DIVE SHOWS 2010 

 
DIVER GRADES

Ocean Diver
A diver who can participate in dives not requiring mandatory decompression stops, in controlled open water conditions and under the supervision of a Dive Manager, to a depth not exceeding 20m.

Sports Diver
At this level, divers may dive autonomously to a depth of 35 metres in waters that match their previous training and experience. They can also conduct dives requiring in-water decompression and are trained in more comprehensive rescue skills, including basic surface resuscitation.

Dive Leader
To reach this level divers will require considerable dive management and rescue management skills and be competent in organising and leading diving groups. Their dive planning, conduct and navigational abilities will qualify them to act as dive guides. This grade meets and exceeds the proposed European Level 3 diver standard.

Advanced Diver
This grade requires that divers have considerable diving experience and have developed their skills to a level that enables them to completely organise and lead diving expeditions. They will have additional experience in managing diving in a wide range of conditions and circumstances.

First Class Diver
This grade demands a higher than average level of theoretical knowledge and organisational and personal diving skills. First Class Divers have a broad range of practical experience and are capable of planning, organising and leading advanced level diving expeditions. This grade is awarded following a nationally conducted assessment.

INSTRUCTOR GRADES

Instructor Foundation Course
To qualify as a BSAC Diving Instructor you first have to attend the two day Instructor Foundation Course where the essential elements of instruction are taught.The comprehensive student pack provides candidates with course notes and a copy of the BSAC Manual ‘Teaching Scuba Diving’.This course is open to Sports Divers and above.The course is a balance of theory and practical sessions. For in-water practical sessions, the well-proven methodology of perfect demonstration of skills, mimic, encouragement and progression is shown. Attendees learn the value of breaking down skillsets into manageable steps successfully developing the skills of a trainee.On the second day, candidates have an opportunity to put things into practice by delivering their own theory and practical lessons.
Once you have completed the Instructor Foundation Course you should contact the BSAC Open Water Instructor Co-ordinator who can offer practical advice and assistance.The co-ordinator can facilitate links between candidates in compatible locations to enable them to meet, exchange ideas and assist each other with the assistance of Instruction Training Scheme Instructors. Contact with instructors from outside the immediate branch environment also exposes individuals to a wider range of attitudes and ideas which they can then use to the benefit of instructing within their branch.

Assistant Diving Instructor
A diver who has received training in the principles and practice of diving instruction by attending an Instructor Foundation Course. An Assistant Diving Iinstructor can teach up to Sport Diver level under the supervision of a Nationally Qualified Instructor.

Assistant Open Water Instructor
An Assistant  Diving Instructor who has received further practical training in teaching diving skills in open water and can teach practical skills up to Dive Leader Level under the supervision of a Nationally qualified Instructor.

Practical  Instructor
An Instructor who has been assessed on their theory knowledge and practical teaching ability in the open water and can teach diving skills up to Dive Leader level, in sheltered and open water, without supervision.

Theory Instructor
An Instructor who has been assessed on their theory knowledge and practical teaching ability in the classroom and can teach diving theory up to Dive Leader level without supervision.

Open Water Instructor
An Instructor who has been assessed on their theory knowledge and their teaching ability in the classroom and open water. Open Water Instructors can teach all knowledge and skills up to Dive Leader level, some lessons to Advanced Diver level and can supervise training conducted by Assistant Diving Instructors. This is the minimum level defined as a Nationally Qualified Instructor.

Assistant Advanced Instructor
An Instructor who has received training in the principles and practice of teaching all aspects of open water diving from a variety of platforms by attending an Advanced Instructor Course. An Assistant Advanced Instructor can teach all training up to Advanced Diver, certain lessons requiring the supervision of an Advanced Instructor.

Advanced Instructor
The Advanced Instructor has trained for further open water instructional techniques, dive organisation and leadership, and boat diving.
Candidates who are Advanced Divers need to attend the Advanced Instructor Course, pass a Theory Knowledge Exam and pass the Advanced Instructor Exam.

National Instructor
The National Instructor grade requires students to pass a 4 day practical examination typically conducted at the end of July each year in the UK.
National Instructors are really important to BSAC, they are the ones who bring forward new courses and adapt to technical developments in the sport. They have to ensure the safety and the quality of all the training offered through our extensive instructor base. In order to even enter for this examination you have to be an Advanced Instructor and First Class Diver. It is likely that the National Diving Committee will shortly accept the recommendation that you also have to be an Instructor Trainer with BSAC – that is you must have attended an instructor trainer development course and have been formally accepted onto the BSAC Instructor Trainer Circuit. The evidence for this is you are on the list of the instructors who can staff the Instructor Foundation Course, Open Water Instruction Course, act as Theory Instructor examiners and Practical Instructor examiners. Even before any formal decision is made you should be aware that the examination is closely related to the job that National Instructors do for the BSAC on instructor trainer events.
Experience has shown that candidates for the exam who are not firmly established on ‘The Circuit’ are now at such a serious disadvantage that they are strongly recommended to achieve this before attending preparation events and progressing to the exam. In short, if you are not already an Instructor Trainer then this should be your first step after achieving AI and FCD in your own development as an instructor.
Pete Church
National Instructor Development

Instructor Trainer
The BSAC Instructor Training Scheme (ITS) is the foundation of all BSAC activities and the only route for training our instructors. Qualified Advanced Instructors will already be familiar with the ITS process and the Advanced Instructor Course and Examination serves as the foundation for learning to develop other instructors within the branch. Advanced Instructors with a particular interest in developing instructors can further their training by applying to become an Instructor Trainer (IT).
Chris Cook
Instructor Trainer Development Officer

Progress to become an Instructor Trainer requires attendance on the 2 day Instructor Trainer Development Course and subsequent Observes/Supervised teaching on Instructor Training Scheme events prior to release. Once qualified as an Instructor Trainer you will be expected to commit to teaching on a minimum of 6-8 weekends of ITS events per year.
Working with the ITS scheme to introduce BSAC divers to the skills involved in good dive instruction is an extremely rewarding activity; the friendship and support from fellow instructor trainers on the ITS is second to none.
The Instructor Trainer Development Course (ITDC) is the first step in becoming a BSAC Instructor Trainer and is open to all BSAC Advanced Instructors.
The course takes the format of a 2 day event where experienced National Instructors will act as mentors and tutor you in the skills and techniques necessary to teach and examine BSAC Instructors up to Open Water Instructor level.
Following the course you will gain further instruction and experience on various courses and exams with an experienced ITS instructor as a guide. This will give you a wider understanding of the responsibilities and performance standards required of ITS staff instructors, following demonstration of which you will become a full member of the ITS teaching staff.

SKILL DEVELOPMENT

Seamanship

BOATHANDLING:

COXSWAIN:

CHARTWORK & POSITION FIXING:

VHF / GMDS:

Rescue

FIRST AID FOR DIVERS:

RESCUE FIRST AID:

OXYGEN ADMINISTRATION:

LIFESAVER:

ADVANCED LIFESAVER:

DOWNLOADABLE TRAINING FORMS (pdf - click heading to download)

FAQ regarding Self-Declaration Medical System for Sports Diving

UK Sports Diver Medical Form

Sports Diver Medical Certificate of Fitness to Dive

UKSDMC Referee Examination Form

List of UK Sport Diving Medical Referees