FAQs

Do I need to know how to dive before the course?

No. We will teach you right from the beginning, starting with basic snorkeling, skin diving and scuba skills.

What are the hours?

Full time courses either Mon to Thurs or Tues to Thurs each week with some days finishing earlier and some evening sessions to complete night dive training. Part-Time courses are usually held every other weekend 9am to 4pm. There will also be some evenings to allow for night dive training.

How strong a swimmer do I need to be?

Every student must be able to swim 200m or snorkel 300m and float/tread water for 10mins at the start of the course. Professional level divers (Divemaster) and above will need to be relatively competent swimmers. We have had non-swimmers learn to swim through the year and pass their swim tests when reaching Divemaster.

What equipment must I have?

This depends on the course you are enrolling on. Diploma students are required to own their own full snorkeling package; this must include a suitable wetsuit/drysuit, mask/snorkel/fins, weights and weight belt, gloves/boots, torches, knife etc. We highly recommend you purchase your own dive gear, and Auckland Scuba offer great package deals and 'lease to own' options. Foundation/Leadership students need just a few basics; gloves/ boots, weights and weight belt, torches, knife etc.

What are the medical criteria?

All divers in New Zealand require having an RSTC Medical questionnaire completed and signed off by a Doctor. Professional divers must obtain an OSH medical if working in New Zealand.

If I have asthma can I dive?

This depends and can only be answered by a qualified Doctor.

Where do you dive?

Here at Auckland we are lucky enough to be surrounded by marine reserves all along the Harauki gulf. We have our own dive boat and more than 25% of your dives will off our boat at some of New Zealands top dive sites. We dive mostly around Leigh; sites include Goat Island Marine Reserve, Tawharanui Marine Reserve, Ti Point, Mathersons Bay, and further afield to Tiri Tiri Islands, Little Barrier, Great Barrier and much more. This is not including all the extra field trips we do.

What field trips does Auckland Scuba do?

We do FIVE dive trips in the year; including destinations such as Lake Taupo, Cavalli Islands (Rainbow Warrior Wreck), Bay of Islands (Cape Brett and Canterbury Wreck) & The Poor Knights Marine Reserve. Transport, accommodation and boat dives are all included.

Is it easy to get a job as a dive instructor?

It's always down to the individual but, there are approximately 5-10 new jobs advertised EVERYDAY on the PADI website alone. These jobs are based in over 180 countries and territories around the world including New Zealand. Auckland Scuba also has contacts and graduates placed around the globe and offer placement assistance, on request, after you graduate. We will support you in all your efforts to get your dive career going. Visit: https://www.padi.com/blog/category/career/ to see some of the amazing careers that lead of from becoming a PADI Professional Scuba Instructor.

Do you dive in winter?

Yes, our Diploma programmes run over 36 weeks starting in February, March and August each year. The equipment you will purchase/rent from Auckland Scuba, will be suitable for diving in our local environment, throughout the year.

How old must I be?

Diploma/Leadership students must be 18yrs old prior to Divemaster.

How do I enrol?

You need to make an appointment with the Tertiary Team for an interview and complete an application. You can make an appointment by calling Auckland Scuba 09 478 2814 or emailing study@aucklandscuba.co.nz.

How much does equipment cost?

You can apply for up to $1000 course related costs to go towards equipment. For the minimum gear required for the Diploma it will cost you approximately $1750. As you will be graduating as a professional level diver it is advisable to consider upgrading to avoid having to do this once working as an instructor. This may cost you a little more depending on your specifications but will last not only for your training but well into your career in the dive industry. We recommend our Diploma students purchase a scuba hardware package since you will require this once you graduate. That's why most students take up or excellent 'lease to own' packages. For the Foundation and Leadership courses you will be looking at around $699. Auckland Scuba is fully stocked with great equipment and will give you sound advice at the beginning of your course.

Is my qualification valid Worldwide?

Yes PADI is the world's largest diver training organisation and is active in over 180 Countries and territories. PADI divers are certified to dive in areas and under conditions similar to those in which they are trained. Due to NZ diving conditions and the fact we dive all year round. Auckland Scuba trained divers gain experience that will enable them to dive and teach diving in almost any environment in the world.

How many of your graduates are working in the dive industry now?

Auckland Scuba's current success rate for the Diploma Course is 91% employed in the diving industry, after graduating. Most of those had employment within weeks of completing their Diploma. Other graduates and part timers decided to take internships overseas, or went onto to further studies in Marine related disciplines.

How much theory and class work is involved in diving?

This depends on which course you complete. You need to have a good understanding of the theory behind diving to keep yourself and others safe. Most courses have a manual, that you read and then complete knowledge reviews. Once you reach Divemaster (professional level) and above the theory increases. You learn about the physics of diving, physiology, decompression theory and a few other subjects. You are supported in your learning and will be given good time to review your material and complete assignments.

Can I try diving before I apply?

Yes, if you are seriously considering applying to complete a course but would like to make sure you will like diving then call one of our Tertiary Team at Auckland Scuba to arrange a try dive.

What is a unit standard?

Unit standards are the specific tasks that need to be achieved to complete a qualification in NZ. Each Unit standard has a particular focus and will be worth a specific number of credits. Unit standards are developed by experts in their fields and registered on the New Zealand Qualifications Framework.(NZQF) find our more at http:// www.nzqa.govt.nz/qualifications-standards/standards/

What is the advantage of completing the National Qualification instead of just the PADI certifications?

