Training & Readiness

Training coral restoration professionals for Hawaiʻi

In 2023, Kuleana Coral became an organizational member of AAUS and has been implementing those standards of safe-diving best practices to support a growing reef restoration community in Hawaii. KCR’s training and readiness program seeks to work with locals in our community, utilizing those best-practice standards to train community members into professionals in restoration and monitoring methods.

Coral Occupational Applications & Scientific Techniques (COAST)

Kuleana Coral Restoration is recruiting young professionals to join an intensive 8-week summer course to get SCUBA certified, trained on coral restoration, and dive into a career with the ocean!

​​Dates: June 4, 2024 - July 25, 2024

Stipend: $2,000 per individual

*Half of the stipend is contingent upon completion of course requirements

  • Oʻahu-based, preferably in West Oʻahu

    Ages 18+

    Able to travel to KCR office in Ko Olina throughout the duration of the course

    Be able to pass a swim test

    Have a strong interest in pursuing a career in Hawai'i restoration work and/or the ocean industry

In partnership with

Coral dive technician conducting kilo or observation of the coral reef

About COAST

COAST students preparing to scuba dive to conduct scientific research

The Kuleana COAST program is an 8-week intensive accelerator course hosted by Kuleana Coral Restoration from June 4, 2023 to July 25, 2024. We are thrilled to invite a maximum of 8 early-career ocean enthusiasts based on Oʻahu to participate in a fully-funded professional development course at our Ko Olina classroom in West Oʻahu. Throughout the course, students will pair classroom learning with field diving and become proficient in Hawaiʻi-based coral restoration and conservation concepts, in-water field techniques, and receive SCUBA certifications up to Rescue Diver.

The goal of the program is to prepare residents with important skills and certifications to start their ocean careers and build local capacity to heal the reefs of Hawai'i, through the lens of coral restoration. This program is targeted to provide skill-building resources to local residents, with an emphasis on the West Oʻahu community, and preference given to Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders in an effort to build more equitable pathways to ocean careers. We are able to provide a monthly stipend, fully funded certifications, and the necessary dive gear for all students. 

Learning Themes

This professional development course will help restoration-focused professionals build their skillset for ocean careers. Graduates of the program will be trained and understand key ocean topics such as:

Healthy coral head
Coral restoration team lowering tools and materials into the water
Scientific dive technician monitoring the reef using a camera system
Kuleana Coral Staff conducting outreach at Oceans Day
Scientific dive technician attaching coral plugs to a sea table
COAST classroom session

Course format

  • Classroom presentations

  • Applied workshops

  • Community events

  • SCUBA dive days

  • Boat training

  • Guest lectures

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2023 COAST Cohort
2023 COAST students taking part in an outreach event
COAST students getting certified for open water scuba diving
COAST students practicing education and outreach
COAST classroom session
COAST students after an open water scuba dive
COAST students doing a restoration dive
COAST student is all smiles after a scuba dive
COAST students learning about the importance of coral reefs

COAST Alumni

  • Makaio Villanueva headshot

    Makaio Villanueva

  • Nona Masaniai

  • Analee Herrera headshot

    Annalee Herrera

  • Baylee Jackson headshot

    Baylee Jackson

  • Manu Ponce headshot

    Manu Ponce

  • Pono Okimoto

  • Mario Kaluhiokalani headshot

    Mario Kaluhiokalani

  • Aaliya Weilbacher headshot

    Aaliya Weilbacher

  • Ciara Ratum headshot

    Ciara Ratum

  • Sally Chew

  • Honu ʻāina Nichols