OPEN WATER SCUBA INSTRUCTOR

Ready to share your love of diving with others just starting out? Become a PADI Instructor.  Take students from their first breaths underwater to open water dives they’ll remember for the rest of their lives.  Your PADI Instructor Development Course will prepare you for a successful career ahead.  Not only will you learn tried and true ways of teaching, but you’ll join the ranks of elite dive pros.  In fact, PADI Instructors are the most sought-after dive pros in the world.

PADI Scuba Instructor, Turtle Boat Diving

2024 IDC DATES:

August: August 21-30 (IE August 31-September 1)

October: October 16-25 (IE October 26-27)

December: December 11-20 (IE December 21-22)

2025 IDC DATES:

March: March 5-14 (IE March 15-16)

April/May: April 30-May 9 (IE May 10-11)

June/July: June 25-July 4 (IE July 5-6)

August: August 20-29 (IE August 30-31)

October: October 15-24 (IE October 25-26)

December: December 10-19 (IE December 20-21)

A smiling dive Instructor climbs the ladder on the back of a boat as she gets out of the water after a dive in he

Instructor Development Course (IDC)

Pura Vida Diver’s IDC is a 10-day program followed by a 2-day Instructor Exam (IE).  Class sizes are kept small with around 3 people (and no more than 6).  This allows for lots of practice and individual attention so you’re well-prepared and confident during your IE.

Our IDC is offered as a Career Program that bundles the cost of everything you need to become an instructor.  This includes your Emergency First Response Instructor rating, the IDC itself, the IE, and all related fees.  For a breakdown, look at the Dive Professional Level 2 Program on our Career Training Packages page.

 

A dive instructor and their student discuss their dive plan on the bow of a boat in the ocean

What Will I Learn?

Your IDC will cover everything you need to know to pass the Instructor Exam.  More than that, it will prepare you for a successful career in diving.

Before starting your IDC, you’ll learn what it means to be an instructor using PADI’s eLearning.  Once the IDC begins, you’ll apply what you learned in the classroom, confined water, and open water.  Our Course Directors will guide you through the process and strengthen your skills so you’re ready to go for your exam.

Your average day during the IDC runs from 8 AM to 6 PM with a break for lunch.  Days are a combination of classroom sessions, pool sessions, and open water sessions.

During the course you’ll learn how to apply the PADI System of Education by presenting at least:

  • 4 Confined Water Teaching Presentations
  • 3 Knowledge Development Presentations
  • 2 Open Water Teaching Presentations integrating 2 skills

Open Water Workshops Include:

  • Discover Scuba Diving Workshop
  • Adventure Dive Workshop
  • Rescue Exercise Workshop
  • Demonstrate competence at performing all 20 dive skills listed on the Skill Evaluation
  • Perform at Face-down, nonstop swim for 800 metres/yards using a mask, snorkel and fins (no time requirements)

You’ll attend and participate in the following curriculum presentations:

  • Course Orientation
  • Developing Knowledge Development Presentations
  • General Standards and Procedures
  • Teaching in Confined Water
  • Legal Responsibility and Risk Management
  • Conducting Open Water Dives
  • Open Water diver course
  • Adventures in Diving Program
  • Rescue Diver Course
  • Divemaster Course

To prepare you for real-world teaching and the IE, you’ll need to demonstrate your knowledge of Dive Theory by passing a five part theory exam scoring 75% or better on each section,.

You’ll also take an open book Standards Exam.

New PADI Instructors celebrate with their course directors, holding their Instructor certificates and smiling

PADI INSTRUCTOR EXAM (IE)

The PADI Instructor Exam or IE typically takes place over 2 days. The exam is conducted by a PADI Instructor Examiner, and the exam schedule can be found on our Course Calendar.

The IE is split into 4 components

  1. Written Exams
  2. Classroom Presentation
  3. Confined Water Teaching
  4. Open Water Teaching
Underwater, a focused dive instructor in a sidemount configuration inflates his DSMB

Prerequisites

Age:  Be at least 18+

Medical Clearance:  PADI Diving  Medical Form (PDF) signed by a doctor (MD or DO) stating fitness to dive and dated within the last 12 months.

Certified Diver Date:  PADI Open Water Diver for at least six months (or equivalent certification).

Diving Certifications:  Certified as a PADI Advanced Open Water, PADI Rescue Diver, and PADI Divemaster (or PADI recognized equivalent).

Primary/Secondary Care Training:  PADI EFR Primary and Secondary Care Training within the last 24 months (or PADI recognized equivalent).

Minimum Logged Dives:  Proof of 100 logged dives and showing experience in Deep, Night, and Navigation.

Accident Insurance:  Diving Accident Insurance (DAN is recommended)

Check out our other professional Programs

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CAREER PROGRAMS

Streamline Your Pro Training

Technical divers line up at the back of a boat, preparing to jump off

Veterans Programs

Become a Scuba Pro with the GI Bill

Underwater, a turtle swims close to the camera as divers in the background wave and flash shakas

INSTRUCTOR SPECIALTIES

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Discover the Pura Vida Difference