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Dive Desk Team is honoured to have the incredible opportunity on 18 September to deliver a presentation on career development in diving and marine conservation to the bright and curious students of grades 8, 9, and 10 at Dh. Hulhudheli School. The ocean is the lifeline of this small fishing community, as they rely daily on the ocean for nutrition and income. It is for this reason that our team, led by our esteemed PADI Course Director, Adam Ashraf, was so excited to inspire to the next generation of these ocean-enthusiasts, alternative ocean-related careers, and emphasize the importance of responsible management of our oceans during this #PADIawareweek. The presentation began with an introduction to scuba diving, showcasing the beauty of the underwater world and the wonders it holds. We highlighted the importance of protecting and preserving marine ecosystems, educating the students about the threats they face and engaging them in discussions about potential solutions. As the session progressed, Adam Ashraf skillfully delved into the wide range of career opportunities in the field of scuba diving. From becoming a Divemaster to pursuing a profession as a marine researcher, the students were exposed to the myriad paths they could choose to follow in this exciting industry. Team member and PADI instructor Ahmed Mifrah shared his own personal journey of becoming a PADI Instructor, inspiring the students to dream big and pursue their passions. Interactive activities were incorporated throughout the presentation, encouraging students to actively participate and ask questions. We were thrilled to witness their enthusiasm as they eagerly shared their own experiences, thoughts, and aspirations. It was evident that their curiosity was piqued, and their minds opened to the possibilities that the scuba diving world offers. To conclude the presentation, our team emphasized the critical need for environmental conservation and responsible diving practices. We highlighted the significance of sustainable tourism and how the choices each individual makes can have a positive impact on the marine environment. As we bid farewell to the students of Dh. Hulhudheli School, we left knowing that we had accomplished our goal of planting the seeds of curiosity and passion for scuba diving and marine conservation. We hope that in the near future, some of these bright students will dive into the waters with a newfound appreciation and commitment to preserving the marine life that surrounds us. A special thank you to Dh. Hulhudheli School and the incredible students for their warm welcome and active participation. We would also like to express our gratitude to Adam Ashraf for sharing his expertise and inspiring the students to pursue their dreams fearlessly. At DiveDesk, we strongly believe in the power of education and career development. By introducing students to the possibilities within the diving industry, we hope to ignite a passion for scuba diving, marine conservation, and sustainable tourism. Congratulations Mishka and Gais for getting selected in the open water diving course. #DiveDesk #ScubaDiving #MarineConservation #CareerDevelopment #InspiringTheNextGeneration #DhHulhudheliSchool #PADI #LoveTheOcean #UnderwaterAdventures #PADIaware #PADIawareweek

I am a PADI Course Director travelling across Maldives, conducting Instructor Development Courses in different parts of the country, making the dream of becoming professional level divers accessible for more young people despite the geographical dispersion of the population. Every time I get an opportunity to go to new islands, I take the chance to meet the school students to talk about scuba diving. The first time students hear the world "scuba diving", they tend to associate it with tourism. This is why I try to highlight when speaking to Maldivian youth that working at resorts and safaris is not the only option for scuba-divers. Scuba diving opens doors to many other fields like marine biology, marine research, climate change and climate adaptation studies, underwater videography and photography, commercial diving, engineering, and many other fields. Having worked as a dive professional for the past 20 years has given me the chance to teach hundreds of locals. During this time I have witnessed firsthand how choosing diving as a career have changed the lives of countless individuals. I am really proud to see my students leading dive centers and live-aboards and really happy to meet them working in different fields where diving is required. I have met so many of them working as marine biologists, underwater welders, photographers, filmmakers and young entrepreneurs setting up there own dive centers. Our reefs and marine life is our biggest resource and we locals should benefit the most from it. Scuba diving plays an important role in our development since Maldives is 99% water. After I share my past experiences and how I earn and enjoy my job as a dive educator, I give them time to ask me questions and the most often asked questions were how to get started with diving, how much it costs and how much will be the return. To become a dive professional, simply contact the nearest PADI dive center and start with basic Openwater Diver Course and continue with Advanced Open Water Diver Course, Emergency First Response course, Rescue Diver and finally Divemaster to become a dive professional. Our dive center Dive Desk based in Male' offers all levels of PADI scuba diving courses, starting from the very basic right up to the Instructor level. Prerequisites of becoming a PADI instructor is being a diver for 6 months, being a certified Divemaster, and having logged 100 dives which normally takes a year. If you are healthy and fit you can dive for many years. We are happy to have the opportunity to speak at A.Dh. Education Center and A.Dh. Omadhoo School in February 2023. And we are happy to extend the opportunity for lucky draw winners, a boy from Omadhoo School and a girl from AD. Atoll Education Centre to do PADI Openwater Diver Course at Omadhoo Drift Divers Dive Center. Thanks to the team at Scuba Inn for the support in developing future dive pros, and for everyone who helped make it successful events.

