The Instructor Development Course Everything you need to know

Did you (or are you about to) make the decision to take your Instructor Development Course – IDC – and become a PADI instructor? Congratulations! You have made a life-changing decision. Being a PADI instructor gives you the opportunity to do what you love every day and have a fun and rewarding job in the most beautiful places on earth.

Before you start your journey of becoming a PADI Instructor, we would like to tell you everything about the Instructor Development Course you are about to take. If after reading this, you have any more questions. Please feel free to contact our Course Directors. We are more than happy to help.

The Instructor Development Course:

The PADI Instructor Development Course (IDC) is an intense but fun, 2-week course. The course is set up in (inter)active workshops, in which you’ll learn by doing instead of listening in a classroom. In our experience, this is the best way to prepare yourself for teaching and introducing others to the beautiful world of diving.

The Program

On the first day, you will get to meet your fellow IDC Candidates and the Course Directors and start with a course orientation; a presentation about what you are about to do in the next 2 weeks.

Then it is time to get wet. You’ll with the 24-skill circuit. By doing this on the first day, you’ll know what you might need to work on before the Instructor Examination (IE). After this pool session, you’ll take theory exams, also to find out what you need to work on before the IE.

During the workshops, you’ll be encouraged to act and think as an instructor! You’ll learn how to teach the CESA, descends, knot tying, search and recovery, rigging, and lifting, etc. An extra workshop is added to learn how to position yourself and control your students performing a skill while you keep an eye on your other students. Additionally, you’ll learn how to teach rescue skills.

Buddy Dive Resorts’ dive shop Manager; Augusto will give a presentation about what it is like working in the dive industry. The knowledge and experience of our dive shop Manager and course director are a very valuable part of the IDC.

EFR Instructor course:

On the last day of the IDC. You’ll learn how to teach EFR. Skills like primary care CPR, secondary care and care for children will be practiced, and you’ll learn how to teach them to others.

Nitrox (enriched air) Specialty Instructor Course:

After the IE, you have the possibility to take the Nitrox specialty instructor course. This course will only take 1 day, and we highly recommend taking it. It is a course that you’ll be teaching a lot when working as a PADI instructor.

IE (instructor examination):

After your IDC you will complete your IE (Instructor Examination). This is a 2-day process of objective evaluation of your skills and knowledge that you have developed during the IDC. This evaluation will be conducted by an impartial Instructor Examiner, who is working for PADI.
Passing an IE is necessary to become a PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor, however, it’s not the primary focus, it’s a result of preparation. During your IDC you will be prepared for your life as an instructor. This means that if you put the needed effort into your IDC, the IE will be the easiest part of the process of becoming an instructor