Becoming a certified PADI Instructor is a two step process. The first step is completing the IDC, which in itself is also a two step process. The first half of the IDC is the Assistant Instructor portion with the last half of the IDC the Open Water Scuba Instructor portion. Both portions of the program are collectively the IDC.

The IDC is an intensive program familiarizing you with the PADI programs and standards. It introduces you to the skills you will need to effectively teach the classroom, confined water and open water portions of the most popular certification levels.

For those individuals interested in earning college credit for their IDC experience, the course has been approved by the American Council of Education (ACE) for two undergraduate credit hours in the field of education.

After the IDC has been completed, the final step in becoming a PADI instructor is completing the Instructor Examination (IE). This two day process will assess your knowledge of PADI programs, dive theory, standards and procedures, dive skills and confined water as well as open water presentations.

EFR Instructor Course

The Emergency First Response Instructor Course

CPR and first aid are important skills that in high demand. As an Emergency First Response Instructor, you can teach these skills to anyone.

The Fun Part

Teach CPR and first aid to others so they can be prepared for an emergency.

What You Learn

Gain experience in how to structure learning, the requirements of performance-based training and your role as the instructor in the learning environment for teaching CPR and first aid.

You also learn how to motivate students, evaluate student knowledge, present course content effectively, become proficient in developing students’hands-on skills practice sessions, and are taught how to present an effective scenario-based learning experience.

What You Can Teach

Learn how to conduct the Emergency First Response Primary Care (CPR) and First Response Secondary Care (first aid) courses.

You also learn to conduct the recommended Automated External Defibrillator (AED), emergency oxygen and conscious choking management skills.

PADI IDC (Instructor Development Course)

Are you looking for something extraordinary? To do something others can only dream of?

To help people transform their lives? To open doors you didn’t even know existed? All of this, and more, awaits you as a PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor.

The Open Water Scuba Instructor (OWSI) program is one of two distinct components of PADI’s Instructor Development Course (IDC)—the core of PADI Instructor training.

The first portion is the Assistant Instructor course followed by the Open Water Scuba Instructor program.

The Assistant Instructor program is a minimum of 2 days and introduces you to the use of the PADI System, familiarize you with PADI Standards and after certification grants you the opportunity and knowledge to independently conduct designated PADI specialties and parts of several core certification courses.

The OWSI program is a minimum of four days. It introduces you to the entire PADI System of diver education and concentrates on further developing your abilities as a professional dive educator.

As a PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor, you’ll make life long friendshipsThe Fun Part. Participation and concluding the OWSI part grants you to participate in the PADI Instructor Examination.

It’s about life transformations—both yours and those around you.

The fun part of instructor training is interacting with course participants while creating friendships that continue long after the course concludes.

You’ll begin networking with other professionals and begin to explore PADI Pro Diving Jobs worldwide. You’ll also have the opportunity to continue your professional education by participating in specialty instructor courses, which train you to teach specialties after instructor certification.

PADI Specialty Instructor

The PADI Specialty Instructor Course

Dive more, have more fun and teach about your favorite subjects.

Specialty instructor courses provide valuable teaching tips for meeting the requirements of the course.

You can choose from any of the 27 standard specialty courses that PADI offers along with distinctive specialty courses your Course Director may offer. Having five specialty instructor ratings is a prerequisite for the Master Scuba Diver Trainer (MSDT) rating.

Don’t see a specialty on a subject that interests you? Write your own specialty! It’s easy and it gets you teaching scuba divers about things you like.

The Fun Part

Whether it’s Ice, Deep, Photography, Enriched Air Nitrox or one of your own, PADI Specialty Instructors are out there scuba diving and training. Join the fun.

Master Scuba Diver Trainer Program

As a PADI Specialty Instructor, challenge your students to become Master Scuba Divers

Increase your marketability as a PADI Professional

What You Learn

You’re on your way to becoming a PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer with only five PADI Specialty Instructor ratings.