Dive Desk is proud to be part of this historic moment for Maldives as we broke the Guinness World Records for most people free-diving simultaneously! Especially proud to see this bunch helping each other to be part of this event! Dive Desk is proud to be part of this historic moment for Maldives. See Insights and Ads Boost post All reactions: 8282

All joyous laughter from the candidates who achieved the lifelong dream of turning from Divemaster to Scuba Instructors today. The PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor Development Course commenced in Male', the capital city of Maldives on 23 October with Instructor Exams held on 6 and 7 November 2022. The PADI Course Director was Adam Ashraf of the Dive-Careers international team. We are pleased to note that the majority of the candidates were Maldivians, funded by the Government of Maldives through Ministry of Economic Development, World Bank and the Job Center. We are delighted to oblige the government in their commitment and investment to develop local capacity in the Maldives dive industry. All the participants of the Dive Instructor Course came together with a shared passion for the ocean but each candidate had their own story to tell and their own reason for choosing diving as a career. Whether it is to work and travel, to share their love of the underwater world with others, or simply for the personal challenge, it gave us the greatest pleasure to help them achieve their scuba goals. We count ourselves blessed for been given the opportunity to do what we love doing the most, which is to teach diving. For professional level of recreational scuba diving or PADI Pro, it is PADI that continues to offer the most opportunities for employment around the world. In Maldives, 80% of the dive market is PADI. Worldwide, three out of four dive professional jobs are PADI. With the scope of job opportunities available, we trust that each of the dive professionals that train with us will prove to be an asset to the industry, whether in Maldives or exploring the world. We wish all our instructor candidates the best of success in their dive careers. Our next IDC is scheduled for 1-16 February 2023 at the inhabited island of Omadhoo in South Ari Atoll, Maldives. For more information and to book your slot, contact Course Director Ashraf on (+960) 7937738. #LearnFromTheBest #BeTheBest #PADIeducation

So proud of all the candidates who earned the PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor rating at the Dive Instructor Development Course at the inhabited island of Rasdhoo in North Ari Atoll from 1-16 September 2022. The PADI Course Directors were the worlds' most experienced PADI Course Director Mark Soworka and Maldives' most experienced Course Director Adam Ashraf of the Dive-Careers international team. We are pleased to note that a few of the Maldivian candidates were funded by the Government of Maldives through Ministry of Economic Development, World Bank and the Job Center. We are delighted to oblige the government in their commitment and investment to develop local capacity in the Maldives dive industry. We are especially proud of the two candidates in this IDC who went from #herotozero with us Dive Desk. From Open Water Diver Course, to Emergency First Response Course, Rescue Diver Course to Divemaster Course, we have had the privilege of playing the key role in their PADI pro development journey. Thank you both for leaving the kind words below. The days of the IDC brought together a group of like-minded people passionate about adventure and exploring the ocean. From the theory revision and preparatory days spent in Male' to the tropical dream of a retreat at Rasdhoo, we made so many fun memories and built connections to treasure for life. For professional level of recreational scuba diving or PADI Pro, it is PADI that continues to offer the most opportunities for employment around the world.In Maldives, 80% of the dive market is PADI. Worldwide, three out of four dive professional jobs are PADI. With the scope of job opportunities available, we trust that each of the dive professionals that train with us will prove to be an asset to the industry, whether in Maldives or exploring the world. We wish all our instructor candidates the best of success in their dive careers. Below is our IDC schedule for 2023. #LearnFromTheBest For more information and to book your slot, contact Course Director Ashraf on (+960) 7937738.

