PADI Instructor

Scuba Instructor

Find a job you enjoy doing, and you will never work a day in your life” – Mark Twain

1. Start as an Open Water Diver

  • The foundation. You must first be a certified diver.

2. Advance Your Diving Skills

  • Complete Advanced Open Water Diver.

  • Complete Rescue Diver.

  • Earn Emergency First Response (EFR) Primary & Secondary Care (or equivalent CPR/First Aid certification, valid within 24 months).

3. Gain Experience

  • Log at least 60 dives before starting the Instructor Development Course (IDC).

  • You’ll need 100 dives to be certified as an instructor.

4. Become a PADI Divemaster

  • This is the first professional level, where you learn dive leadership, supervising, and assisting instructors.

  • You must be 18 years old and have at least 40 dives to begin.

5. Take the Instructor Development Course (IDC)

  • The IDC has two parts:

    • Assistant Instructor (AI) course

    • Open Water Scuba Instructor (OWSI) program

  • You can complete them separately or as a full program.

  • Training covers PADI standards, teaching techniques, presentations, and how to conduct all core PADI courses.

6. Pass the Instructor Examination (IE)

  • A 2-day standardized evaluation run by PADI (not your IDC center).

  • Tests your knowledge, dive skills, teaching ability, and professionalism.

7. Meet Requirements

  • Minimum 18 years old.

  • Certified diver for at least 6 months.

  • Medical clearance from a physician (within the last 12 months).

  • Current CPR/First Aid training.

  • Logged 100 dives at time of IE.

8. Get Certified as a PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor

  • Once you pass the IE, you’re officially a PADI Instructor, authorized to teach and certify divers up to the Divemaster level.

To learn more about our Consultation Diving offering, please call (434-981-2454), send us an email (info@fluvannadive.com), or contact us here. We look forward to working with interested individuals to help them become safe, competent DIVERS.

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