IDC Questions
Questions that our Course Directors Often Get Asked
Its important to email the dive centers that you are interested in and see how their specific answers to your questions and their ‘standard’ replies compare. Take a look at some standard replies that you may receive on your initial inquiry to your PADI IDC
Enquiry 1
I want to be a Scuba Instructor and was wondering how much is a package for someone like myself who have never scuba dived before to become an instructor? I learn fast and I am seriously considering wanting to become a scuba diving instructor. Which package should i choose and how much would it come down to a total? and how many days would it take as total?
Thanks for your e-mail, it would be a pleasure to have you join us for some professional PADI Instruction !!!
We have a specially designed program set to take people like yourself through a variety of courses, incl the very popular and important PADI Master Scuba Diver, giving you the necessary training and experience that you will need along the way. They are quite popular and we have candidates most months starting programs
Accommodation is NOT included in any of the package pricing, although accommodation is cheap and easy to find near the dive centre, but I will mention something about that at the end.
You will see there are two options:
Pro and Basic
The Pro was designed to be simply the best package that I could offer and people could easily understand, and which would genuinely benefit the candidate. This adds in courses like the DAN Oxygen Course (obviously absolutely vital for all dive professionals) and EANx Diver, again essential in today’s industry, PLUS number of additional Specialties which will give you a chance to earn the respected Master Scuba Diver rating which is a must !!
With my Career Development package you will get PLENTY of hands on real experience as well as doing a select group of PADI Specialty Courses designed to give you as much knowledge as possible in preparing you for working in the dive industry by not only giving you a sound knowledge base but also the practical experience ….
The Basic option is just that : ) the minimum PADI courses necessary to get you to MSDT. There is absolutely NOTHING wrong with this program at all, it is simply not as comprehensive or anywhere near as beneficial to you as the Pro packages / options.
The pricing should also be clearly explained but again please get back to me if it is unclear, but you would train from Advanced Open Water Diver, PADI Rescue Diver, Emergency First Response, a mixture of PADI Specialty Courses and then your first professional level: The PADI Divemaster Course !!!
The Divemaster Internship can be split roughly into three areas: dive theory which consists of 5 exams; physics, physiology, Equipment, Skills and Environment and RDP theory, this is the part most people have the most problems with, but as long as you take it nice and slow there’s nothing too difficult here.
The next part I would call confined water, although that itself is split into various parts: you have “stamina tests” 400 m swim, 800m mask snorkel fins, 100m tired diver tow and 15 minutes treading water, skill demonstration where you will learn how to demonstrate all 20 skills to instructor level and you will also take part in a minimum of 5 Confined Water Dives with Students: Open Water Course Students, Discover Scuba Diver participants etc.
I say “a minimum of 5 ” as 5 are required by standards – but we encourage Divemaster candidates – and especially those who intend to further their education into the instructor ranks to attend as many as possible as it in only in confined water that student divers really learn how to do the skills / dive in the first place.
The “last part” of the course is the Open Water Training part where you will participate with 5 Open Water Training Dives; one with Open Water Students, one with either a Rescue, AOW or Specialty and three more, again depending on your time frame, the longer you have and the more courses / dives you can assist on the more you are likely to learn.
There are various other parts to the DM course; you have a map you need to make, an Emergency Assistance Plan which is the plan you would use for evacuation to the recompression chamber, they do not run in any set order but are integrated into the DM course as you go along so what you do when exactly will depend to a certain extent on how busy we are and what courses we have running.You will find that it’s a great course, the longer you have to do it, the more you will learn.
Should you join us for our DM internship program then the duration would be largely up to YOU…
…and if you go for the Pro option and throw in your Specialties for MSD then you would be adding a LOT of experience and dive trips into your package !!
Then it would be your IDC, IE, EFRI, IE and MSDT Prep… : )
We try to make our PADI IDC not only the most value for money available but also the most comprehensive and up to date to the minute IDC where the focus is NOT just on passing the IE, which is actually quite easy, but on becoming a successful Instructor in today’s Dive Industry which takes a lot more work and effort for me and my staff but I believe it is worth the extra time and effort… and to be honest the results speak for themselves !
