The PADI Instructor Development Course
OUR MULTI-PLATINUM AWARD WINNING COURSE DIRECTOR
Will Welbourn being awarded one of his platinum awards.
In my 20 Years as a dive pro, I have never seen such demand for instructors. 2020 and all the negative things that the COVID pandemic brought, where bad for many people. However, what it has brought is a huge demand for travel after being denied the opportunity for too long. This is why PADI scuba instructors are currently so sought after. Now is an amazing time to choose teaching diving as a new career.
PADI Course Director Will Welbourn is the longest-serving Course Director in the entire Bay Islands. His wealth of experience will ensure you get the best training possible. Will isn’t there to teach you to pass the PADI Instructor Exam, he is there to teach you the skills you need to succeed as a scuba instructor. Passing the PADI IE is easy, the real test is teaching your first course. If you choose to do the instructor training with us, you and your future students will be glad you did.
The course will prepare you to succeed way beyond the Instructor Exam. You need to be given real-life examples of what a student may do when you do your IDC and be prepared for the unexpected. Will's huge experience is what makes it possible for him to create these real-life scenarios for you to deal with as part of your instructor development course.
Small IDC class size
One of the huge advantages of choosing to do your PADI instructor course with us is the small class size that we GUARANTEE. You will not be in a class larger than 8, the average class size is just 3. Do not underestimate the value this represents to you. Since the whole course is focused on practicing your teaching techniques both in the classroom and in the water, a small group means that YOU get more practice. Watching other people practice does have quite a lot of value, you can learn as much from others as you can by playing the instructor role yourself, but there are limits. We have held IDCs with larger groups in the past and made the decision that six is the maximum class size to strike the right balance. Another reason for small class sizes is to avoid excessively long days. Our average day during the instructor course is 9 am to 4 pm with at least 1 hour for lunch. This gives you time to have a good breakfast or get in some morning exercise before class. Finishing at 4 pm allows you time to get your homework done and still have time to have a good evening meal and enjoy some relaxation time. People tend to perform better when they are not mentally and physically exhausted!
When asked to summarize what he thinks sets his PADI Instructor Course apart He said:
““I encourage creativity and imaginative points of view. During my IDC, instructor candidates quickly gain the confidence to analyze situations and take a flexible approach to problem-solving. There is no one PADI way to do things, objectives can be achieved in many different ways. I want my instructor candidates to teach with the same open-minded, flexible approach that I have. The key to an enjoyable instructor course is discussion and plenty of it. Creating a relaxed informal atmosphere is step one when you want to encourage discussion. You won’t come out of my IDC having been taught how to do things my way, you will come out with the skills you need to teach well, YOUR way.””
THE PADI Instructor Course training philisophy
Successful IDC candidates after the PADI instructor exam
The PADI IDC and EFRI course is a twelve-day course. This is followed by the 2-day instructor exam, conducted by a PADI examiner, here in the Bay Islands. Usually, the exam is here on Roatan, occasionally it is on the nearby Island of Utila. We have an IDC scheduled every month. You need to be a Divemaster to take the course. You are welcome to come a week or two before the course starts and get some diving and practice in all included in the course price. We can work with you brushing up your Divemaster skills and ensure you are fully prepared to start the IDC. Every student gets their own fully customized IDC prep course with us.
The PADI IDC classroom
Our confined water scuba training pool. Also a good place to hang out and do your homework!
Our classroom has WiFi, Air Conditioning and right outside is a pool for confined water training if necessary. We will usually be using the ocean!
The Ocean conditions are ideal for the instructor development course almost year round. Half moon bay has crystal clear water and perfect sand patches which don’t silt up for practicing confined water presentations. We then have a selection of Open water sites within a 15-minute boat ride. We will go to a few different sites to give you practice at assessing a site for training purposes. However, all the sites have excellent visibility and warm calm water. Benign conditions like this make the instructor training far less stressful.
Debriefing after an Instructor Development Course Open Water presentation.
You are going to have fun dealing with what Will throws at you, he will keep you on your toes from the start of the day to end, always with a smile on his face. He is quick to praise and explains your areas of weakness in a way that makes it easy to improve next time. You will always be given clear action points that allow you to improve your performance next time. Few people enjoy having their performance analyzed and criticized, but this is an essential part of both the Divemaster and Instructor development course, Will’s interpersonal skills and extensive feedback training will give you a great head start in developing your training skills. You will learn a lot from Will’s feedback style, which is a skill every instructor needs to develop to have a successful and enjoyable career winning people's respect and making many friends along the way.
Book now!
Choose an instructor package based on your current certification level.