As a PADI Assistant Instructor, you not only gain additional experience as a PADI Professional scuba diver, but you also start learning the PADI System of diver education. You can act as an instructional scuba assistant and assume limited teaching responsibilities. It’s a great way to gain experience in order to become a scuba instructor!

The PADI Assistant Instructor Course is at its best when its conducted by PADI 5 Star Instructor Development Centers such as Central Coast Dive Center.

The PADI Assistant Instructor course is the first portion of the PADI Instructor Development Course (IDC) and when followed by the Open Water Scuba Instructor (OWSI) course and successful performance at the Instructor Examination (IE), leads to certification as a PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor.

The Fun Part

Get high quality mentoring from an experienced Central Coast Dive Center IDC Staff Instructor, while gaining hands-on experience teaching students!  Central Coast currently staffs 2 Master Instructors and 3 IDC Staff Instructors who actively teach and mentor our DM, AI and OSWI candidates, in addition to regularly teaching OW, AOW, Specialty, and other PADI courses for CCDC.

You’ll learn from active, well-qualified professional instructors who face the challenges of teaching new diving students every day, and who are able to communicate their insights and teaching techniques to you in a hands-on environment.

What You Learn

You build upon your abilities to organize and supervise scuba diving activities, while concentrating on developing teaching skills. You learn through:

• Knowledge development through self-study, quizzes, lectures and presentations

• Confined water skill review and assessment, workshops and presentations

• Open water workshops, rescue assessment and candidate presentations

The PADI Assistant Instructor Course consists of these sections:

• Module 1: Academic Training

  • PADI Discover Scuba Diving and Snorkeling Programs

  • Developing Knowledge Development Presentations

  • Teaching Project AWARE and Peak Performance Buoyancy Specialties

  • Teaching in Confined Water

  • Conducting Open Water Training Presentations

• Module 2: Independent Study

  • Knowledge Development

• Module 3: Practical Application

  • Confined Water and Open Water Teaching Presentations

  • Standards Exam

  • Dive Rescue Skills Assessment

What You Can Teach

In addition to the responsibilities and duties you already have as a PADI Divemaster, as a PADI Assistant Instructor you can:

• Teach academic presentations under the indirect supervision of a PADI Instructor

• During confined water dives, present initial skills training under the direct

• supervision of a PADI Instructor

• Evaluate Open Water Diver surface skills under the indirect supervision of a PADI Instructor

• Teach and certify PADI Peak Performance Buoyancy Specialty Divers under the direction of a PADI Instructor

• Teach Project AWARE Specialty courses

• Teach the AWARE Coral Reef Conservation specialty course

• Conduct PADI Discover Scuba Diving experiences in a pool or confined water

• Conduct PADI Seal Team AquaMissions

• Teach PADI Digital Underwater Photographer specialty courses under the direction of a PADI Instructor after earning the PADI Digital Underwater Photographer Specialty Instructor rating

At a glance, compare what you can teach when you continue your professional diver education.

The Scuba Gear You Use

You use all the basic scuba equipment and some scuba accessories such as a dive slate, dive knife, compass, dive watch, etc.

It is highly recommended that you own all of your own scuba equipment, as familiarity with personal gear improves general scuba diving skills. You can find everything you need at Central Coast Dive Center’s on-site dive shop.

The Learning Materials You Need

The PADI IDC crewpak includes all the materials needed to prepare for a PADI Assistant Instructor or Open Water Scuba Instructor course. The 23-item pack includes:

• Instructor cue cards for PADI’s core courses (OW, AOW, Rescue and Divemaster)

• IDC Candidate Workbook and related reference materials,

• Lesson planning slates for confined and open water

• Quiz and exam booklets for the core courses

• Specialty outlines for Project AWARE

• PADI Instructor Manual.

Prerequisites

You must

• Be a PADI Divemaster or qualifying certification from another certification organization

• Be at least 18 years old

• Have 60 logged dives, including night, deep, and navigation dives

• Have been a certified diver for at least 6 months

• Have CPR and First Aid Training within the last 24 months

• Be fit for diving and submit a Medical Statement signed by a physician within the last 12 months

• Want a fun and exciting career!