The Resort Operations Specialist program was written and developed exclusively for Sea Experience Diving Schools by Dr. Alex Brylske – one of the world’s foremost experts on diver education and award-winning authority on sustainable marine tourism. Resort Specialist is Sea Experience Diving Schools’ “flagship” program and is the only professional development course in the diving industry that is proprietary and trademarked. Only at Sea Experience Diving Schools can you earn this valuable training and certification. Based on extensive resort operations job analysis and frequent feedback from employers at the world’s top dive resorts, the Resort Operations Specialty curriculum is continuously updated. The revisions ensure that Resort Operations Specialist graduates are among the best trained in the world and can meet the challenges of the ever-changing industry and consumer.
ECO PRO: Ecology Professional (ECO PRO) is the component of the ROS program that prepares professional divers to be ambassadors for the environment. It comprises six modules outlined below that combine for 48 clock hours.
MODULE #1: Assessing Coral Reef Health: The Benthos & Invertebrate Community (12.0 hours)
- Identify the major invertebrate organisms found on Caribbean coral reefs and describe their ecological role.
- Identify characteristics of coral reef predation and what organisms are responsible.
- Identify signs of coral bleaching and diseases and what indicators are used to distinguish the two conditions.
MODULE #2: Assessing Coral Reef Health: Benthic Survey Methods (8.0 hours)
- Identify 10 substrate types that are indicative of coral reef health or degradation.
- Describe the “point-intercept transect” as a method to determine substrate cover.
MODULE #3: Assessing Coral Reef Health: Fish Community Ecology (12.0 hours)
- Describe the major fish “guilds” and their respective members.
- Identify the 50 most common fishes found on Caribbean coral reefs.
- Describe the three hunting strategies used by predators.
- Describe the role of “cleaning stations.”
- Describe how morphology understanding the morphology of a fish can provide clues to its lifestyle and guild membership.
MODULE #4: Coral Reef Restoration: The Science and Practice (4.0 hours)
- Describe current restoration technologies from their inception to the current state-of-the-art.
- Describe the goals and strategies used by the various programs throughout the world.
- Explain how scientists and recreational divers collaborate to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of coral reef restoration.
MODULE #5: Sharks in Depth—Ecology, Conservation & Ecotourism (8.0 hours)
- Explain why sharks are vital components of a healthy marine ecosystem.
- Describe how humans benefit from sharks.
- Describe the major conservation issue affecting sharks worldwide.
- Explain how shark tourism and how it can be a tool for conservation.
- Describe shark diving best practices and guidelines for safely observing sharks in the wild.
- This module includes an interactive shark dive, weather permitting.
MODULE #6: Perfecting the Customer Experience: The Art and Science of Coral Reef Interpretation (4.0 hours)
- Explain the difference between environmental education and environmental interpretation.
- Explain why many environmental education programs fail.
- Describe methods for turning divers into advocates for ocean conservation.
- List and explain the five essential components of effective environmental interpretation.
NOTE REGARDING PREREQUISITE TRAINING: Prior to the commencement of the course, students are required to complete several pre-class assignments that do not count toward the clock hours of this course.
Learn More About Alex Brylske, the Author of ECO PRO
Click the link below and listen to a podcast about the author of ECO PRO – Alex Brylske. The first 49 minutes cover his expansive career in the dive industry followed by details of the ECO PRO Environmental IDC. In short – you will be taught by “the man who wrote the book” on many scuba topics, books, and courses.
scubaguru.com/lxd-022-alex-brylske-legendary-scientific-diver-author-and-educator/
To learn more about Ocean Educational International please visit their website at https://www.oceaneducationinternational.com/