Some non-documented benefits:
* Notebook computers available for rent if you do not want to bring your own
* VIP Discount card: up to 45% off PADI materials !
* VIP Discount card: 20%+ off all equipment purchases
* Tanks & weights for all Prep / AI / IDC / OWSI / IE / MSDT activities
* Full support during your Instructor Examination
* A full range of Instructor Continuing Education directly following IE
* Complementary Airport pick up
* Job placement service
To give you a simple overview: my IDC is a 10 day program, PADI minimum standards being 7 days.
Some of the “extras” in my program include: PADI EANx Diver or NEW PADI Emergency Oxygen courses in the IDC Prep, additional workshops that I have added to my IDC including: Ascents & Descents, Lift bag deployment and Knot tying (assigned on the IE !), Controlled Emergency Swimming Ascent (CESA) pool & Open Water, effective Pocket Mask use and demonstration, Student Control and positioning, problem solving and more …. I have a number of other workshops which I use regularly and others which I add in depending on the strengths and weaknesses of the individual Candidates.
IE Pass Rates:
It is not the number of IDC Candidates who pass which is so important, but the number which fail: that is the key to understanding a Course Director’s true “pass rate” !!! and probably why most Course Directors won’t tell you their failure rate.
Incidentally, should you not be ready at the end of your first IDC, or should you just simply not feel ready at the end of your first IDC, then you would also be invited to take whatever parts of the next IDC you or I feel you to do in order to get you ready …. free of charge.
SMALL CLASSES = PERSONAL ATTENTION: We are proud of his unmatched First IE Pass Rate: one of the ways this unmatched Fist IE Pass rate has been maintained has been by limiting class sizes to no more than 10 IDC Candidates, with a staff ratio of 5:1.
It is only by limiting Candidate numbers that ANY Course Director can spend the necessary time and personal attention that YOU need and deserve to fully develop your abilities.
Some non-documented benefits:
* Notebook computers available for rent if you do not want to bring your own
* VIP Discount card: up to 45% off PADI materials !
* VIP Discount card: 20%+ off all equipment purchases
* Tanks & weights for all Prep / AI / IDC / OWSI / IE / MSDT activities
* Full support during your Instructor Examination
* A full range of Instructor Continuing Education directly following IE
* Complementary Airport pick up
* Job placement service
To give you a simple overview: my IDC is a 10 day program, PADI minimum standards being 7 days.
Some of the “extras” in my program include: PADI EANx Diver or NEW PADI Emergency Oxygen courses in the IDC Prep, additional workshops that I have added to my IDC including: Ascents & Descents, Lift bag deployment and Knot tying (assigned on the IE !), Controlled Emergency Swimming Ascent (CESA) pool & Open Water, effective Pocket Mask use and demonstration, Student Control and positioning, problem solving and more …. I have a number of other workshops which I use regularly and others which I add in depending on the strengths and weaknesses of the individual Candidates.
IE Pass Rates:
It is not the number of IDC Candidates who pass which is so important, but the number which fail: that is the key to understanding a Course Director’s true “pass rate” !!! and probably why most Course Directors won’t tell you their failure rate.
Incidentally, should you not be ready at the end of your first IDC, or should you just simply not feel ready at the end of your first IDC, then you would also be invited to take whatever parts of the next IDC you or I feel you to do in order to get you ready …. free of charge.
SMALL CLASSES = PERSONAL ATTENTION: We are proud of his unmatched First IE Pass Rate: one of the ways this unmatched Fist IE Pass rate has been maintained has been by limiting class sizes to no more than 10 IDC Candidates, with a staff ratio of 5:1.
It is only by limiting Candidate numbers that ANY Course Director can spend the necessary time and personal attention that YOU need and deserve to fully develop your abilities.
3 day EANx & Emergency O2 IDC Preparation Course
To help make your IDC Prep a more realistic preparation to becoming a PADI Instructor in the real world, (as opposed to just passing an IE !!) we include the PADI EANx course theory and Practical Application Sessions into his IDC Preparation Course.
SHOULD YOU ALREADY HAVE EANX CERTIFICATION THEN YOU ARE INVITED TO TAKE THE EANx INSTRUCTOR COURSE IN PLACE !!!