Dive Desk signed Memorandum of Understanding with Ministry of Economic Development on 19 May 2022, as an accredited dive education provider to deliver employment-based skills training under the Maldives COVID-19 Emergency Income Support Project (MCEISP) through www.jobcenter.mv, signed between the Republic of Maldives and the International Development Association - World Bank Group. The upskilling and training programs aim to increase employability through training for individuals who were impacted by COVID-19 pandemic. For young Maldivians dreaming of becoming professional level divers, it is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to build their careers as the Government is providing full funding for the course fees in addition to providing a monthly stipend. It is a prime opportunity for candidates to learn with the most experienced Maldivian TEAM of pro-level training instructors and take advantage of the knowledge and experience the largest international padi-pro training network Dive-Careers.com offers! For the past 5 years Dive Desk has consistently produced the greatest number of professional level divers in Maldives. We are privileged to have our hard work recognized by PADI in February 2022 with an award for exceptional growth in PADI Professional level training in Maldives. We hope the government scholarships will give us the chance to do what we love doing the most: Help many young Maldivians enter into the dive industry as responsible, knowledgeable and ethical dive professionals. Application for the courses is open as of 26 May 2022. Potential candidates can apply online easily and seamlessly through the Job Center, by clicking the links below: 1. Open Water Diver to Divemaster 2. Assistant Instructor to Open Water Scuba Instructor Ministry of Economic Development will evaluate applications and selected candidates are expected to be able to start on 1 June 2022. Deadline for application is 31 October 2022. Good luck divers! #LearnFromTheBest #BeBest

We are delighted to introduce a new course to our list of training programs: PADI Maldivian Waterfront Lifeguard Specialty Course! The Maldivian Waterfront Lifeguard training course is a PADI distinctive specialty specifically designed for the Maldives in compliance with Maldivian Laws and Regulations. The purpose of this training program is to teach students the skills needed to help recognize, prevent and respond to aquatic emergencies and to provide care for breathing and cardiac emergencies, injuries and sudden illnesses until healthcare personnel take over. This includes on-land and in-water rescue skills along with the essential CPR and First Aid skills to ensure people employed as lifeguards at swimming pools, confined water or open water can work individually and as team members and undertake their duties in a professional and customer-focused manner, thus ensuring the safety of the users. The fact that Maldives is made up of 1% land to 99% water makes it paramount that professionally trained lifeguards are employed to supervise the safety and rescue of swimmers, snorkelers, surfers and other watersports participants. Employing certified lifeguards can reduce the number of drowning accidents, injuries and fatalities, and improve safety records and accountability. For young people, it is a new opportunity to train specifically as lifeguards, WITHOUT the prerequisite of being certified divers, and a gateway to further enhance and develop safety measures for public swimming areas, resort beaches, pools, etc. Getting certified in the course serves as assurance to the employers of lifeguards' abilities and establishes a standard code of practice. "It is sad to notice that most of the beaches are left unattended in this popular tourist destination. Some companies use their island security to do lifeguard job but handling an aquatic rescue situation requires a whole new set of skills and experience which they don’t have! It is important to develop a system where trained lifeguards monitor, assess and attend to emergencies in the water. I hope to see young people take up lifeguard as a career and start developing standardized safety systems and protocols across the country" - Adam Ashraf, Owner and Managing Director of Dive Desk For further information regarding dates for scheduled Maldivian Waterfront Lifeguard courses, or to arrange training for specific dates, please contact us at info@divedesk.mv. Scheduled courses are conducted in Male' and students will be certified upon completing all the performance requirements.

