“Walk away with professional diving certifications and amazing experiences in one of the world's’ most beautiful marine environment!”

Your diving training starts at zero and will lead you through two complete level of diver qualifications. Gain a speciality training certification before you assist with marine conservation tasks. If you already have basic qualifications we offer you upgrades for advanced OW, S. & Rescue diving training and Dive Master training as well as a number of specialties. You’ll gain valuable and life-changing experiences with this exciting diving internship where you will help with important day to day tasks at a diving center and learn diving while protecting marine flora and fauna! Even if you do not have previous diving experience you will obtain important diving skills, while gaining insight in what it means to operate a diving center and also help safe the marine environment!

What to expect
With the Open Water Diver International Diploma and a speciality training you’ll get with this internship, you will be able to dive up to 18m deep. Once you have acquired the necessary training and skills, from the second week of your internship onwards, you will assist with marine conservation activities linking yourself with projects related to the conservation of aquatic coral nurseries as well as coastal environmental conservation, coral transplant, restoration and maintenance. All seaborne diving activities depend greatly on weather patterns and sea conditions and are complemented with landborn activities such as awareness raising programs in schools and informing local population on the importance of environmental conservation and protection. This is a great opportunity to contribute in a meaningful way to the protection of the marine environment while at the same time becoming a passionate qualified diver and learn to master everyday challenges at a diving center working side by side with fellow interns and students, dive masters and the chief instructor. The work can be quite demanding but is always very rewarding and varied. Physical fitness is important, no Spanish language skills are are required.This program requires five flexible working days per week. (it is not a typical Monday to Friday week) Besides diving activities you are expected to fulfill scheduled working hours of non-diving related conservation work and educational activities like f.e. awareness raising activities in local schools. We expect that interns adapt to program needs with flexibility, responsibility, commitment, patience and perseverance, among other significant qualities.

Internship activities can include:
- Gain all important diving skills and certifications as part of the four weeks placement at a busy diving school.
- Assist with day to day operations at the diving center and help attending clients and diving students on diving trips.
- Help with equipment maintenance and preparation, assist with logistics and office work
- Regular theory and practice classes as well as studies and research on marine conservation related subjects will prepare you for the actual conservation work towards the culmination of your internship after two weeks of training
- Assist actively with the monitoring, protection and restoration of coral reefs.
- Assist with conservation awareness raising activities in local schools and institutions.
- Assist with the conservation and maintenance of aquatic coral nurseries.

Financial Contribution & Benefits
Aldeas de Paz works hard to keep the required financial contribution to an absolute minimum and offers financial transparency by practicing an open book policy. The minimum contribution for a 4 weeks placement is only €1725. It includes two complete levels of qualification from basic to speciality training, Spanish language classes, shared accommodation fully equipped studio apartments, all scuba diving related equipment as well as a personal welcome service and pick-up at the airport, transfer to the bus, bus fare and free transfer to your placement location in Las Terrenas or Samana. We also provide single room upgrade and an all in Host Family homestay upgrade, including private bedroom and two meals per day.

What is included
- Welcome Service at the airport and transport to your placement location
- Volunteer or Internship placement
- Accommodation of your choice
- Placement introduction, training, supervision, briefings and meetings
- Free regular Spanish lessons throughout your placement
- Free Wifi and use of washing machine at all our facilities
- Certificate, written reference and student credit
- Full support and 24/7 backup from local staff
- Flight Compensation CO2 neutral (optional)

Special Offer
Spanish language classes – volunteers and interns receive free language lessons every week. The classes focus on developing communication skills so that students are able to put their knowledge to practical use as soon as they step outside the classroom. Our students are encouraged to speak Spanish right from the very first day, using it in typical real-life situations: the basic syllabus is supplemented by special exercises, such as role-play, situational dialogues and work projects. Outside the classroom, the learning process continues as you are immersed in the Spanish language and the Dominican culture.