The A-1/PADI Assistant Instructor Course

 

Overview

Congratulations on your decision to become a PADI Assistant Instructor. This course will likely be one of the most challenging diving programs you've taken and at the same time, it will be one of the most rewarding.

We invite you to attend an orientation session where we will review the course requirements and learn about how we can help you achieve your professional diving goals. Your instructor will provide you with “The Calendar of Excitement” that will provide you with the specific schedule of events for your course. Prior to your first scheduled class session, you will complete the nine Online Independent Study sections outlined below. Then you will participate in three days of training including: lectures/confined water skill circuit evaluation, classroom/confined water teaching presentations and open water skills evaluation/rescue assessment.

Since there is a tremendous amount of information that will be covered over a short period of time, we recommend that you review the following information outlining the important steps to help prepare you for this exciting course.

Finally, we want you to enjoy yourself! There's nothing more exciting and gratifying than teaching others about the fun, adventure and excitement of diving. We welcome you to the course and plan to do everything in our power to help you succeed.

Prerequisites for the Assistant Instructor Course

To enroll in the AI course you must:

• Have dive leader certification – PADI Divemaster or leadership-level certification with a recognized recreational diver training organization and be either:

  a. an instructor member in good standing, or...

  b. a diver with proof of certification in diver supervision and management including proof of rescue diving certification; 60 logged dives; documented experience in night diving, deep diving and underwater navigation.

• Be at least 18 years of age.
• Provide proof of medical clearance attesting to dive fitness signed by a physician within the previous 12 months. The physician signing the form may not be the applicant.
• Have been a certified diver for at least six months and have completed and logged at least 60 open water scuba dives (as documented in your log book) and have documentation of experience in deep, night and navigation diving.
• Submit proof of EFR Primary and Secondary Care course completion (or qualifying training) within the past 24 months.
• Submit documentation of any equivalent certification for entry-level, advanced, rescue and leadership-level training if the certification was issued by another recreational diver training organization.
• Successfully complete the PADI Divemaster course diver rescue skills assessment, if not a PADI Divemaster.

Performance Requirements

To successfully complete a PADI Assistant Instructor program, you must meet the following performance requirements:

1. Complete the following Online Independent Study sections, found on the PADI website.
Note: There is a separate fee for this service:

a. Learning, Instruction and the PADI System
b. General Standards and Procedures
c. Risk Management
d. Marketing Diving
e. Start Diving
f. Teaching PADI Specialty Courses
g. Business of Diving
h. Keep Diving
i. How to Teach the Recreational Dive Planner (RDP) Note: this is optional for current PADI members but required for crossover candidates

2. Participate in the following IDC curriculum components:

a. Course Orientation
b. Developing Knowledge Development Presentations

i. Knowledge Development Teaching Presentations 1 and 2
ii. 4 E's Counseling Workshop 1

c. Teaching in Confined Water

i. Skills Demonstration Workshop
ii. Confined Water Teaching Presentations 1 and 2

d. Conducting Open Water Dives

i. Open Water Teaching Presentation 1
ii. Rescue Exercise Workshop

3. Present two knowledge development teaching presentation, scoring a minimum of 3.5 on at least one.

4. Present two confined water teaching presentations, scoring a minimum of 3.4 on at least one.

5. Present one integrated (two skills) open water teaching presentation, scoring a minimum
of 3.4 on each skill.

6. Perform all 20 dive skills in the Skill Evaluation, scoring a minimum of 68 total points, with no individual score below 3.

7. Score 75 percent on the PADI Systems, Standards and Procedures Exam and have any missed questions reviewed until mastery is achieved. A retest will be required for candidates scoring less than 75 percent.

8. Complete the PADI Divemaster course – Diver Rescue assessment in open water.

Required Materials

Prior to the start of the program, you must have the following current PADI materials for study and use during the course and for reference afterwards. Note: Some of the items were purchased in previous course. The majority of the remaining items can be purchased in an IDC Candidate Kit.