IDC Prep is over three days and includes:
Day One
Course Induction
Review of the IDC Course Materials: PADI (PADI Guide to Teaching which has replaced the IDC Candidate Workbook, 16 Knowledge Reviews, Recent training bulletins, open water and confined water slates, Instructor manuals electronic / paper.). Since June 2010 the candidate workbook has been replaced by The Guide to Teaching
PADI Divemaster Physics
Lunch
PADI Divemaster Physiology
PADI Divemaster dive theory review: Skills and Environment
Knots
Day Two
PADI EANx( Enriched Air Nitrox) Dive theory Part 1
PADI EANx Diver Theory Part II
Lunch
PADI O2 Provider Course
CPR / First Aid Update / Care for Children
Dive skills circuits
Day Three
Dive skills practice in the pool
Skills Review in the pool: Exercise #7
Lift Bags
Lunch
PADI Divemaster Equipment
PADI Divemaster Recreational Dive Planner (RDP table and eRDPml )
I try to keep my candidates overheads down in a number of ways, this includes selling all PADI materials at a reduced cost of up to 45% off list price, providing breakfast and lunch during the IDC / EFRI / IE and the offer of FREE luxury aircon bungalow accommodation for the IDC, EFRI and IE.
The Resort pool has three depths; the shallowest end by the water fall is 1.2m, moving into deeper water towards the “drop off” is 1.6. Next to this is a vertical wall of 3m which is absolutely perfect for training students realistically in skills like ascents and descents, equalizing, neutral buoyancy exercises like hovering etc which is simply impossible in the shallow 2m pools. It is also ideal for practicing Lift Bag deployment and Rescues both of which are now assigned at the IE !!
The pool itself and the confined water training are without doubt the most important parts of your Instructor Development Training.
Your accommodation is located in the resort: air-conditioned rooms with fan, hot water, TV with English channels, telephone, safe and mini bar. Each bungalow also has its own large, private terrace close to the pool and there is an onsite restaurant where the IDC breakfast and lunch is served.
For some photos and info of the rooms and restaurant etc check out:
Please note: I cannot guarantee same sex twin share, as it depends on the number of candidates on that particular IDC program..
In October 2004 PADI Re-released the Rescue Diver Course, which was about time, the last edition was released in 1989 so there’s been a lot of changes in the way we dive, the equipment we use, medical protocol etc since then!
Assuming that you would be looking at work afterwards
We have a pretty successful Job Placement program, certainly every IDC Candidate I have had HAS SUCCESSFULLY been employed in the dive industry if they wanted it !!!
NOW first of all I obviously cannot guarantee anyone a job without ever having met them 🙂 it does depend on who you are, what you can offer the dive centre in question and of course being in the right place at the right time … !
We only employ staff who we have trained ourselves, with the exception of some freelance instructors although we give preference to those who we have trained ourselves as we know they meet our standards etc.
The way it generally works if we are unable to find work for you within our own companies is that you go around all the dive centres hand in your CV, your local phone number (you can now get “mobile pay as you go phones” easily and cheaply) and generally introduce yourself. Then as and when a “freelance” instructor is needed you will start to get called up when an extra body is needed.
As you start to get known and word gets around that you’re reliable, on time, not hung over etc you get called up more often until there’s a vacancy for a full time instructor with work permit etc and they offer you the job.
The important thing is to get your first job, that’s how you will get to know the dive sites, managers and other instructors. From then on changing job is relatively easy.
The other thing you can do to increase your chance of getting a job is to increase you qualifications to be able to offer the dive centres customers more.
Emergency First Response Instructor Training and Specialties are a good way to do this: I offer a full range of Specialty Instructor training immediately after all IEs. Especially popular are EANx, Wreck, Deep and Oxygen.
The EFRI course is now in the middle of the IDC for this reason.
So I CANNOT guarantee you one hundred percent that you will get a job immediately after certification, I can only say that all my past instructors HAVE successfully been employed in the Dive Industry and that I will do my very best to find you the right job in the right dive centre !!!
