Assistant Instructor (AI)

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$1500pp*

To view all the session times/dates expand the "What's Included" Section of the accordion below.

Once you book your course, our team will register you for class materials. You will receive an email with a link to your materials from the agency (SSI). The director or professional training can be reached at alex@ecdivers.com if you have any questions about the course.

*Plus agency materials and Fees

NOTE!: Some professional materials can apply to future courses (AI + OWI) and are also available as bundles (DM, AI, OWI) Contact alex@ecdivers.com to discuss your desired training pathway and ways to save money on Agency material fees.

Ready to take your passion for scuba diving to the next level? Become a certified SSI Assistant Instructor and help others discover the joys of diving.

Our comprehensive course is designed to prepare you for a career in scuba diving instruction. You’ll learn about teaching techniques, lesson planning, risk management, and more. Our experienced instructors will guide you through both classroom and practical sessions, ensuring that you have a thorough understanding of the concepts and techniques involved.

In addition to gaining valuable teaching skills, you’ll also have the opportunity to improve your own diving abilities. You’ll refine your dive skills, improve your buoyancy control, and learn new techniques to make your dives more enjoyable and efficient.

Upon completion of the course, you’ll earn your SSI Assistant Instructor certification, which will open up new opportunities in the diving industry. Whether you’re interested in teaching part-time or making a full-time career out of diving instruction, this course will provide you with the skills and knowledge you need to succeed.

Don’t wait any longer to turn your passion for diving into a rewarding career. Sign up for our SSI Assistant Instructor course today and start your journey towards becoming a certified scuba diving instructor.

After the course, you are able to teach pool and classroom sessions with indirect supervision from a current instructor. After completing the Assistant Instructor course the next step is Instructor. During the Instructor Course, you learn how to teach skills that require more control such as emergency skills in the pool and the Open Water Checkout Dives of the Open Water Course not to mention specialty programs such as Nitrox and Dive Guide.

At East Coast Divers our priority is to create Comfortable, Safe, and Fun divers and instructors. That is why all of our training from the Basic Open Water course through Instructor is all done while neutrally buoyant and each student is worked with directly to address their strength and weaknesses to ensure you don’t just get an instructor card but become a confident, passionate dive instructor.

As an active status SSI Assistant Instructor you are able to teach academic and non-emergency pool skills from the Open Water Certification course along with being able to independently teach the following programs:

  • Scuba Rangers
  • Try Scuba
  • Scuba Skills Update (refresher)
  • Perfect Buoyancy
  • To work with us at ECD it is required to complete the ECD Science of Diving program

You are also eligible to become a training specialist and independently teach the following programs after specialty training:

  • Altitude Diving
  • Boat Diving
  • Computer Diving
  • Equipment Techniques
  • Navigation
  • Photo & Video
  • Science of Diving
  • Waves, Tides, & Currents

 

 

Before Class

TEST IN PROCEDURE:

All candidates applying to an ECD professional training course must EITHER have an ECD instructor vouch for the candidate on skills and fitness, OR the candidate can complete the OW skill circuit (Skills at the instructor's discretion) and one lap swim (to prove they can swim).

In-water test-in procedure can be scheduled with Alex (alex@ecdivers.com)

COURSEWORK WITH EDPUZZLE:

  • precourse - Instincts and Habits (Video with "Quiz")
  • Mid CourseAS5 - Your Career with SSI (Video with "Quiz")
  • will receive the link & instructions before the start of course

 

Before attending your class you will need to complete some paperwork. The forms will be emailed to you for your review and can be completed by Eversign prior to your class.

Before enrolling in a class, you should take time to read and review the Diver Medical Statement Participant Questionnaire. The first page has If you have any YES answers on that page, review the associated section on the Diver Medical Statement | Participant Questionnaire Continued. NOTE: All professional candidates must also have a completed Physicians Approval to Dive form before you can participate in ANY in-water activities. It’s important to note if a physician’s signature is required, only a medical doctor’s (MD) signature will be accepted.

This class also has a helpful online training component hosted by SSI. Please complete your online training prior to your classroom session. If you have not already registered with SSI, look for an email from divessi.com. You can access online training materials, certification cards, and more at my.divessi.com or the MySSI app on your iPhone or Android.