With the National Qualification you obtain many other industry skills, which will aid you in your career in the dive Industry. PADI training alone does not necessarily cover these. You will complete more dives than the PADI courses alone because of field trips and also extra unit standards, which require additional dives. Unit standards assess extra skills such as assessing compressor use, tank filing, weather interpretation, risk management and creating a dive focused CV, along with many more essential skills. You are 'job ready' at the end of the Diploma course. Our Diving Academy is linked to a fully operational and busy group of Auckland dive centres and their diving communities and clubs. Auckland Scuba's graduates are well respected both here in New Zealand, the Pacific and Overseas.

NEXT DIPLOMA IN PROFESSIONAL SCUBA INSTRUCTION COURSE ENROLLING NOW!!! LIMITED PLACES STILL AVAILABLE.
STARTS AUGUST 2024 or FEBRUARY 2025.
CALL TODAY

Apply Now

Student Loan and Allowance Eligibility

Student Loans and Allowances are available to eligible domestic students. Please access the Studylink website at www.studylink.govt.nz for eligibility criteria.

Email: study@aucklandscuba.co.nz
Call: Shailina 021 0241 5301
Call: Nick 09 478 2814
Txt: 'career info' to 021 0241 5301

Dive into a new career and enrol now for 2024 or 2025!

View Our Brochure

Terms and Conditions

Order Methods

We understand that our customers will have different preferences for shopping so we offer two methods of making a purchase.

BY PHONE:

If you are in a hurry or you would like some friendly and personal service simply pick up the phone and call us on +64 9 478 2814 as our store in Albany (just 10mins north of Auckland CBD) is open seven days a week. You will need to tell us the item description and brand so have that information at hand. We may be able to give you a shipping quote straight away, otherwise we can email it to you or call you back. Upon confirmation that you are happy with your order, we will take your credit card information over the phone and charge the confirmed amount. Alternatively you can make an electronic payment into our account. Goods will be dispatched once payment is received.

ONLINE:

Simply make your selections and add them to your cart. On the shopping cart page, you can update quantities or remove items. When you are happy with your order, select the "checkout" option. When making a purchase on line you have the option of creating an account but you can still make purchases without doing so. If you choose to create an account you will be able to log back in to view your order information, save items to your wish list and receive email updates on any new items and promotions. When logged in to your account your address details will load automatically onto the checkout page but you may edit these if they have changed. You can create an account at any stage by selecting the "Account" tab on the top right corner of the screen or through the checkout page.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

This online store is made available to you under the following policies and conditions:

1. SHIPPING

We only ship within New Zealand and shipping is free for orders and purchases valued $100 or more (excluding Chatham Islands). All other orders under $100 will incur a shipping fee which will be quoted at checkout.

2. DELIVERY METHOD

Your purchase will be sent by courier.

At this time, we only deliver to New Zealand addresses. We do not deliver to Post Office boxes.

Please note that a signature is required for all deliveries and you should inspect the package before signing for any signs of damage. The goods become the recipient's property and responsibility once they have been signed for at the time of delivery.

If goods do not arrive when you expect them to (see our Delivery Period), please contact us within 24 hours. We will use this delivery information to make a claim against our courier company. We will offer you the choice of a replacement or a full refund, once we have received confirmation from our courier company that delivery was not successful.

If any goods arrive damaged, please contact us within 24 hours of delivery. Please return the damaged goods to us in the condition received by you with all original packaging, together with all packing slips. At our election, we will either repair or replace the goods or refund the price to you.

3. DELIVERY PERIOD

We aim to dispatch your products within 48 hours of purchase and you will receive an email that confirms that your order has been dispatched. If any of it items you ordered are not in stock, we will notify you within 48 hours with an estimate on the lead time, and if this is too long to wait you may cancel your order.

To ensure successful delivery, please provide a delivery address where someone will be present during business hours to sign for the receipt of your package. You can track your order by entering the tracking number emailed to you in the dispatch email, into the courier's website.

Delivery times are as follows:
North Island: 1-3 days
South Island: 1-4 days
Rural delivery: 1 day extra to the above

4. PAYMENT OPTIONS

Our prices are quoted with GST (Goods & Service Tax). All purchases are charged in New Zealand Dollars only.

You can pay by:
i. direct credit (our bank details will be provided to you on checkout)
ii. credit card (we currently accept Visa and Mastercard)

We also have financing option available, please email us if you are interested in financing your purchase as all quotes and lending are subject to application, approval and lending criteria.

5. EXCHANGE AND REFUND

We would like you to buy with confidence so we offer a 30 day money back guarantee. You can return any product purchased from waterjunkie.co.nz in an unused, brand new condition within 30 days of the date of the purchase and we will refund your money back. Please advise us by email quoting your invoice number if you return a product to us. All purchases must be returned and inspected before any refund will be granted.

Gift cards cannot be returned. They are non-refundable and cannot be redeemed for cash.

6. SECURITY

Our shopping cart is fully secure using Secure Sockets Layer (SSL). SSL is a commonly-used protocol for managing the security of a message transmission on the Internet. Your credit card details are split and encrypted, so they cannot be read even in the unlikely event of the purchase details being intercepted. Credit card details are not stored.

7. PRIVACY

We want to make your shopping experience as safe, satisfying, convenient and pleasurable as possible. We take your privacy very seriously. The information which we receive from you is used to process orders and to provide you with a more personalised shopping experience. This means that your information will not be sold or otherwise divulged to third parties without your prior consent. You have certain rights to access information about yourself and if necessary to ask for it to be deleted or corrected.