PADI Recommended Professional Diver Courses
Divemaster Course
The PADI Divemaster course is your first level of professional training. As a divemaster, you can demonstrate exemplary diving skills, rescue skills and dive management and supervision abilities. For many divemasters, this is just the beginning of their professional journey.
Instructor Development Course
The Instructor Development Course (IDC) is the cornerstone of PADI’s professional-level training. The course focuses on preparing you to function as a PADI Assistant Instructor or Open Water Scuba Instructor by introducing you to the complete PADI System. The course focuses your ability on using all components of the system as a professional dive educator.
Emergency First Response Instructor Course
The Emergency First Response Instructor course trains you to teach Primary Care (CPR) and Secondary Care (First Aid) for adults, children and infants. By acquiring this credential, you can provide necessary training to meet prerequisites for Rescue Diver and Divemaster courses. You need this credential to become an Open Water Scuba Instructor.
Specialty Instructor Courses
In addition to becoming an Open Water Scuba Instructor, you will want to earn some specialty instructor ratings so that you can offer a variety of training to your student divers. Specialty instructor courses provide valuable teaching tips for meeting the requirements of the course. You can choose from any of the 27 standard specialty courses that PADI offers along with distinctive specialty courses your Course Director may offer. Having five specialty instructor ratings is a prerequisite for the Master Scuba Diver Trainer (MSDT) rating.
IDC Staff Instructor Course
The IDC Staff Instructor course trains Master Scuba Diver Trainers to act as assistants during instructor-level training courses. The course overviews the entire PADI Instructor Development program and requires candidates to participate in evaluation training, demonstrate role model teaching skills and dive theory knowledge.
Course Director Training Course
The Course Director rating denotes the highest instructor achievement in the PADI System. Those obtaining this prestigious level are among the most influential in the dive industry, serving as role models for other scuba instructors. The Course Director Training Course provides candidates with valuable marketing tips and advanced training in how to teach instructor–level courses, which range from IDCs to specialty instructor courses. Contact your PADI five star IDC dive shop or resort and begin your journey toward this coveted rating.