Click here to register:SSI - Scuba Schools International - my.divessi.com - Register Now

If you have any questions give us a call at the store on 617-277-2216 or shoot our Professional Training Director Kim Malkoski an email  alex@ecdivers.com

  • Minimum age of 18
  • Diving medical signed by an MD
  • Minimum of 60 logged dives (totaling 40 hours or more)
  • Certified Divemaster
  • Certified Nitrox (up to 40%)

AND

  • Provide your own Total Diving System for the diving environment

Private courses may be available off-season or during weekdays. Please contact Alex@ecdivers.com for more info.

  • Mask
  • Snorkel
  • Fins
  • BC with power inflator
  • Weight system
  • Gas delivery system with cylinder, regulator, & alternate air source
  • Information system with SPG, depth, and time (a dive computer is required)
  • Exposure suit appropriate for the environment with appropriate ballast
  • A cutting device
  • A compass (can be integrated into a dive computer)
  • A signaling device for deploying from depth (red surface marker buoy is recommended, but follow local guidelines)
  • A reel or spool (appropriate for the maximum planned depth)
  • One (1) surface signaling device (whistle or similar)
  • Logbook (physical or digital)

2026 Schedule:

 

Day 1: Tuesday, June 2 6p-10p – Zoom 1(4 Hrs)

Orientation of program & syllabus review(.5hrs)

AS1 - Overview of SSI (2hr)

AS2 - Duties of an SSI Pro (1.5hr)

Day 2: Wednesday, June 3 6p-10p - Zoom 2(4 Hrs)

AS3 - Program Administration (2hr)

AS4 - Academic Sessions pt1 (2hr)

Day 3: Tuesday, June 9 6p-10p – Zoom 3(4 Hrs)

AS4 - Academic Sessions pt2 (2hr)

AS6 - Assistant Instructor Programs (2hr)

Day 4: Wednesday, June 10 6p-10p - Zoom 4 (4 Hrs)

AS5 - In Water Training (2hr)

AS5.4 - Pool Briefing Format (.5hr)

Workshop - Instincts & Habits review (.5hr)

Workshop - Practice & deliver briefings for 4 skills1(hr)

Day 5: Sunday, June 14 Time TBD – Pool 1(6 Hrs)

Practical Application 1 - Water Fitness Evaluation(2hrs)

Practical Application 5 - OW/SSU Skills(3hrs)

Practical Application 4 - Try/Rangers(1hr)

Day 6: Sunday, June 21 Time TBD - Pool 2(6 Hrs)

ECD - Intro to Teaching While Neutral(4hrs)

Final Exam - At Pool or Local Restaurant(2hrs)

Day 7 Sunday, June 28 Time TBD - Pool 3(6 Hrs)

Practical Application 3 - Perfect Buoyancy Academic Presentation(1hrs)

Practical Application 6 - Teach OWD Skills(2hrs)

Practical Application 7 - Teach Perfect Buoyancy Skills(2hr)

Day 8 Monday, June 29 6p-10p - Zoom 5 (4 Hrs)

Practical Application 2 - Open Water Diver Academic Presentations(3hr)

ECD - Remaindered Material and Exit Review(1hrs)

 

*UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED!! Price excludes SSI Professional Registration fees, SSI Dive Guide Digital materials and slate as well as possible charter fees.

Open Water Instructor Upgrade

The SSI Instructor rating recognizes that you have the knowledge and training necessary to operate independently within an SSI facility to teach full Open Water Certification programs along with a large selection of specialty training courses including:

  • Deep Diving
  • Night Diving
  • Stress & Rescue Diving
  • Wreck Diving
  • Ice Diving
  • Sidemount Diving and other XR Technical Programs

and other unique specialties...

As an instructor, you will have reached the independent peak of a dive professional opening the door for an unlimited amount of unique styles of diving that you can now learn to teach. Whether it be Wreck diving or Cave Diving, Photography or Deep Diving, Rescue Diving or Extended Range Technical Diving, your SSI Instructor certification is your primary jumping-off point to start introducing new people to the world of scuba diving and being able to share your passion.

The Instructor Addon Course centers around training new divers and managing unpredictable environments such as during emergency skills training and Open Water training. Due to this fact, the majority of this course is spent in the pool and open water training environments.

Class Forms

Below you will find links to REQUIRED class forms. These forms must be reviewed in their entirety before participating in any ECDivers in-water program. Arrival to class with incomplete documents may result in a forfeiture of that class date. If you have any questions or need assistance in completing the class forms please email our training department at training@ecdivers.com.