Are you looking for something extraordinary? To do something others can only dream about. 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.
PADI’s Instructor Development Course (IDC)—the core of PADI Instructor training – is composed of two distinct components: the first portion is the Assistant Instructor (AI) course followed by the Open Water Scuba Instructor program (OWSI).
The OWSI program introduces you to the entire PADI System of diver education and concentrates on further developing your abilities as a professional dive educator. It’s about life transformations—both yours and those around you.
The fun part of instructor training is interacting with student divers while creating friendships that continue long after the course concludes.
Candidates completing the Assistant Instructor course are authorized to conduct some PADI programs independently. They may also go on to complete an OWSI program in the future. Candidates completing an entire IDC (or AIs who go on to complete an OWSI Program) are eligible to enroll in a PADI Instructor Examination (IE) conducted by PADI Staff. The IEevaluates the candidate’s teaching ability, dive knowledge, skill level, understanding of the PADI System, attitude andprofessionalism using standardized, objective criteria. When the criteria are met, candidates achieve the PADI Open WaterScuba Instructor rating.
The IDC emphasizes development, not testing, and so provides a low-stress environment conducive to learning. Candidates can relax and concentrate on skill development, knowing that making mistakes is part of the learning process. During thesecourses, the staff play the important roles of supporting, guiding and advising candidates.
This is a two-phase program – the development phase (IDC) conducted by PADI Course Directors and their instructor development staff; and the evaluative phase (IE) conducted by PADI Staff.
Prerequisites for AI Phase:
- Dive Leader certification — PADI Divemaster or leadership-level certification with a recognized recreational diver training organization* who is either:
- An instructor member in good standing, or
- A diver with proof of certification in diver supervision and management including proof of rescue diving certification; 60 logged dives; documented experience in night diving, deep diving and underwater navigation.
- 18 years old
- Medical clearance attesting to dive fitness signed by a physician within the previous 12 months.
- Certified diver for six months.
- EFR Primary and Secondary Care course completion (or qualifying training) within the last 24 months.
- If not a PADI Divemaster, complete the PADI Divemaster course diver rescue skills assessment.
- Submit documentation of qualifying certifications for entry level, advanced, rescue and leadership level, as necessary.
Prerequisites for OWSI Phase:
- Meet all IDC/AI course prerequisites listed above
- Have Divemaster level Dive Theory Knowledge
- PADI Assistant Instructor or current instructor member in good standing with a recognized recreational diver training organization for at least 6 months.
Instructor Candidate Materials (Included in pricing):
The following materials are included in the IDC course pricing
- PADI’s Guide to Teaching
- Open Water Diver Quizzes and Exam booklet
- Rescue Diver Final Exams booklet
- Divemaster Final Exams booklet
- Aquatic Cue Cards for Open Water Diver, Adventures in Diving, Rescue Diver, and Divemaster
- Skill Preparation slate
- Project AWARE and Peak Performance Buoyancy Specialty Instructor manuals
- Dive Theory Online
Instructor Candidate Materials (Required but not included):
Instructor candidate are required to have in their possession, a personal, current set of the following materials for study and use during the course and for reference afterward.
- PADI Instructor Manual
- PADI Open Water Diver Manual or e-Learning
- Recreational Dive Planner – RDP Table and eRDPML, including Instructions for Use booklets
- Advanced Open Water Diver Manual or e-Learning
- PADI Rescue Diver Manual or e-Learning
- PADI Divemaster Manual or e-Learning
- Discover Scuba Diving Cue Card
- The Encyclopedia of Recreational Diving
Instructor Candidate Materials (Recommended but not included):
- PADI eLearning – Open Water, Advanced Open Water, and Rescue Diver
- All PADI professional videos
- All PADI diver videos
- PADI Specialty Diver manuals
- PADI Specialty Diver Instructor manuals (for MSDT)
- Rescue Diver Course Prescriptive and standard Lesson Guides
- Divemaster Course Lesson Guides
- Discover Scuba Diving Brochure
- Scuba Tune-up guidebook
- Skill Evaluation Slate
- The Law and the Diving Professional
- The Best of The Undersea Journal
- The Business of Diving
- Children and Scuba Diving: A Resource Guide for Instructors and Parents
- Project AWARE’s 10 Ways a Diver Can Help to Protect the Underwater Environment brochure
- Discover the Underwater World video and The Snorkeler’s Field Guide
- PADI Pro log book
Costs of Instructor Development Course:
As of April 2021
IDC Pricing
- Full IDC + IDC Materials.........................................................................................................................$2675
(IDC Crew Pack with Guide to Teaching Manual #60234)
- Dive Theory Online (Included) #50011-1
- Assistant Instructor Course Fee + IDC Crew Pack..................................................................................$1700
- (IDC Crew Pack with Guide to Teaching Manual #60234)
- OWSI Upgrade from AI (not including IDC Crew Pack or Dive Theory Online) .....................................$1200
- EFR Instructor including Materials during IDC (see separate flier for full details) >..................................$625
- EFR Application Fee (see separate flier for full details)......................................................$135 paid to PADI
- MSDT (5 specialties separately/5 specialties in conjunction with the IDC) ................................ $1100/$650
- Instructor Exam (IE) Fee .....................................................................................................$795 paid to PADI
- Instructor Application Fee..................................................................................................$220 paid to PADI
- Any failed portion of an IE (per segment)..........................................................................$335 paid to PADI
Approximate cost of above - $4,500 (minus MSDT)
A lifetime of teaching scuba - PRICELESS!
Required materials other than IDC eLearning and IDC Crew pack are candidate’s responsibility. Required equipment, entry fees and air fills are all Candidates responsibility.
