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Turn a lifetime of dives into a teaching career with an SDI Instructor Development Course based in Ulladulla. Small groups, real open-water coaching and a proven curriculum make this a fast, practical path to professional diving.
Turn a lifetime of dives into a teaching career with an SDI Instructor Development Course based in Ulladulla. Small groups, real open-water coaching and a proven curriculum make this a fast, practical path to professional diving.
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Operated by SCUDA · Ulladulla, New South Wales
On Australia’s South Coast, the town of Ulladulla provides a practical base for people ready to turn recreational diving into a profession. Become an OW Instructor is an SDI Instructor Development Course and IE package run from 6 North St, Ulladulla NSW 2539, that compresses classroom theory, pool sessions and open-water coaching into a 6–8 week program (minimum 100 hours) designed to produce confident entry-level instructors. The curriculum focuses on teaching Open Water, Advanced and Rescue levels using SDI standards. You’ll refine rescue techniques, lesson planning, confined-water teaching skills and surface and boat management while instructing real students under mentor supervision. Groups are capped at 8 students, which keeps instructor-to-student feedback immediate and practical; expect frequent drills, skill debriefs and practical assessments. This stretch of coast offers temperate rocky reefs, kelp beds and clear bays that make ideal training grounds: shallow, protected anchorages for confined-water sessions and nearby reef sites for open-water teaching. Key features include low rocky headlands, reef bommies and abundant rocky shore habitat that support reef fish such as eastern blue groper and regular sightings of bottlenose dolphins. Training here gives you exposure to variable currents and visibility typical of New South Wales’ south coast—excellent preparation for coastal instruction anywhere in Australia. Prerequisites are strict by design: you must be at least 18, a certified diver for six months, have at least 100 logged dives across different environments, and hold SDI Divemaster or Assistant Instructor equivalency plus current First Response/oxygen provider certification where required. These standards keep students and trainees operating at professional safety margins. Throughout the program you’ll complete both a training-side Instructor Development Course and an Instructor Examination (IE) that assesses your teaching delivery, confined-water presentations, open-water skills demonstrations and academic knowledge. Instructors finishing the course leave with a portfolio of lesson outlines, contact hours logged and practical evaluations that help when applying to dive shops, dive resorts and coastal education programs. The course’s hands-on pace also builds confidence in boat handling, student management and emergency response so graduates are prepared for the unpredictable conditions of public instruction. Why choose this program? It’s local knowledge married to an industry-recognized SDI syllabus—classroom theory is immediately reinforced with in-water coaching so you graduate with both skill and teaching confidence. The small-group format, combined with hosts who run daily practical sessions along protected bays, makes Ulladulla a focused place to fast-track a career. Practicalities: arrive 15 minutes early for medical screening and waivers. Expect variable weather and plan for both pool and boat days during the 6–8 week timeline. For anyone committed to teaching diving, this course turns hours logged into marketable instruction skills with a clear pathway to work on Australia’s coast or abroad. Start your certification.
challenging.
6–8 weeks (minimum 100 hours).
Moderately fit: comfortable swimming, able to perform rescues and handle surface swims; stamina for repeated in-water teaching shifts.
Minimum age is 18; you must be a certified diver for at least six months and have 100 logged dives across a range of environments.
Check-in and some classroom sessions meet at 6 North St, Ulladulla NSW 2539; open-water training runs from nearby protected bays and reef sites.
Groups are limited to 8 students to maximize instructor feedback and in-water coaching time.
You need SDI Divemaster or SDI Assistant Instructor (or equivalent) and current First Response and Oxygen Administration Provider certification where local law permits.
The program runs 6–8 weeks (minimum 100 hours) and includes an Instructor Development Course plus an Instructor Examination covering academics, confined-water presentations and open-water skills.
Graduates leave with lesson outlines, logged contact hours and practical evaluations useful when applying to dive shops, resort programs and coastal education providers.
The course uses an SDI curriculum recognized across recreational dive markets; Ulladulla’s harbour community has long supported coastal boating and dive instruction.
Respect kelp beds and reef bommies during training: practice neutral buoyancy, avoid contact with substrate and report marine debris to help protect local reefs.
SCUDA is a dive operator based in Ulladulla, New South Wales, offering a full range of scuba experiences and training for beginners through professional-level divers. Located on the NSW South Coast, SCUDA runs introductory Scuba Discovery dives, full Open Water certification courses with flexible online theory, Rescue Diver and Divemaster training, and instructor-level pathways for those pursuing a diving career. SCUDA also operates local boat dives in Ulladulla and Brush Island trips, specialty single night dives, Jervis Bay adventures, and organised international dive trips to destinations such as Cebu. Safety-focused training and supervised guided dives form the core of SCUDA's services. Scuba Discovery participants learn basic skills and breathing techniques during a guided boat dive, while Open Water students complete pool and open-water skills at Jones Beach and Ulladulla to earn certification. Advanced trips include deep dives to pinnacles and wreck sites, plus night dives to observe bioluminescent and nocturnal marine life. Rescue Diver and Divemaster courses emphasise in-water skills, scenario practice, and leadership development; instructor preparation covers Open Water, Advanced and Rescue instruction. SCUDA works with local dive sites including Lighthouse Wall, Burrill Rock, Pinnacle, and the Northern Firth wreck, presenting opportunities to see kelp forests, seadragons and grey nurse sharks in season. Booking options include single dives, double boat dives, multi-day lodges in Jervis Bay, and 12-day eco-resort international itineraries. For divers in Ulladulla and the NSW South Coast, SCUDA provides structured training, guided dive experiences, and pathways to professional certification. Equipment rental and guided options are available.
Book with SCUDA