Empowering Local Dive Leaders; Celebrating the 2025 Raja Ampat Dive Guide School Graduates
The Raja Ampat Dive Guide School continues to transform lives and build local leadership in marine tourism. Founded by Papua Explorers in 2013 and now run by the Raja Ampat SEA Centre, the school provides young locals with full PADI dive certifications, English and hospitality training, and conservation education.
This year, the program expanded to welcome applicants from across Raja Ampat. From the 2025 graduates:
2 graduates are now working as professional dive guides
1 graduate serves as a ranger in the Dampier Strait MPA
1 graduate works as a conservationist in Arborek
1 graduate manages a homestay in Fam Island
These young leaders are not only pursuing careers—they are becoming guardians of the reefs they grew up with. They carry with them the same spirit: a love for the ocean, a commitment to protecting it, and a desire to share its beauty with visitors from around the world.
A Future Shaped by Local Leadership
“We hope that for every student, this program becomes a life-changing experience—one that transforms not only their future, but also the future of Raja Ampat’s oceans.”
The 2025 Dive Guide School graduates are living proof of what community-driven conservation can achieve. Through opportunity, training, and shared purpose, they are helping to build a future where Raja Ampat is protected by those who know it best: its own people.
The SEA Centre and Papua Explorers celebrate their achievements and look forward to supporting the next generation of Papuan dive leaders who will continue to protect the beating heart of the Coral Triangle.