I would be very, very dubious of ANY Course Director or Dive Centre offering you work if you do your do your IDC with them without you ever having met them or them having met you … !!!!!
It should take around 2-4 months depending on how much you study but allowing for the normal durations of your courses, along with you taking a “usual” number of days off then I would allow 3 months.
Enquiry 2
I want to have a career in diving, I learn fast and am an Advanced Open Water Diver, I am seriously considering wanting to become a scuba diving instructor. Which package should i choose and how much would it come down to a total? and how many days would it take as total?
The duration of your entire program is about four to five weeks. From Rescue Diver to Open Water Scuba Instructor, including the Instructor Examination.
Rescue Diver Course
The PADI Rescue Diver will expand your knowledge and experience beyond the recreational level. You’ll learn to look beyond yourself and to consider the safety and well being of other divers. Although this course is serious, it is an enjoyable way to build your confidence.
Total Course duration: Four days.
Minimum Open Water Training: Ten exercises and four OW sessions over two days.
PADI materials required: Rescue Diver Manual
Emergency First response:
In order to meet the certification requirements for the Rescue Diver course you’ll need current CPR and First Aid training.
PADI’s EFR course meets the requirements and takes only one day to complete.
PADI materials required: EFR Student Manual
Divemaster course
The PADI Divemaster program is your first leadership level step in the PADI System of diver education.
As a PADI Divemaster, you will be qualified to:
Organize, conduct and supervise recreational diving activities, both land and boat based.
Assist PADI Instructors in conducting PADI Diver programs.
You will be doing a minimum of 20 dives during your DM course.
As a PADI Divemaster, with a minimum of 60 dives, you’ll meet the requirements for participating in the IDC (Instructor Development Course).
Your Instructor will be one of our highly experienced IDC Staff Instructors who knows how best to prepare you for your Instructor Development Program.
To qualify for PADI Divemaster training, you will need to:
Be certified as a PADI Rescue Diver (or equivalent).
Have logged a minimum of 20 open water dives prior to entry into PADI Divemaster training.
Be at least 18 years old.
Be in good physical condition for diving and submit a medical exam form signed by a physician
PADI Divemaster crew pack:
Divemaster Manual
Divemaster slates
2010 Instructor manual
Encyclopedia
Knowledge Workbook
Please note: Your Rescue and Divemaster courses can be scheduled to start at any time convenient for you. PADI requires a minimum course duration of 7 days for the DM course, but we recommend 2 weeks or more if your schedule permits. You’ll be able to log a minimum of 20 dives during your Divemaster course.
Instructor Development Course – IDC
Your IDC will include:
- 1) Poolside accommodation (twin-share) in nice spacious rooms (single accommodation is available, additional pre / post program days are extra)
- 2) Free EANx Nitrox Instructor course including Nitrox tanks for required training dives (PADI fees and materials are not included).
- 3) Daily breakfast & lunch
- 4) Airport pick-up.
- 5) Free e-mail & internet access. You are welcome to bring your laptop and benefit from our Wireless Network.
- 6) PADI’s latest program “Care for Children” integrated with the EFR Instructor course.
- 7) National Geographic Diver, eRDP and eLearning orientation.
- 8) A well-tested and success-proven IDC program with an outstanding IE passing rate,
- 9) Intensive 2-day IDC preparation including Skills- and Theory review/practice. Additional preparation days are complimentary.
- 10) Access to our swimming pool throughout your IDC, including tanks and weights for practice and access to our PADI library, PADI DVDs etc..
- 11) Unique IE guarantee with no conditions attached: We will invite you to do a second IDC AND IE free of charge, including your accommodation, breakfast and lunch, in the very unlikely event that you don’t pass a segment of the IE.
- 12) PADI materials and diving equipment: 20% off the list price.
- 13) The entire relaxed 9-day IDC, takes place at our comprehensive Career Development Center
- 14) Tropical resort environment – average water temperature 30º Celsius; Five air-conditioned classrooms; personal attention from your Course Director & his experienced Staff Instructors; effective Job Placement assistance.
- 15) Extra dive theory presentations, confined and open water skills workshops.
- 16) IE (Instructor Examination) preparation day, where you will be doing a mini IE similar to the real IE.
