Information wanted on becoming a fully trained diving instructor from being a complete beginner currently?

Question

Where can I do it in the UK/safe place abroad?
How much does it cost?
How long will it take? (could be an intensive course)

Anyone got any experience doing it? Any advice...?

Answer 1

There's the short answer, which is 'Read the PADI Instructor Manual'. A slightly(!) longer answer is below, but this should not be regarded as exhaustive; this is what I can remember off the top of my head, as my Manual has been gathering dust in a cupboard since I hung up my teaching hat 18 months ago (due to changing priorities).

At the time I stopped teaching, MINIMUM requirements to qualify as a PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor (OWSI) were:

* A current (<1 year old) medical certificate of Dive Fitness

* At least 6 months since basic qualification (PADI OWD or equivalent)

* Prior qualification as a PADI Divemaster (DM) and all that that entails

* Qualification as a PADI Assistant Instructor (AI). This is the first half of the week-long PADI Instructor Development Course (IDC); the second half gets you to OWSI

* Successful completion of all portions of the PADI IDC

* Successful completion of a PADI Instructor Exam (IE), conducted by an external Course Director (i.e. not the one who taught you).

* Payment of all necessary fees to PADI (including yearly renewal to maintain Teaching Status)

* 100 logged dives prior to qualification

NB a 'dive' must be in OPEN WATER, and have AT LEAST 2 of the following 3 qualities: >1000 litres (approx 40 cu.ft.) air used, >5 m (15') depth, >20 mins underwater

NB Liability insurance is required to teach diving in some parts of the world (including the UK, but not generally Third World countries).

A word or three about the IE: This costs extra, and is usually not included in the cost of the IDC. This does not count as a 'hidden' cost, as the fee is fixed, and paid directly to PADI. If you fail at the first attempt, neither PADI nor the dive centre are under any obligation to refund this fee, although many centres will offer you 'assistance' (but not necesarily financial) with a second IE (hence 'guaranteed pass', '99.9% success rate', etc.). If you fail an IE twice, PADI requires you to complete (i.e. pay for) another IDC before re-attempting the IE.

BTW, it is very difficult to fail an IE, if you've applied yourself properly during the IDC. The IE has 4 components: (1) dive theory exam, (2) confined water lesson simulation, (3) open water lesson simulation, (4) Standards & Procedures exam. If you fail ONLY one of the first three, you're allowed to re-do it within that IE. In order to fail, you would have to do one of the following: not turn up (duh!), fail 2 of segments 1-3 above (or fail the retest), fail segment 4 (the S&P exam is open-book, so you've got no real excuse there!), or display 'unprofessional behavior' during the exam (e.g. abuse your 'students', colleagues, or the course staff, or turn up to the IE completely drunk/ stoned/ incapable).

The prerequisite PADI DM course is intended to give you the skills and knowledge required to assist PADI Instructors teaching non-professional level diver courses (DS, OWD, AOWD, Rescue, and Specialties), and to organise group diving activities for students and qualified divers. It's the first professional-level qualification offered by PADI; so there is no acceptable equivalent prerequisite qualification for the IDC. In order to start a PADI DM course you must:

* Be medically fit to dive (i.e. have a certificate)

* Be at least 18 years old at the START of the course (i.e. a legal adult--emotional maturity is unfortunately impossible to assess!)

* Be a PADI Rescue Diver or equivalent, including a First Aid qualification

* Have at least 30 logged dives (I believe) including experience of Deep (>18 m/ 60'), Navigation and Night(/low visibility) diving.

If you've done all your qualifications through the PADI System you will definitely have done Deep and Navigation dives (required for AOWD). If you trained through another system e.g. BSAC, you'll need to have logged evidence of this kind of diving. However, if you trained in Britain you'll certainly be familiar with low vis!

