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South Pacific and Caribbean Marine Conservation and PADI Divemaster Internship (Outgoing Program)

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  • Locations: Suva, Fiji
  • Program Terms: Academic Year, Fall, Maymester, Spring, Summer
  • Homepage: Click to visit
  • Program Sponsor: GVI 
Dates / Deadlines:
Dates / Deadlines:
Term Year App Deadline Decision Date Start Date End Date
Spring 2025 10/15/2024 ** Rolling Admission TBA TBA
Maymester 2025 01/01/2025 02/15/2025 TBA TBA
Fall 2025 03/15/2025 ** Rolling Admission TBA TBA

** Indicates rolling admission application process. Applicants will be immediately notified of acceptance into this program and be able to complete post-decision materials prior to the term's application deadline.
Fact Sheet:
Fact Sheet:
Areas of Study: Biology, Earth Science, Ecology, Environmental Studies, Internships, Marine Science, Service Learning, Zoology Click here for a definition of this term Language of Instruction: English
Click here for a definition of this term Housing Options: Hotel, Independent Housing, Residence Hall Program Type: Field Study, Internship Abroad, Study Abroad, Volunteer Abroad
Program Description:
South Pacific and Caribbean Marine Conservation and PADI Divemaster Internship
Start your professional diving career by earning your PADI Divemaster while exploring the underwater worlds of both Fiji and Mexico.

cover marine
Program Focus
This six month internship is designed to give interns a headstart in the exciting career of professional diving. It is specifically catered to those who are interested in the field of marine conservation. 

For the first 12 weeks, interns will train in the warm, tropical waters of the South Pacific. They will live, learn, and work on the 14 acre island of Caqalai with an international team of experienced GVI staff and enthusiastic participants from all around the world. Here they will complete the prerequisite qualifications of their PADI Divemaster program. Before assisting the team with conducting marine life surveys, they will first complete their Coral Reef Researcher Speciality, which is exclusively offered on GVI marine conservation programs. Interns will also earn their GVI ILM Leadership Development certificate and EFR certifications while completing this first part of their PADI Divemaster internship in Fiji. 

After successfully completing their training, interns will make their way to Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula to work at a world-class dive centre. Here interns will learn to lead recreational dives, honing their skills so that they can excel in their final Divemaster exam. 

Please note that flights between Fiji and Mexico are not included and that you will require a PADI Open Water qualification, or equivalent, before joining other interns in Fiji.

marine
Location
Experience two of the world’s top diving destinations while earning your PADI Divemaster. Learn how to dive while living on the tiny tropical island of Caqalai, part of Fiji’s Lomaiviti island group, and contribute to long-term locally led ocean conservation projects. Afterwards, hone your dive leadership skills at a dive centre situated on Mexico’s famously idyllic Riviera Maya coastline.
Caqalai
Caqalai Island plays host to a diverse mix of marine conservation projects, which participants will experience while living an island-style, communal environment with fellow participants and GVI staff. The island is on the edge of an expansive reef system, which provides volunteers and interns with the opportunity to see extensive and exclusive underwater life, generating a vastly in-depth, explorative experience as a whole.
Puerto Morelos
Live on the beach a few metres from the Puerto Morelos National Park Reef and a 15-minute drive from downtown Puerto Morelos. Situated in the stunning Puerto Morelos, the oldest porteño community in the Mexican Caribbean, this site allows for some fantastic diving. A typical day may involve diving, lab work, training on base, community days, and beach cleanups. Days are rounded off with evening debriefs, followed by dinner and time to relax, taking in a beautiful sunset and sharing stories with your fellow team members.

Program Highlights
  • Earn your PADI Divemaster certification.
  • Earn your PADI Coral Reef Researcher Speciality.
  • Assist in conserving the pristine marine life of the South Pacific.
  • Earn your GVI ILM Leadership Development certificate, a qualification recognised by the Institute of Leadership & Management (ILM)
  • Experience the diverse marine life of the Mesoamerican coral reef, the second-largest in the world.
  • If staying 8 weeks or longer you will complete your Biological Survey Techniques training and qualification.
  • Contribute to United Nations Sustainable Development Goal #14, Life Below Water.
If applying for this program to obtain credit from an institution, GVI can supply learning outcomes and support in the application.