Through the Blue Ocean Diving Bursary Programme, local youth were presented with an opportunity to make scuba diving their chosen career.
The Umkomaas-based dive centre had an amazing response and held a bursary programme open week, meeting 16 of the shortlisted candidates.
These candidates were introduced to the underwater world via a Discover Scuba Course, shark snorkelling, beach clean-ups and elementary first aid.
Thereafter, Blue Ocean chose candidates to progress to divemaster, and then one lucky candidate will move up to open water instructor.
Lesara Turner, Georgia Lapparts and Chris-Leigh van der Westhuizen were the three selected candidates and are currently busy with the programme. They have been joined by Chase Corfield, who is doing a skipper’s bursary through this initiative as well.
The programme runs for three years, and at the moment, the girls have completed about five months. At the end of the programme, one of the girls will have the chance to become an instructor.
Chris-Leigh said that she would like to go overseas after the programme and work as a divemaster in different countries. This also allows her to travel the world.
Lesara has an interest in yachting and discovered that becoming a divemaster and instructor is needed to help her get to where she wants to be.
Georgia has always had a dream to be in the Navy as a diver, so this will help her make her dream a reality.
The courses are all sponsored by the Professional Association of Diving Instructors, which Blue Ocean partnered with for this great initiative.
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