Written by Adam Ashraf, PADI Master SCUBA Instructor and owner of Dive Desk. I have had the privilege of training young people to professional level diving as part of the Dive-Careers.com Instructor Development trainings in Maldives several times, but the June IDC on a safari has been the BEST EXPERIENCE so far! The June live-aboard IDC was the first of its kind in Maldives. It not only helped us to isolate from the general public as a group, it provided a lot of benefits for the candidates. Confined water sessions were a giant stride away and travel to open-water dive-sites were convenient. Food was ready on the table on time and the rooms were just a few steps away from the table. It saved a lot of time on logistics. Group studies, dry runs and practice exams were easy to coordinate. Most importantly, candidates got a lot of time to get a proper rest which made it easier for them to handle the stress. Course Director and all staff instructors were always available to clear any doubts that they may have. Very proud of all the candidates for performing so well. Despite the pandemic restrictions, we've found a way to adapt and persevere; and we have been fortunate enough to complete the programs successfully. It has demanded courage, patience and flexibility from all the participants involved, and a big thanks to you all for bearing with us through it all. So grateful for the extraordinary and continued support from Jumba, Mippu, YD, Aiman, Ifaaz, Zimbe and everyone who contributed to make it happen. I am so grateful to have you guys around me. Thank you to the crew onboard Adventure 2 for the smooth operation. A special thanks to PADI Staff Instructor Chechey and the Captain for being a part of the event. I would like to give a very special credit to my wife and my partner Nadha, without whose support this whole thing wouldn’t even be possible for me. Thank you to PADI and Matt Wenger for the continuous support we receive. A very special thank you to Mark Soworka for the huge commitment you are giving to develop professional level divers. I am especially grateful that Maldivians, myself included, have the opportunity to learn from the world's most experienced Course Director right here in Maldives. Thanks to everyone who helped make this event a success. Hope to see many more join the fun for the next live-aboard IDC starting on 18 July 2021. For more information regarding our upcoming IDCMaldives, write to mark@dive-careers.com or adam@idcmaldives.com or call +9607937738. Happy bubbles!

A big thank you to all the amazing divers who engaged with us this February!! We had a fabulous time learning to dive, advancing in our dive careers and just simply having fun underwater. On to some highlights: 1. PADI Instructor Development Course at Bandos Maldives Bandos February IDC started on the 18th and Bandos IDC is always an exciting event where people from all over the globe come together to take a big step in their diving careers: Learn how to teach scuba diving! And who better to learn from than the world's most experienced Course Director Mark Soworka, of the world's most established dive professionals training network, Dive-Careers.com. The PADI pros earn this rating by showing a lot of hard work and commitment but more than anything, it is a lot of fun getting to meet new people who share the same passion and love for the ocean, and you get to see amazing underwater life even during shallow dives and the Hyperbaric Chamber orientation (located right on the resort itself) is always a bonus. The next Bandos IDC is scheduled to take place on 27 May 2020. 2. Diving License We love introducing divers to the underwater world and we love seeing divers committed to continue with dive education. February was exciting with a lot of newcomers taking the basic scuba certification course (PADI Open Water Diver course) and continuing with Advanced Open Water and Rescue Diver courses. 3. PADI Specialty Courses In addition to the core PADI courses, PADI offers a variety of PADI Specialty Diver courses that teach new techniques and tools to enhance the exploration of the underwater worlds in new and different ways. (Below: Enriched Air Nitrox Diver, Underwater Digital Photographer, Adaptive Support Diver). 4. Give Back As much divers #SeekAdventure from the underwater world, we at Dive Desk encourage all divers to take action to #SaveOurOceans, at a time when the world faces a #ClimateEmergency. Scuba divers have access to and opportunities to observe changes to the coral reef ecosystems in a way that no one else does. Project AWARE initiatives such as Dive Against Debris specialties, policy advocacy for shark and ray conservation, establishing a global platform for marine conservation action are all instrumental in raising awareness of, and motivating action, from our divers. (Below: Our divers opting for the Project AWARE limited edition cards for PADI certification and thereby raising funds for NGO ProjectAWARE #10Tips4Divers #GiveBack. 5. Discover Scuba Dive We strongly encourage divers to obtain scuba certification before venturing into water (as it gives more confidence and ability to take care of self, PADI has an adventure program for newbies allowing anyone without any scuba experience to get a feel for scuba diving under the direct supervision of a PADI professional. (Below: Going for a Discover Scuba Dive with father and a PADI Pro!). 6. Fun Divers For the ocean enthusiasts, weekend is a blessing and off we go, for some some fun, sun and vitamin sea! 7. Reviews When you leave a kind word on our review sections, it gives us something to smile over - everytime! Thank you all for the love and happy bubbles! #LiveTheDream #PADIInstructor #IDC #InstructorDevelopmentCourse #Maldives #BandosIDC #HyperbaricChamber #DivingLicense #LiveToScuba #DivingIsFun #ProjectAWARE #ScubaGoals #GoPro #ScubaDiving #UnderwaterAdventures

