PADI Instructor Development Course (IDC)

PADI Instructor Development Course (IDC)

Don’t Just Pass Your IE. Become a Great Instructor.

Becoming a PADI Instructor is about much more than earning another certification.

It’s about learning how to teach, inspire and look after your students — developing the confidence, judgement and professionalism to turn your diving experience into great diver education.

At Scuba Academy, your PADI Instructor Development Course (IDC) is personally led by PADI Course Director James Wilkinson, with more than 20 years of experience as a PADI Professional.

You’ll learn how to use the PADI System effectively, develop your teaching abilities in confined and open water, refine your demonstration skills and learn how to work confidently with real students.

We’ll prepare you thoroughly for your PADI Instructor Examination (IE) — but our goal goes much further than passing an exam.

We want to develop you into the kind of confident, capable PADI Instructor that students want to learn from and dive centres want on their team.

START YOUR PADI INSTRUCTOR JOURNEY

WHAT’S INCLUDED IN YOUR PADI IDC?

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Personal development and mentoring from a PADI Course Director

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Learn to effectively use the PADI System of diver education

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Understand and apply PADI Standards and Procedures

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Knowledge development teaching presentations

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Confined water teaching presentations

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Open water teaching presentations

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Effective student briefings and debriefings

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Develop demonstration-quality scuba skills

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Student supervision and problem-solving techniques

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Learn to recognise and correct student difficulties

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Risk management and diver safety

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Learn how to organise and conduct PADI courses

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Develop professional-level teaching judgement

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Thorough preparation for your PADI Instructor Examination

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Regular access to our dedicated scuba training facility

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Opportunities for additional practice where you need it

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Practical insight into working as a PADI Instructor

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Continued support as you begin your Instructor career

WHAT IS THE PADI IDC?

The PADI Instructor Development Course is where you make the transition from experienced dive leader to scuba educator.

Until now, much of your professional development has concentrated on becoming an excellent diver, developing leadership skills and learning how to supervise others.

The IDC changes the focus.

Now you’re learning how to teach someone else to dive.

The complete PADI IDC consists of two components:

Assistant Instructor (AI)

and

Open Water Scuba Instructor (OWSI)

Most candidates complete the entire IDC before progressing to the PADI Instructor Examination (IE).

Throughout your instructor development, you’ll learn how to present knowledge effectively, teach and evaluate skills in confined water, conduct open water training and correctly use PADI Standards.

But you’ll also start developing something that’s much harder to learn from a manual:

Teaching judgement.

Knowing when a student needs another demonstration.

Recognising when somebody is nervous before they tell you.

Understanding why someone is struggling rather than simply recognising that they’ve made a mistake.

Knowing when to step in — and when to give a student the opportunity to solve a problem themselves.

Those are the skills that start turning a dive professional into a great diving instructor.

YOUR COURSE DIRECTOR

James Wilkinson – PADI Course Director

Your IDC will be personally taught and mentored by James Wilkinson, PADI Course Director (PADI #633009), co-owner of Scuba Academy and owner of Anthias Divers in Sharm el Sheikh.

James has been a PADI Professional for more than 20 years and became a PADI Course Director in 2018.

His career in diving has taken him around the world, with professional experience in the UK, Egypt, Australia, Thailand, Indonesia and Sri Lanka, as well as other international diving destinations.

That experience covers very different sides of the diving industry — from UK-based diver education and cold-water training to tropical diving, international resorts and busy overseas dive operations.

Alongside teaching divers and developing instructors, James has extensive experience running dive centres and working within the day-to-day diving industry.

That matters when you’re learning to become an Instructor.

Your IDC isn’t being taught purely from a manual or from the perspective of passing an examination. You’ll benefit from practical experience gained teaching real students, solving real problems and working with divers from different backgrounds and cultures.

Whether your ambition is to teach in the UK, work overseas, travel with your Instructor qualification or eventually operate a dive centre yourself, the aim is to help you develop the skills, judgement and confidence to put your Instructor qualification to use in the real world.

WE’RE NOT JUST PREPARING YOU TO PASS THE IE

Of course, your PADI Instructor Examination matters.

We want you to arrive confident, prepared and knowing exactly what is expected of you.

You’ll practise.

You’ll make mistakes.

You’ll receive feedback.

And you’ll practise again.

By the time you reach your IE, the process should feel familiar.

But passing the IE isn’t our ultimate objective.

Becoming a good Instructor is.

There’s an important difference.

During your IDC, you can learn a presentation structure. You can understand how you’ll be evaluated. You can practise a skill until you can demonstrate it clearly and confidently.

All of those things matter.

But eventually the IE finishes.

Then one day you’ll be standing in front of your own students.