- 17) During the IE: free transfers, refreshments, tanks & weights, your IDC staff will be available for support throughout the IE.
- 18) IE graduation dinner and party.
- 19) PADI’s new and completely revised 2010 IDC Curriculum. We follow the new curriculum and use only the new IDC materials, including PADI’s Guide to Teaching and new Instructor Manual, both designed to be more streamlined and easier to use.
We will give you the total tuition fee for your EFR, Rescue Diver, Divemaster, EFR Instructor and IDC courses and this will include a complimentary Nitrox Instructor course. (PADI fees and materials not included).
Note: Effective March 2009, all new PADI instructors will need to be current EFR instructors or hold another current first aid and CPR instructor credential. The required EFR Instructor Manual costs extra.
Continuing education courses:
Your continuing education instructor courses take place after the IE. You can chose from: EANx Nitrox (complimentary), EFR, Care for Children, DSAT Gas Blender, Rebreather (Draeger Ray and Dolphin), U/W Video, DPV, Wreck, Deep, Shark, Digital U/W Photo, Oxygen, Navigation, Night, Naturalist, Multilevel, Boat, MSDT and IDC Staff Instructor.
Continuing education courses include tuition fees, beach dives, tanks and weights. Boat dives, PADI fees and training materials are not included.
Our Dive Leader and Management courses are available upon request.
PADI fees 2010 (payable directly to PADI):
IE (Instructor Examination): AUD 710
IDC Application fee: AUD 188 includes your Instructor Membership with PADI for 2010
EFR Instructor processing fee: AUD 120 includes the Care for Children Instructor certification fee
Specialty Instructor processing fee: AUD 69 per Specialty
2010 IDC Materials
- The new 2010 IDC Crew Pack (required by PADI)
- PADI’s Guide to Teaching
- Confined Water Lesson Preparation Slate
- Open Water Training Dive Lesson Planning Slate
- Confined Water Cue Cards
- Open Water Cue Cards
- Specialty Instructor Manual, all specialties – digital version
- PADI Pro log Book
- The Law and The Diving Professional manual
- Open Water Diver Quizzes & Exams booklet
- Rescue Diver Final Exams booklet
- Divemaster Final Exams booklet
- Adventures in Diving Aquatic Cue Cards
- Rescue Diver Aquatic Cue Cards
- Discover Scuba Diving Cue Card
Business of Diving, Children & Scuba Diving, Best of The UJ – digital version
All other IDC course materials are available at our Career Development Center’s complete and updated PADI library throughout your IDC and IE.
You are welcome to purchase the materials via your local dive center or elsewhere if you prefer. Please note that we will be happy to send you the materials you’ll need for your preparation.
I recommend that your Rescue and Divemaster courses start a minimum of three weeks prior to your IDC.
The PADI 5 Star Career Development Center (CDC) classification is awarded to PADI 5 Star IDCs that conduct additional instructor-level training and meet requirements for assisting dive leaders in reaching their educational and professional goals.
PADI 5 Star CDCs offer career-oriented training to prepare dive professionals for employment in the dive industry as well as offering job placement assistance for program graduates. PADI 5 Star CDCs are committed to training dive leaders and conducting career development programs.
IDC Facilities
Onsite swimming pool especially designed for dive training, spacious and computerized air-con classrooms, PADI library, Nitrox, Gas Blending, free ADSL e-mail and internet access, WI FI, Skype access, showers, change rooms, poolside restaurant and candidate accommodation. Everything within walking distance, no need to rent a car or bike.
Our location means more time learning, less time wasted!
By attending your IDC with a PADI Career Development Center – CDC – you will send a strong signal to your future employers:
Your attitude towards becoming a diving professional is strong and sincere, therefore, it is worth going the extra mile to achieve your goal.
Instructor graduates from PADI CDCs receive a special Gold instructor certification card upon completion of their IDC/IE.
Do you meet the prerequisites to attend the IDC/IE?
- Be certified as a PADI Assistant Instructor or PADI Divemaster OR as a current instructor/dive leader member with another recreational diver training organization
- Be at least 18 years of age.
