For a technical diver, there is no substitute for teaching more complex skill sets involved in more adventurous diving and increasing the pool of divers to go diving with.
Becoming a Technical Instructor with BSAC combines your technical diving experience and builds on what was learned during your experience as an Open Water Instructor. Working with experienced BSAC Technical Instructor Trainers to develop your own skills and teaching techniques allows you the opportunity to further develop your instruction as you progress.
Download the flowchart of technical instructor progression
The two-day Technical Instructor course extends a technical diver's practical teaching ability to the more advanced planning and skills required to teach Sport Mixed Gas Diver (50m), Explorer Mixed Gas Diver (60m), Advanced Mixed Gas Diver (80m) , MOD 1 CCR Diver (40/45m), MOD 2 CCR Diver (60m), and Advanced Mixed Gas CCR Diver (80m) courses with the opportunity to see and practise all the skills required on a BSAC Technical Course.
To enrol you must already hold the relevant BSAC technical qualification and required experience (number of dives in specified depth range) or have equivalent certification from another recognised training agency and the required experience. You must also be at least 18 years old.
The Technical Instructor course develops your instructor talents to deliver advanced diving knowledge through the use of comprehensive PowerPoint presentations. It also develops your practical teaching skills to deliver complex skillsets.
In addition you will learn about the ethos, standards, process and documentation of BSAC Technical Diver Training.
During in-water practical sessions, you will develop your personal instructing skills, use scenarios requiring student response and you’ll get plenty of feedback as course instructors will give you advice and guidance on your personal progression.
You will develop your practical instructing skills including:
- How to teach students with different equipment configurations.
- How to safely develop the skills of a technical trainee in open water.
- How to teach scenarios with student responses underwater.
- How to give constructive feedback to trainees.
- Practising your instructing skills using the materials provided.
The two days includes a demonstration and skills practise day followed by a day of practising teaching the skills required on the BSAC Technical courses. Other responsibilities that apply to instructors are also considered.
After attending a Technical Instructor course you will become an Assistant Technical Instructor. You can only teach up to the level of your personal technical diving grade and experience, under supervision of a BSAC Technical Instructor Trainer at this level.
Book your place on a scheduled Technical Instructor course online now.
It can be done with either open or closed circuit diving equipment, although is only open to CCR divers for which a unit-specific BSAC course exists. Open circuit students will require a twinset and two stages with a minimum capacity of 7 litres.
Students will be given a pack of supporting learning materials and you will need writing materials and a slate or wetnotes.
Not a BSAC member? You can do this course by joining BSAC directly or joining via a local club. Find a club.
Your next steps – assessment
Having consolidated your skills, you can become a qualified Technical Instructor by teaching the relevant BSAC technical course under assessment by a BSAC Technical Instructor Trainer or by attending a BSAC Technical Instructor Assessment.
Exactly what you will be able to teach depends on your technical diving qualification and experience. In essence, you will be able to teach BSAC technical diving qualifications up to the level of your personal technical diving qualification, so can only complete your supervised assessment up to that level.
To request a supervised assessment you should contact BSAC Technical Group Lead.
Your next steps – developing your skills
You could also develop specific skills to expand your technical diving instructor interests. Imagine learning to become a BSAC Technical Instructor Trainer.