The first DiveMaster that #DiveDesk certified was a commercial pilot who came in for a Discover Scuba Dive. So taken was Sushant Joshi by the underwater world that he came back to Maldives to do his Open Water Diver, Advanced Open Water Diver, Emergency First Responder, Rescue Diver and Divemaster courses. He went onto become an instructor and served as the base leader at The Taj Exotica Resort. He eventually moved back to his hometown Mumbai and has established his dive start up @scubareels that allows city folks to learn diving by conducting confined water sessions in the swimming pools in the city and complete their open water course in exotic dive destinations around the world! His start up also provides underwater photography and videography services for film shoots in India and the Maldives along with participating in educating the youth about saving the seas. It is our pride and joy every time we play an instrumental role in turning a young person into a knowledgeable, hard-working and disciplined dive professional, ready to enter the workforce of the diving industry 💪🏼💙👏🏼 #SeekAdventure #DoWhatYouLoveForALiving #DiveCareer #Entrepreneur #YoungPeople #ScubaDiving #MeetOurDivePros #Maldives #DiveDesk #MaleCity #Divemaster #DiveInstructor #DiveTraining

Friday, 13 February 1981. The superstitious among us will consider it as an unlucky day, and it certainly proved to be an unlucky day for the Maldivians who lost priced cargo that day when the 83-meter-long cargo-ship hit the reef, sunk and came to rest on the ocean floor, southwest of airport island Hulhule’ in North Male' Atoll. The nutrient rich channel-currents have since transformed the shipwreck’s metal framework into a thriving coral reef, making for challenging yet rewarding dives for advanced divers, as seen in the feature article on Discover Maldives 2015 Issue shared below, photographed and written by Amoo. So Many Names Built in Liverpool, United Kingdom, the cargo vessel was launched in February 1958 under the name Malatian. Maldives Shipping Ltd, Male bought the vessel in 1971 and renamed it Maldive Victory. Ten years later, in 1981, the ship sank in 04.10.42N - 73.32.12E on passage from Singapore for Male, from there on to be known as MV Victory Wreck 1958 - 1971: Malatian 1971 - 1981: Maldive Victory 1981 onwards: MV Victory Wreck, Maldive Victory Wreck, Victory Wreck (Source: www. clydeships.co.uk) Below: (1) MALATIAN at Liverpool; Photo: Maurice Napier. (2) Maldive Victory; Photo: Unknown. (3) MV Victory Wreck; Photo: Mohamed Seeneen Maldives' Maritime Relic MV Victory Wreck will mark it's 40th anniversary next year in 2021. For four decades divers have sought thrill, excitement and adventure from diving the wreck, but it has had it's share of challenges: Lack of any sort of protection measures meant that people did not realize the value of the wreck and those who had access to the wreck stripped off it's value by taking away parts that would have made the wreck priceless today and in the days to come, similar to any other historical relic. As Dive Desk is the closest Dive Centre to Maldive Victory Wreck, Adam Ashraf has taken the responsibility, along with fellow divers, to play a key role in calling for its protection and lobbying to the government to give the shipwreck historical significance, in order to have it conserved for future generations to come: Towards Conserving Maldive Victory Wreck. #MaldiveVictory #MaldivesVictory #VictoryWreck #MVVictory #MVVictoryWreck #MaldiveVictoryWreck #WreckDiving #VisitMaldives #MaritimeHistory #Conservation #DiveSites #Maldives #ScubaDiving

