Students are diving, faculty are cheering and the first week of the Professional Scuba Dive Instructor program is officially underway at Capilano College.
This is the only program of its kind in Canada, and Capilano College has had over 100 inquiries from students across Canada wanting to take part.
In the end 16 students were chosen for the Professional Scuba Dive Instructor program's inaugural year. Students from as far away as Edmonton and as close as Egmont enrolled in the Capilano College program and all are singing its praises.
Paul Matthews, a 21-year-old student from Vancouver who was taking cinematography in the city, says this course will help him fulfill his dream of underwater filmmaking.
"That's my ultimate goal, but in the meantime I want to get my dive instructor certificate and travel all over the world to teach," said Matthews.
Rose Moon, program manager, says students learn more than just diving skills in the program.
"It's a combination of professional dive instruction and training in tourism and outdoor recreation, so if they want to, students can work in a different tourism or recreation field," said Moon.
Jean Bennett, campus manager, said students will learn a variety of skills like sales, management, communication and marine interpretation before they complete the eight-month course.
The college is offering the course in collaboration with Suncoast Diving and Water Sports in Sechelt, which provides the training and equipment needed for the dive component of the course.
The remaining classes are taught by the college in a classroom setting.
Ruth Holmes of the dive shop said she is pleasantly surprised by the enthusiasm of the students taking the course.
"They are just such great people who are really interested in learning all they can," said Holmes.
There are two women and 14 men enrolled in the course ranging in age from 18 to 31.
Many plan to travel and teach diving in warmer climates, and the college is tentatively planning a practicum for students in Mexico later in the school year.
At the official launch of the program on Sept. 14, students proudly sported Suncoast Dive T-shirts, and two were surprised with bursaries from the Sechelt Economic Development Partnership (SEDP).
Kinley Hamilton from Lac La Hache and Paulos Boutris from Egmont each received $400 from the partnership.
"We are committed to help with education on the Coast and hope that some of these students will return to the Coast and work here, helping to build the local economy," said Chris McNaughton, chair of the SEDP.
He said the partnership is excited to help with such an innovative new program.
Next year Moon hopes to have 32 students enrolled in the course, which she thinks will be a flagship program for the Coast.
"The interest in the program has been overwhelming and I think it will grow in the future," she said.
For more information, you can contact Capilano College at 604-885-9310 or go to their website at www.capcollege.bc.ca/about/campuses/sechelt.xhtml.