One will be nervous.

Another will struggle with their mask.

Someone won’t understand your first explanation.

Equipment won’t fit perfectly.

Conditions may change.

A student may suddenly lose confidence.

And occasionally, something simply won’t go according to plan.

That’s when your ability as an Instructor really matters.

Throughout your IDC, we’ll work on developing the confidence, awareness and teaching judgement you’ll need when you’re no longer an Instructor candidate and the students in front of you are genuinely yours.

THE SCUBA ACADEMY ADVANTAGE

Professional-level skills improve through practice.

Having our own dedicated scuba training facility gives our IDC candidates an important advantage.

We’re not trying to squeeze your instructor development into a limited amount of hired water time.

If something needs work, we can work on it.

You’ll have opportunities to refine your:

Skill demonstrations

Buoyancy and trim

Instructor positioning

Student control

Briefings and debriefings

Confined water teaching presentations

Rescue skills

and the individual areas where you need additional development.

But the biggest advantage isn’t simply having our own pool.

It’s what happens here.

Scuba Academy is an active diver training centre, with courses running from first underwater experiences through to recreational, continuing education and professional-level training.

That means you’re developing in an environment where real diver education happens regularly.

You’ll see different students, different challenges and different teaching approaches.

For a future Instructor, that exposure can be just as valuable as the formal IDC presentations themselves.

FROM DIVEMASTER TO INSTRUCTOR

Becoming an Instructor requires a change in mindset.

As a Divemaster, you’ve learned to supervise divers, anticipate problems and assist instructors.

As an Instructor, you’re taking responsibility for creating divers.

It’s no longer enough to know how to perform a skill.

You need to understand how to teach that skill to somebody else.

When a student struggles, you need to start asking why.

Is it their buoyancy?

Their equipment?

Their positioning?

Their understanding?

Are they uncomfortable?

Or are they simply nervous?

The answer determines what you do next.

That’s why good instructor development isn’t about mechanically following a script.

We’ll teach you how to use the PADI System effectively while developing your own ability to communicate, observe, adapt and teach.

Questions You May Have

WHO WILL TEACH MY IDC?

Your IDC will be personally led by PADI Course Director James Wilkinson.

Rather than being passed between different trainers, you’ll receive direct instructor development, feedback and mentoring throughout your programme.

You can read more about James and his professional diving background in the Course Director section above.

WHAT IS A PADI COURSE DIRECTOR?

PADI Course Directors are experienced PADI Instructor Trainers responsible for developing the next generation of PADI Instructors.

Your Course Director guides you through the Instructor Development Course, evaluates your progress, provides coaching and prepares you to meet the standards expected of a PADI Instructor.

The Instructor Examination itself is conducted independently by PADI Instructor Examiners.

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE IDC AND THE IE?

The IDC is your training.

The IE is your evaluation.

During your IDC, we’re here to teach you, coach you and help you improve.

You can practise, receive feedback and work on areas that need more development.

The PADI Instructor Examination is conducted separately by PADI and evaluates whether you’ve achieved the required standard.

Our job is to make sure that when you arrive at your IE, you’re prepared, confident and know what to expect.

WHAT ARE THE AI AND OWSI PARTS OF THE IDC?

The PADI Instructor Development Course consists of two components:

Assistant Instructor (AI)

and

Open Water Scuba Instructor (OWSI).

The Assistant Instructor portion begins developing your instructor-level teaching abilities and can lead to the PADI Assistant Instructor rating.

The OWSI portion continues that development towards becoming a PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor.

Most candidates progressing from PADI Divemaster complete the entire IDC — AI and OWSI — before attending their Instructor Examination.

CAN I COMPLETE JUST THE ASSISTANT INSTRUCTOR COURSE?

Yes.

The PADI Assistant Instructor component can be completed separately by qualifying candidates.

This can be a good option if you want to begin developing your teaching abilities but aren’t yet ready to complete the full IDC and Instructor Examination.

When you’re ready to continue, you can progress towards the OWSI portion of the IDC.

VIEW ASSISTANT INSTRUCTOR

I’M ALREADY A PADI ASSISTANT INSTRUCTOR. DO I REPEAT EVERYTHING?

No.

If you’re already a qualifying PADI Assistant Instructor, your route towards becoming an Open Water Scuba Instructor is different from that of a Divemaster beginning the complete IDC.

You can progress through the appropriate OWSI programme before moving towards your Instructor Examination, provided you meet the current PADI requirements.

Talk to us and we’ll confirm exactly what you need.

I’M AN INSTRUCTOR WITH ANOTHER AGENCY. CAN I BECOME A PADI INSTRUCTOR?

Potentially, yes.