- Submit medical clearance for diving signed by a physician within the last 12 months (PADI Medical Statement recommended).
- Have been a certified diver for at least 6 months and logged at least 60 dives (IDC requirement).
- Have been a certified diver for at least 6 months and logged at least 100 dives (I.E. requirement, see Special IE option).
- Submit proof of CPR training within the past 24 months.
Special IE option for Scuba Career Candidates:
Since we are a PADI Career Development Center, you can participate in the IE prior to meeting the experience requirement of 100 dives, when enrolled in five of the CDC pre- and/or post-IDC courses (Pre-study, EFR and all Specialty courses qualify).
Candidates who successfully complete a PADI IDC conducted by the CDC may attend a PADI IE if they have been certified divers for at least six months, have logged at least 60 dives and are certified PADI Assistant Instructors (the AI course is now part of the IDC).
Certification as a PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor will take place when the 100 dives requirement has been met.
Job Placement Assistance:
We have a well-established Job Placement Assistance and have been successful in securing good positions for the majority of our candidates.
We will look forward to see you here at our CDC for your Instructor Development Program. We will not only meet, but also exceed your expectations.
Our success builds on the fact that we love to dive and are committed to provide our candidates with the very best. Our facilities are just one example of that commitment.
Upon enrolment, you will receive confirmation of your place and my detailed preparation letter with valuable tips on how to best prepare for your new career. You will also receive confirmation of your accommodation at the diving college and complimentary airport pick-up.
Enquiry 3
I am just curious as I’m set to do the IDC with Warren this coming June in the Philippines, as far as the course materials you sent me, now that the IDC has changed a bit is there anything revelant I should know concerning the process and your information? I’m sure Warren will ‘clue me in’, just curious though! As Im always up on trying to be ‘up’ on new dive theory infomation.
Answer
The dive theory has not changed, just they have an online option for study which costs $100 and is valid for 12 months, so I think the idc pack might be a better alternative, especially as it can be accessed offline.
The IDC curriculum has changed and all CD’s have to implement by July this year
There has been a shift in materials, Instructor manual downsized, old IDC candidate workbook replaced with new ‘Guide to teaching’ that incorporates part of the Instructor manual and is designed to be used after the IDC and IE exams.
Enquiry 4
Hi I am an open water diver who would like to train through to my instructor rating before entering the U.S. Coast Guard in the fall. I know that training from beginner through instructor is an odd way to proceed. My Dad is an “old-school” PADI professional who learned to dive in the mid-70s, worked as a lifeguard, and didn’t become an instructor until 83’, would never have normally recommended this route but on reflection is the best one available to me. The modern dive instructor has a great training program to rely upon, so there seems to be much less reliance on individual instructor strength and experience. I am an Eagle Scout who has accomplished a great deal of very physically challenging stuff already, I am extremely fit, and I understand all the related physics. So in summary I am interested in doing my IDC and EFRI with you this year. Could you please give me an all inclusive cost of the course and include the cost of all the PADI mandatory books and equipment.
Enquiry 5
I am a CMAS 2 Star diver and I would like to become a dive instructor and would like to know at what area would i have to start at and how long it would take if i was doing it full time
Answer
The certification CMAS 2 star is equivalent to PADI Rescue Diver which means that all you would need to do is your PADI Divemaster Course and then you would be able to enroll straight into the PADI Instructor Development Course – IDC.
So your first step into the PADI system would be that of PADI Divemaster: The DM Course would be your first professional level PADI course and it this course with which you have the most flexibility, whether taking the Career Development Option or the stand alone package.
I would say that you should be looking realistically at 3 weeks plus, although it can be done in about 7-10 days but but the longer the course the more you will get out of it although to a degree what you get out also depends on what you put in.
Although NOT officially part of the PADI Divemaster course we do like to add some additional features to it. For example we like to introduce Divemaster Trainees (DMTs) to compressor use and maintenance, scuba tank filling and carrying, basic over-hauling of dive equipment; i.e. sorting out the usual problems with constantly occur, like the o-rings which always go in the swivel of the HP hose and SPG, as well as an orientation to the retail side of the operation which is essential to any successful dive company.
Take a look at our IDC FAQs