Nick Blacklaws
SSI Instructor Trainer
Sea School Instructor
Master U24, CERT IV Trainer
I started my dive journey 20 years ago, completing my Open Water Course back home in New Zealand. Inspired by my instructor and recognizing the benefits of the SSI system I continued my training through to instructor level and enjoyed many years working all around the world in both recreational and semi-commercial roles.
The last six years have been spent training and developing new dive professionals through the SSI system and I now get to see them enjoying the lifestyle and experiences that becoming a dive professional brings!
As a Cert IV Trainer I am able to teach government accredited courses including Workplace First Aid, Recreational Boat Licensing, Marine Radio Licensing, Shipboard Safety and Coxswains.
Jo Leonard
SSI Assistant Instructor Trainer,
PADI MSDT Instructor,
CERT IV Trainer
After getting bitten badly by the SCUBA bug I decided to quit the rat-race in London and have spent the last 6 years working as a Dive Instructor!
Since then I have been lucky enough to work on the Great Barrier Reef, in Sydney Harbour and managed dive shops in the Fiji Islands.
Despite having completed over 2,500 dives and having dived all over the world my favourite dive site is still the SS Yongala!
Brett Fairhurst
Assistant Instructor Trainer
Driven by my love of the ocean, marine life, marine conservation, and underwater photography, I decided to turn my passion into my career in 2012 by becoming a Dive Pro!
Being a dive instructor has enabled me to travel the world, make loads of new best mates, participate in marine conservation work and continue to do what I love – Explore the world underwater!
For me, there is nothing I like more than to share my passion, and to motivate and teach new divers and dive professionals to appreciate this awesome environment!
Jono Lansdowne
Open Water Instructor,
Master U24
I learned to dive on Magnetic Island in 2012, and saw a poster for a Divemaster Internship, promoting an exciting new career and lifestyle, so I signed up straightaway with Nick. After achieving my SSI Dive Con rating I went on to complete 3 seasons working as an Assistant Instructor in Ios, Greece, which was amazing.
In 2016, I decided to take the next step and become a Dive Instructor back home with Pro Dive Magnetic Island.
I love everything about diving and enjoy being able to share my passion with new and experienced divers!
Marita Szymkowska
Advanced Open Water Instructor
I started my diving adventure in Sydney, then continued in Cairns where the passion kicked in and on to WA. The more I was diving, I realised I didn’t want to go back to my office routine. Then I heard about the Internship at Pro Dive Magnetic Island and not long after I completed my instructor course!
So why do I love diving so much…? Because you never know what you might see. Because of zero gravity, no crazy working lifestyle, no phones. Because it’s a completely different world separated from human living. Because no two dives are the same.
I do have my 2 favourite spots though, the SS Yongala and Navy Pier are just mind blowing! Diving it’s not only an amazing activity, it also teaches how to face and overcome fears. That’s why I like teaching and see individuals with no prior diving experience achieving their goals of becoming divers. Every single smile on people’s faces after improving their skills or completing a course is unique and the most rewarding outcome ever for me as an instructor.
Between me and diving it has been love from the first bubble, or maybe second…, and I always try to pass this passion and love along to my students so they can feel the same way.
Gemma Holland
Open Water Instructor
I did my open water course in 2016 in Melbourne and it was on the first day of my course I realised that I wanted do this as a job. But with the Melbourne weather being so cold I decided to move to tropical Queensland where I started my internship with Pro Dive. Since doing my internship and becoming an instructor not only do I get the work in an unreal office but it has also opened up so many other opportunities like getting my commercial boat license.
For me every dive is just as amazing as the last even if I have been to that dive site many times before. I don’t think being able to breathe underwater will ever get old!
I love seeing my students faces after diving for the first time and remembering that same feeling
Jazmin Fabish
Open Water Instructor
I was once asked if I could have any superpower, what would it be? To breathe underwater! And that’s exactly what scuba diving gave me, the ability to breathe under water, of course I’m still waiting to be able to talk to the fish, but one step at a time right?
I began my diving journey four years ago with my open water course, and was swept into the magic and wonder diving has to offer. Ever since, it had been a dream of mine to pursue a career in diving, and Pro Dive has opened so many doors to explore my passion and gain valuable experience in this industry.
I love seeing new divers emerge from the water with nothing but a huge smile, and an experience they will never forget.
Brooke Royals
Divemaster Intern
After graduating from University back in the states, I packed up my life and moved to the land of Koalas and Kangaroos. Before I left, I got my open water diving certificate, because I really had no plan except for the fact that I wanted to be doing something on the water! I started my journey in Cairns looking for essentially any job that would allow me to dive. After almost two weeks of searching, I had no luck.
Although I was bummed at the time, it turned out to be a blessing in disguise because I found my way to beautiful Maggie Island! There was a posting online about a Divemaster Internship with Pro Dive, and after a long chat with Jo and Nick, I knew that it was the perfect place to begin my dive career.
Ashley Akers
Divemaster Intern
I started my scuba journey in my hometown of Tampa, Florida where I fell in Love with the ability to swim with the fishes! Soon after I packed my bags and moved to beautiful Australia to pursue to my love for diving. However with my limited experience there wasn’t many opportunities for me to work in the diving industry until I stumbled across the diving internship here at Prodive!
Now I am learning everyday and gaining experience so I can one day become an instructor and introduce others to the world of diving!
Max
The ‘Boss’
Everyone’s favourite team member.
