gives you more than teaching skills. You develop leadership and risk management, learn how to control groups in the ocean, and gain experience in first aid. These are valuable in many areas of marine tourism, from eco-tours and fishing trips to resort operations.
You also build customer service skills, gear knowledge, and potentially even technical skills like underwater photography or video editing. If you learn local languages along the way, your employability skyrockets. A few words of Spanish in the Canaries or Thai in Koh Tao can make a big difference when applying for jobs.
To make the most of this mobile lifestyle, pack smart. Prioritise a compact regulator and mask that fit into carry-on luggage. Choose a travel-friendly BC/BCD such as a dedicated travel lightweight model or a backplate and wing and light fins that are easy to transport. Rashguards and undersuits should be quick-drying, and a good dive computer is essential for both diving and teaching.
You don’t need to carry heavy tanks or weights, as most centres provide these. Stick to a waterproof travel bag that holds only what you need, including a laptop or tablet for bookings, student records, and communication.
A lightweight laptop or tablet keeps your teaching life organised. You can manage schedules, track student progress, and edit photos or videos for social media. Many dive computers now link directly to logbook apps or training agency platforms like MySSI or DiverLog.
Using apps to learn basic local language phrases will help you integrate more easily and stand out to employers. Staying active on platforms like WhatsApp and social media also helps you keep in touch with other dive professionals and stay informed about job openings around the world.
Every new dive contract brings a fresh reef, a new landscape, and a different culture. The skills you carry with you are transferable to a wide range of roles within the marine tourism industry. Seasonal work also builds in natural breaks that let you travel for yourself, explore new regions, and reconnect with why you started this journey in the first place.
This isn’t just a job. It’s a lifestyle built on freedom, curiosity, and a love for the ocean.
Scuba instructing pairs perfectly with other flexible, remote-friendly jobs. Many dive professionals also work as content creators, travel bloggers, or influencers, sharing their underwater adventures online. Others take on freelance roles in photography, writing, or graphic design between dive seasons. The digital nomad lifestyle complements dive work well—you can teach by day, edit videos or write travel blogs at night, and build a personal brand that grows as you travel. Your office might be the beach, your classroom the reef, and your clients from around the world. It’s a career path limited only by your creativity and drive.
Based in Diani Beach, Kenya, Ocean Tribe offers one of East Africa’s most comprehensive instructor development pathways. Whether you’re starting from scratch or already a certified Divemaster, our Diving Instructor Internship Packages take you from student to professional with real-world teaching experience, guided mentorship, and access to an SSI Instructor Trainer on staff.
You’ll gain internationally recognised certifications, hands-on experience with real students, and exposure to conservation and accessibility diving. The program includes visa support, affordable accommodation, and job placement assistance. You’ll also be introduced to a network of partner dive centres to help you line up future contracts. It’s not just training, it’s the first step into a nomadic lifestyle as a global dive professional.
If you’re already a Divemaster, Ocean Tribe can help you complete your Instructor Training Course with expert guidance and mentorship. If you’re starting from scratch, join our full internship program and progress from Open Water all the way to Instructor. Along the way, you’ll gain practical experience, refine your dive skills, and build the confidence to teach in real-world environments.
You’ll also receive support with work visas, job hunting, and planning your first overseas contracts. We’ll help you prepare for a life of travel, both in and out of the water.
Ocean Tribe doesn’t just train instructors. We launch global diving careers. If you’re ready to explore the world reef by reef, start with us in Kenya. Your future is out there—floating over coral, drifting in currents, and meeting people from every corner of the globe. Let’s dive in.
Ocean Tribe Dive Team
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