Qualifying instructors from other recognised diver-training organisations may have a route into the PADI OWSI programme.

We’ll review your existing professional qualifications and experience and explain the appropriate pathway.

WHAT WILL I LEARN DURING MY IDC?

Your instructor development covers areas including:

PADI Standards and Procedures

The PADI System of diver education

Knowledge development teaching

Confined water teaching

Open water teaching

Demonstration-quality skills

Student supervision

Problem solving

Risk management

Diver safety

Briefings and debriefings

Course organisation

Professional conduct

and the practical skills needed to begin teaching as a new PADI Instructor.

WILL I HAVE TO GIVE PRESENTATIONS?

Yes — and you’ll have plenty of opportunity to practise them.

You don’t need to arrive as an accomplished public speaker.

We’ll help you learn how to organise information, communicate clearly and make your presentations relevant to your students.

You’ll practise, receive feedback and progressively develop your confidence.

We’re not trying to make every candidate sound identical.

We want to help you develop your own effective teaching style while using the PADI System correctly.

WHAT HAPPENS DURING CONFINED WATER TRAINING?

Open water teaching brings together many of the skills you’ve developed.

You’ll practise organising training dives, briefing students, positioning yourself effectively, evaluating skills and managing student problems.

You’ll learn how to combine PADI Standards, environmental awareness, student supervision and good teaching judgement to conduct safe and effective training.

DO MY SKILLS NEED TO BE PERFECT BEFORE THE IDC?

No.

You should arrive with good Divemaster-level diving abilities, but the IDC is called Instructor Development for a reason.

We’re here to develop you.

We’ll work on your demonstrations, positioning, control, buoyancy and any areas that need improvement.

Having regular access to our training environment means we have the opportunity to practise rather than simply identify a weakness and move on.

WHAT HAPPENS DURING OPEN WATER TRAINING?

Divemaster isn't a course we believe should simply be rushed through.

How long it takes will depend on your existing experience, availability, skill level and how intensively you want to train.

One of the advantages of training with us is the opportunity to develop through regular involvement with real diving and training activities, rather than treating Divemaster as a quick checklist exercise.

We'll discuss your goals and availability and help create a training pathway that works for you.

WILL I LEARN PADI STANDARDS?

Absolutely.

Understanding and correctly applying PADI Standards and Procedures is fundamental to becoming a PADI Instructor.

But being an Instructor isn’t about memorising an enormous manual.

You’ll learn how PADI Standards are organised, how to find the information you need and, importantly, how those standards apply to real teaching situations.

DO WE COVER DIVE THEORY?

Yes.

As an Instructor candidate, you’re expected to have a strong understanding of fundamental dive theory.

This includes:

Physics

Physiology

Equipment

Decompression theory and the Recreational Dive Planner

Dive skills and the environment

If there’s an area you’re less confident about, tell us early.

That gives us the opportunity to work on it before your Instructor Examination.

ARE THERE WATER SKILLS AND RESCUE ASSESSMENTS?

Yes.

Instructor development includes practical watermanship, scuba skill and rescue requirements.

You’ll demonstrate your fundamental scuba skills to the required standard and complete watermanship exercises and rescue assessments.

These aren’t simply about proving that you can dive.

As a future Instructor, your skills need to demonstrate control, confidence and appropriate role-model behaviour.

I’M NERVOUS ABOUT THE IE. IS THAT NORMAL?

Absolutely.

Becoming an Instructor is a major achievement, so it’s understandable that the examination feels important.

Our aim is to remove as many unknowns as possible.

You’ll understand what’s expected, practise the required activities and receive feedback throughout your development.

When you arrive at the IE, we want the process to feel familiar rather than intimidating.

WILL YOU TEACH ME HOW TO PASS THE IE?

Yes — but we won’t only teach you how to pass the IE.

We’ll make sure you understand what PADI expects and prepare you thoroughly for the examination.

But an IE lasts a short time.

Your career as an Instructor could last decades.

We’re interested in preparing you for both.

WHAT IF I’M STRUGGLING WITH SOMETHING

WHAT IF I’M STRUGGLING WITH SOMETHING?

Then we work on it.

Whether it’s dive theory, a presentation, skill demonstration, positioning, rescue skills or simply confidence, the purpose of your IDC is to develop you.

Having our own training facility gives us greater flexibility to provide additional practice where it’s genuinely needed.

We’d much rather identify something during your IDC and help you improve it than have you discover it at your IE.

HOW MANY DIVES DO I NEED TO START THE IDC?

You need at least 60 logged dives to begin the PADI Instructor Development Course.

Your logged experience must include documented experience in night diving, deep diving and underwater navigation.

You must also have been a certified diver for at least six months.

