A lone diver gliding beneath the surface over open water.

About ISC DIVER

Founded onexperience.

Fifty years in the water, distilled into a modern training agency — practical, outcome-based, and built for the professionals who actually teach diving.

1973Roots trace back to

50+Years of experience

9ISO standards met

EUFIndependently audited

Our story

Built by divers who were tired of the old way.

International Scuba Certification traces its roots back to 1973, when founder Russell de Groot became the second PADI Course Director in Australia, and Barry Coleman — who went on to found RAID and pioneer much of the early training in rebreathers and technical diving.

With that mix of experience, ISC was developed around practical, outcome-based training standards that exceed ISO requirements — while giving dive professionals and dive centres a framework they could actually run a business on.

We were not created to duplicate what already existed. We were built to fix the things the industry had learned to live with: standards that are hard to interpret, administration that eats into teaching time, and business models that don't fairly support the instructors and operators doing the work.

The founders

Three careers, one standard.

Diving since 1972

Russell de Groot

Second PADI Course Director in Australia
PADI Member #3853
Ran some of Australia's largest dive centres for 50+ years

Diving since 1980

Barry Coleman

Co-developed the world's first recreational rebreather, the Poseidon MK6
Founder of RAID, a recreational scuba training agency
Pioneer of early rebreather and technical diving training

Diving since 1989

Ben de Groot

30 years in the dive industry
Drove ISC's move to a fully digital training and record system
Focused on the tools dive centres run on every day

A diver beside a large orange sea fan on a coral wall.

We are not trying to be the largest agency.

Our aim is to be the most practical and professional training partner for divers and dive professionals worldwide.

Standards & recognition

Independently audited, internationally recognised.

ISC programs are developed in alignment with nine internationally recognised ISO standards and are independently audited by the European Underwater Federation, ensuring our certifications meet the same global requirements expected of major training agencies. ISC is also a recognised training agency of the Chamber of Diving and Watersports (CDWS), Egypt, and is HSE approved in the UK, running a 100% digital training and student-record system that gives dive professionals and operators modern tools to manage their operations.

ISO accredited — 9 standards Audited by EUF CDWS Egypt HSE approved (UK) 100% digital records

ISC professional certifications are recognised by leading insurance underwriters including Lloyd's of London, DAN, DiveAssure, Divemaster UK and Willis. A dive professional holding a current policy receives the same liability protection when conducting an ISC program as with any other training agency.

An instructor briefing a student in dive gear on the back deck of a dive boat.

For professionals

A framework you can build a business on.

Issue training at no cost and without restrictions. Pay only once a student completes their program. Free dive centre and instructor membership. Standards that are straightforward to interpret, and support that actually responds.

Instructor cross over