Are you thinking of becoming a PADI Instructor?
Then you’ll probably appreciate a rough sketch of what’s involved…
The IDC is comprised of several parts; and it all starts at home!
Before attending the IDC, candidates must complete the IDC eLearning programme. Access to this is provided immediately upon enrolling.
Candidates must also be familiar with the PADI Instructor manual; sufficiently that they understand it’s structure… Don’t worry! Nobody is expected to remeber everything it contains, but a PADI Instructor must know how to find specific information, quickly!
(PADI Divemasters already have access to the PADI Instructor manual through their PADI Pro member access. Candidates crossing over from another agency will recieve the manual when they sign up for the course.)
Once the course begins, one day – often at the beginning – is for becoming Emergency First Response Instructors. This includes a refresher of first aid skills, teaching techniques and familiarisation with the training materials which are available.
The remainder of the IDC is a mix of classroom and in-water presentations. You’ll be taught tried and tested teaching techniques to be able to effectively and safely teach divers, both in the water and out.
This is mostly acheived through practice! There is a clear, logical and easy structure to follow; and through repetition, the techniques become natrural.
Following this structure, candidates will each prepare and deliver several classroom presentations adressing specific topics about general dive theory.
In the water, they’ll apply the same techniques to teach new skills; spotting and correcting mistakes as they happen. (While one candidate is playing the role of ‘instructor’, the others act as ‘students’, and will be quietly assigned various “mistakes” to make).
Here’s a sneak peak into one of our IDC’s in May 2022, run in partnership with Excel Scuba:
The course culminates with the Instructor Exam (IE). This two day exam consists of 6 assessments:
– Exam on dive theory
– Exam on PADI standards (open book access to the PADI Instructor manual)
– Assessment of Dive rescue skills
– “Prescriptive teaching” classroom presentation
– Confined water skill presentation
– Open water skill assessment.
Pass rates at the exam are exceptionally high. In the unlikely even that one part is failed, candidates will often have the chance to try again immediately. In certain cases it may be required to re-sit another exam.
Assuming that everybody passes, however, you only need to wait a few days for PADI to process your paperwork and then you’re all set to begin your new life as a PADI Instructor!