HOW MANY DIVES DO I NEED FOR THE INSTRUCTOR EXAMINATION?

You normally need at least 100 logged dives before attending your PADI Instructor Examination.

This is different from the 60-dive requirement for starting the IDC.

If you currently have between 60 and 99 dives, speak to us when planning your IDC so we can make sure you’ll meet the IE requirement at the appropriate time.

DO I NEED TO BE A PADI DIVEMASTER?

PADI Divemaster is the normal route into the full IDC, but it isn’t the only possible route.

Existing PADI Assistant Instructors and qualifying instructors from other recognised diver-training organisations may follow different pathways.

We’ll review your current qualifications and confirm the correct route for you.

DO I NEED FIRST AID AND CPR?

Yes.

Instructor candidates need to meet PADI’s current requirements for CPR and First Aid training.

If your existing training isn’t current, we can arrange Emergency First Response Primary & Secondary Care as part of your professional-development pathway.

VIEW EFR PRIMARY & SECONDARY CARE

DO I NEED TO BE AN EFR INSTRUCTOR BEFORE STARTING THE IDC?

No.

You do not need to already be an EFR Instructor simply to begin the IDC.

However, before PADI can issue your Open Water Scuba Instructor certification, you must hold EFR Instructor or a qualifying CPR/First Aid Instructor rating.

If you aren’t already an EFR Instructor, we can incorporate the EFR Instructor course into your professional training pathway.

VIEW EFR INSTRUCTOR

DO I NEED A DIVING MEDICAL?

Yes.

You need medical clearance confirming your fitness to dive, signed by a physician within the previous 12 months, with no subsequent change in your medical condition that affects your fitness to dive.

We’ll check your documentation before the IDC begins.

HOW OLD DO I NEED TO BE?

You must be at least 18 years old to begin the PADI Instructor Development Course.

HOW LONG DOES THE IDC TAKE?

PADI Instructor Development is performance-based, so the amount of development an individual candidate needs can vary.

We don’t believe the best IDC is necessarily the one advertised as the shortest.

You need enough time to:

Learn

Practise

Receive feedback

Make mistakes

Correct them

and practise again.

We’ll provide a clear schedule for your particular IDC so you know how your training will be structured.

CAN I COMPLETE MY IDC AROUND WORK?

We understand that many Instructor candidates are completing professional training alongside careers, families and other commitments.

Having our own training facility gives us greater flexibility than operations relying entirely on limited hired-water sessions.

Talk to us about your availability and upcoming IDC dates and we’ll help you find the most appropriate option.

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THE IDC?

After successfully completing your IDC and meeting the appropriate requirements, you’ll attend the PADI Instructor Examination (IE).

The IE is conducted by a PADI Instructor Examiner rather than Scuba Academy.

The examination evaluates the knowledge, teaching ability, diving skills, understanding of the PADI System and professional attributes expected of a PADI Instructor.

Successfully complete the required IE components and meet all PADI requirements, and you’ll achieve:

PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor.

WHAT CAN I TEACH AS A PADI OPEN WATER SCUBA INSTRUCTOR?

Once certified and in the appropriate PADI Teaching status, an Open Water Scuba Instructor can teach a broad range of PADI core courses and programmes.

These include Open Water Diver, Advanced Open Water Diver, Rescue Diver and Divemaster, along with a number of additional PADI programmes within the scope of the OWSI rating.

Additional PADI Specialty Instructor ratings allow you to expand the range of specialty courses you can teach.

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER I BECOME AN INSTRUCTOR?

Passing your IE is the beginning of your development as an Instructor — not the end.

You can begin building real teaching experience and expand the range of courses you’re qualified to teach.

A popular next step is completing PADI Specialty Instructor training and progressing towards the PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer (MSDT) rating.

And our support doesn’t disappear when your IE finishes.

We’re here to help as you start putting your new qualification into practice.

VIEW MSDT

CAN I START MY SPECIALTY INSTRUCTOR TRAINING BEFORE THE IE?

Yes.

PADI allows candidates who have successfully completed the full IDC to participate in appropriate Specialty Instructor Training Courses before attending the IE.

Your Specialty Instructor ratings can then be processed once you’ve successfully passed the IE and meet the applicable requirements.

Talk to us if you’d like to include Specialty Instructor training or MSDT preparation within your professional-development pathway.

ARE THERE OPPORTUNITIES TO CONTINUE MY DEVELOPMENT OVERSEAS?

Yes.

Through our connection with Anthias Divers in Sharm el Sheikh, there may be opportunities to continue your professional development and gain experience in a very different diving environment, depending on available programmes and dates.

Speak to us if international diving or working overseas forms part of your plans.