As well as these (very simplified) prerequisites, for the IDC you will be expected to have in your possession (borrowed is OK, although it's better to have your own)--and know how to use:

* All basic dive gear, i.e. m/f/s, appropriate divesuit, regulator with octopus and contents gauge, BCD, cutting tool, depth/time gauges, compass, surface signalling device, and any accessories required for the conditions (tank and weights are usually supplied by the centre, although charging you for air fills would be unusual)

PLUS

* All the necessary PADI teaching materials (Instructor Manual, Encylopedia, Manuals for all courses from OWD to DM, lesson planning slates, Dive Tables, etc.).

Only PADI Instructor Development Centres and Career Development Centres can teach IDCs, so wherever in the world you do it you'll be assured that the centre has at least fulfilled the minimum requirements set by PADI. If you do the course in Britain (and nearly everywhere in the First World), those PADI standards are legally enforceable. This may not be the case in less-developed legal systems (and/or those prone to corruption), so elsewhere you may be trusting more to luck. Having said that, there are some excellent IDCs and CDCs e.g. around the Red Sea.

The cost of the IDC itself can be bargain-bin (there was a short period--thankfully now over--where some centres were offering it for as little as 99 pounds) up to 100s or even 1000s of pounds, but generally you get what you pay for (and remember, if you pay peanuts...). The really cheap ones may well have lots of hidden extras (e.g. for airfills, pool use, boat fees etc.) or you might be required to buy a complete set of gear and/or materials from them, which means the course ends up costing far more than the 'more expensive' options. Make sure you know exactly what you're going to get for your money.

Be wary also of centres that offer 'guaranteed employment/ placement' after the course. This may be anything from a genuine offer of real employment (i.e. paid at the going rate, perhaps with accommodation provided), to working for them for free (and you pay your own costs) for a certain period as e.g. a divemaster (or 'dive slave', see below!) until you've paid off the course, or it may just mean that they put your name on a job website for you. If you're not sure, ask.

Some centres will ask you to do your DM with them, then work as a DM for free for say, 3 months, before doing your IDC with them. This can be a fantastic way to get experience as a working DM, and reduce the costs of the IDC BUT it can also leave you very exposed to exploitation. Any instructor can tell you horror stories of candidates that went through hell working as 'dive slaves' for their IDC: long hours, infrequent/no days off, very little real diving (but plenty of pool try-dives at the local hotels!), duties mainly consisting of tank filling/schlepping, gear washing, cleaning the dive centre, etc., etc., etc...

Don't get me wrong: all of these things are necessary for a functioning dive centre (you will still do a lot of this as a working Instructor too!), but it's up to you to decide how much you're prepared to put up with. I guess the main measure is, are you getting to do some of the fun stuff (diving!) as well, or only the dog-work? And, do all the centre staff pitch in, or do the Manager and Instructors disappear to the nearest pub at 5pm and leave the clearing-up to the dive slaves?

Make sure you find out EXACTLY what the conditions are before you sign up for one of these deals (and make sure you have a return ticket, and enough cash for emergencies, and don't EVER surrender your passport).

The take-home lessons are:
Build your experience according to your interests (don't fall into the 'collect-the-cards, tick-the-box' mentality)
Decide what you want to do, and how much you're prepared to do it for.
Shop around.
Don't be afraid to ask questions (decent centres won't be afraid to answer them).

As you can see, there's a long way to go from where you are, and it's going to cost you a fair amount in terms of time, money and/or commitment, but the reward is definitely worth the investment.

I wish you all the best with it.

Answer 2

Not sure about the UK But my advice get at least 5 or more years experiance other wise its the blind leading the blind.In canada I was trained by my employer,Wrote a 2 hour exam. Then a practicle exam , then a class room presentation, ITs nice work not a big income long hours. Contact a good driving school. Email me [e-mail] Regards ED

Answer 3

I am a PADI instructor. The best thing would be to continue you training and do some specialty courses. You need to decide if you really like it or are just on the newby high. I recommend you go to the PADI website or what ever your certifying agency is.

Answer 4

Give yourself time. Diving is like flying a plane, you gauge your skills by hours of flight time.
Here is the best website to go to, ask questions in there. The professional assn of diving instructors international (PADI)
http://www.padi.com/padi/default.aspx