We heralded the new decade with #2020Goals and January has been great with so many divers choosing to learn diving with Dive Desk. We had a great time helping you reach your scuba goals and showing you the incredible underwater world of Maldives, mostly out of Rasfannu Male' House-Reef. As Male' is located on the southern boundary reef of North Male' Atoll and adjacent to Vaadhoo Channel, diving to southwest house-reef of Male' island offers surprise pelagic encounters from time to time. Underwater Photography You'd be right to think that we feed off our divers enthusiasm. And it is such a boost when we see divers having fun with the camera, practicing and showing remarkable improvement in their skills. Shared here are recent photos from two of our underwater photography students. Photos by photography student Ahil Photos by photography student Hassaan PADI specialties useful for underwater photography that we teach at Dive Desk include: Digital Underwater Photographer Peak Performance Buoyancy Night Diver Diving is fun Once you become a certified diver, you don't have to wait for Fridays to do fun dives - simply join us for a shore dive to Male' house-reef! And remember, scuba diving is a hobby that giving you experiences you'll never forget but it also lets you continue learning, challenge yourself and come away feeling accomplished. If you are pressed for time, discuss with us to set flexible timings to accommodate to your availability. Getting Certified The basic scuba license is PADI Open Water Diver certificate. The course consists of 5 knowledge development chapters, 5 confined water sessions to practice skills, 4 open water dives before final exam and certification. The course takes four days but might vary for individuals as it is performance based. If you are medically fit to dive, you can enroll in the course anytime, just contact us to get started. January saw a family of open water divers getting certified and also STO recreation facilitating Open Water Diver training as a team building activity. Preparing for emergencies Scuba diving is enjoyed by thousands of people around the world every day and is considered a low-risk activity compared to many other outdoor and sporting activities – even such widespread activities as swimming, jogging and fishing have higher reported fatality rates than diving. Like any activity in the natural environment, there are inherent risks in diving that can never be fully eliminated. However, with proper training and when following sound diving practices, the likelihood of a fatal accident is low. PADI training has three core continuing education courses to expand divers knowledge and experience to consider the safety and well-being of other divers. We strongly encourage our divers to take Emergency First Response and PADI Rescue Diver courses and go on to get the highest recreational scuba diving rating of Master Scuba Diver or embark on the professional path with Divemaster course. January Students: Emergency First Response, Emergency First Response Instructor, PADI Rescue Diver training. Adventure Meets Conservation In January we were blessed with the opportunity to teach Project AWARE Specialty course to staff of State Trading Organization. AND we are so psyched that our article got featured on Project AWARE website, and still is! A big thank you to our Dive Desk community of enthusiastic and motivated divers for an amazing first month! #LiveToScuba #KeepLearning #KeepExploring #StaySalty #HappyBubbles _____ #scubadiving #visitmaldives #tropicalcoralreefs #underwaterphotography #scubatraining #getyourpadi #malecity #divedesk #underwater #coralreef #scubacertification #divinglicense