A divemaster certification is the first step at becoming a dive professional in the recreational dive industry, and is the first step to becoming an instructor.  Someone who is a certified divemaster is qualified to lead certified divers, and who is comfortable and confident to lead other divers, and be responsible for the safety of the groups that they lead.

At Dive La Trobe, divemasters are expected to contribute to the club by:

• scheduling and leading shore dives

• leading boat dives (especially for newly certified members)

• assisting instructors on dive courses

• conducting new member check-out dives in the pool

Divemasters are also expected to become SDI Dive Experience Leaders, which extends their full responsibilities to conducting pool sessions for try dives.

As a dive professional, a divemaster is expected to show situational awareness and exemplary watermanship during diving activities, demonstrating leadership and professionalism at all times. 

They are also expected to be able to perform all open water skills neutrally buoyant at demonstration quality, have substantial dive theory and dive physiology understanding, as well as being able to demonstrate knowledge of local dive sites and diving conditions.