• Instructor Manual
• PADI's Guide to Teaching
• PADI Specialty Course Instructor Manual, or these specialty course instructor guides: Peak Performance Buoyancy, Project AWARE and AWARE-Coral Reef Conservation
• PADI Open Water manual
• Recreational Dive Planner – RDP Table and eRDPml, including Instructions for Use booklets
  
• How to Use and Choose Dive Computers book
  
• Open Water Diver Quizzes and Exam Booklet
  
• Adventures in Diving Manual
  
• Rescue Diver Manual
  
• Rescue Diver Final Exams Booklet
  
• PADI Divemaster Manual
  
• Divemaster Final Exams Booklet
  
• Aquatic Cure Cards – Confined Water, Open Water, Adventures In Diving, Rescue, Divemaster and Discover Scuba Diving
  
• Confined Water Lesson Preparation Slate
  
• Open Water Training Dive Lesson Planning Slate
  
• The Encyclopedia of Recreational Diving
  
• Diving Knowledge Workbook or eRecord for Dive Theory Online

Registration Steps and Policies

 

Step 1

• Enroll in the AI Course (see below)
• Course fee $350.00 includes all classroom and pool training and the use of tanks and weights. It does not include: PADI Online Independent Study fees, manuals, slates, quizzes, PADI processing fee $67, other diving equipment, transportation, entry fees to open water sites, lodging or meals.
• Submit a $150.00 deposit. The balance will be due the first day of the course.
• Cancellations made less than two weeks before the course will result in a forfeit of the deposit. There will be NO refunds after the starting date of the course.

Step 2

• Complete the nine required PADI Online Independent Study sections prior to your first day of the class.  There is a separate fee of $325 paid to PADI for this service.
  
• To purchase the IDC Online Independent Study, follow these steps:
  1 – Visit www.padi.com/elearning, choose Instructor Development Course from the drop down menu and click on “Start Today.”
  2 - Create an account if you have never taken a PADI eLearning course before.
  3 - Fill out credit card information for your purchase.
  4 - Begin the Instructor Development Course Online

Step 3

• Print out and bring these completed forms to your first class session.
  • Assistant Instructor Application (PDF)
  • Instructor Candidate Information and Training Record (PDF)
  • Knowledge Development Evaluation Form (print two) (PDF)
  • Skill Development Score Sheet (PDF)
  • Medical Form (PDF)
  • Confined Water Presentation Evaluation (print one) (PDF)
  • Open Water Presentation Evaluation (print one) (PDF)
• You will need to provide your own: Mask, Snorkel, Fins, BCD, Low Pressure Inflator, Regulator, Alternate Air Source, SPG, Weight System, Compass, Emergency Signaling Device, Slates, Exposure Suit, Timing Device, Depth Gauge and Knife. Tanks and Weights will be provided.
  
• You will be expected to maintain a positive attitude and work in a friendly manner with your fellow candidates and IDC Staff members.
  
• Please note that makeup session can get very costly, at $85 per hour, so please try to attend everything during our scheduled meetings.

Dress

Day to day attire should be that of a diving professional. No lewd clothing will be allowed.

 

Punctuality

Because there is a tremendous amount of material to cover in the course, you will need to come to class prepared and on time.

Optional Dive Theory Online - $110

During your Divemaster course, you learned about Dive Theory (Physics, Physiology, Skills & Environment, the Recreational Dive Planner and Equipment).  If you plan to continue your education and attend the OWSI (Open Water Instructor Course) and the PADI IE (Instructor Exam), you will once again be evaluated on your knowledge of these topics.  The Dive Theory Online provides an excellent opportunity for you to refresh and refine your dive theory knowledge.  Note:  there is a separate fee of $110 for this service.

To purchase the Dive Theory Online, follow these easy steps:
1 - Visit  www.padi.com/elearning, choose Dive Theory from the drop down menu and click on “Start Today”
2 - Create an account if you have never taken a PADI eLearning course before
3 - Fill out credit card information for your purchase
4 - Begin the Dive Theory Online course

 

And Finally

Your key to success is to be prepared and willing to learn new information, new techniques, and the "Formulas for Success." Our job is to do everything possible to help make you the best Assistant Instructor you can be and ultimately get you prepared for the Open Water Scuba Instructor course. Our standards are high and we expect that you will give 100% effort at all times.

So get ready for the time of your life. We look forward to helping you to reach your goal.

Sincerely,

Scott Taylor
Course Director

 

GO PRO!