What does training for solo diving entail?

Solo diver training begins with a rigorous check of your skills.  You must demonstrate without a doubt that you are ready and able to dive solo.  You will then go through six hours of classroom training where you will learn new planning skills, how to estimate air consumption, and how to create a bailout system in an emergency.  This is followed by a minimum of two dives where you will practice your bailout procedures and then you will have to prove that you can calmly and quickly perform a bailout in various emergency conditions.  If your instructor thinks you are at all unprepared you will not be certified.  Finally, you will have to demonstrate that you can swim for 200m on the surface with all your gear on.