Instructor Qualification Grades

Assistant Instructor (AI)
An Assistant instructor may take club trainees through pool training and lectures on theory or skills up to their own diver grade under the guidance of a Club Instructor or higher. They may not assist in open water instruction.

Club Instructor (CI)
A club Instructor may take club trainees through pool training and teach theory or skills up to their own diver grade.

May assist in Open Water Training under the guidance of an Open Water Instructor.

Open Water Instructor (OWI)
An Open water instructor may take trainees for their open water training dives. Only OWI and above can Train a diver in open water. May work on skills courses (Oxygen Admin, Diver First Aid, Diver Rescue, Assistant Instructor etc.) under the guidance of a Regional Instructor or higher provided they already hold that certification.

Regional Instructor (RI)
May act as Course Organiser for skills courses, provided they are certified and current Instructors for that course.

National Instructor (NI)
National instructor is the highest level of instructor within the SAA. A National Instructor will usually be actively involved in shaping and implementing the development of training within the SAA and the award of this grade is usually based on project work undertaken at the request of the NDO.

Skills Discipline Instructor
Can act as an Instructor on Skills Courses. The following skills discipline Instructor ratings are available.

• SAA Boat Handling Instructor (BHI)
• Oxygen Administrator Instructor (OAI)
• Diver First Aid Instructor (DFAI)
• Diver Rescue Instructor (DRI)
• Nitrox Instructor (EANI)
• Extended Range Instructor (ERDI)

SAA Boat Handling Instructor (BHI)
To provide highly skilled instructors who will have a wide range of boating and navigation skills, so as to be able to organise and run any or all of the SAA Boat Handling Courses.