Choosing a PADI Instructor Development Course comes down to seven factors: where you want to work afterwards, the Course Director, the facilities, the setting, the price, the opportunities once you qualify, and whether an internship is on offer. This guide walks through each one. It is written for Divemasters, and Rescue Divers planning ahead, who are weighing up where to take the step to instructor.
Where to take your IDC is not a decision that should be taken lightly – it’s a huge financial commitment so it’s understandable that you want to make sure you choose somewhere that suits your needs exactly. For many, taking the course also involves taking precious time off work so the right choice is a must. Here are 7 elements which we’ve learned over the years need thinking through to arrive at the right decision.
Where Do You Want to Work?
Choosing your preferred location first will help you to narrow down the options in that area. South East Asia is not only home to some of the world’s best diving regions, it’s also home to a lot of dive operators. When dive centers are hiring staff they will often look for people who have travelled to the region before, so by selecting South East Asia you are making yourself potentially suitable to a lot of future employers. A
t the heart of South East Asia is Indonesia, and we run PADI IDCs from three incredible locations in Bali: Amed, Nusa Penida and Sanur – what’s more is we also have dive centers on Bunaken Island and in the Lembeh Strait, North Sulawesi. Across our dive centers you’ll be exposed to a range of diving conditions and a range of customers should you opt for an Instructor Internship with us.
The Course Director
As with any education professional, experience counts. Check the credentials of the Course Director before signing up. All of our instructor courses are taught by Course Director Restuning – the first female Indonesian PADI Course Director. She has been teaching on IDCs for more than 9 years, the last 3 of them with us, and she teaches the IDC in English, Indonesian and Dutch.
Restuning is permanent staff at Two Fish (we don’t use freelance Course Directors), so you train directly with her in small groups from start to finish. She is also a yoga teacher and freediving instructor, and offers free optional yoga sessions every day of the IDC.
Once you have a shortlist, it pays to interview the person who will actually be training you. We’ve put together the specific questions to ask a PADI Course Director before you commit.
The Facilities
The diving is an important issue – it’s nice to enjoy quality dive sites and diverse marine life (and we have plenty of that in Indonesia), but a lot of time is spent in the classroom and pool too. An onsite pool will mean more learning time rather than travelling back and forth to other locations, and onsite classrooms will mean that you can leave manuals you are not using there.
City or Beach?
Not all Instructor Development Centers are located in areas that are close to the beach so if you know that you don’t want to be in a town and travelling to and from dive sites by road, check the location in advance. At Two Fish you can pick either style: our Amed and Nusa Penida IDC locations are right by the beach, while Sanur gives you a city base with shops, restaurants and easy airport access.
The Price
We’d love to say that price isn’t important but realistically we all have budgets and limitations so think about what you are comfortable with alongside the value for money you are getting. At the end of the day most IDC prices are very similar regardless of the location, but you need to consider other costs that may or may not be included – such as the cost of living, accommodations, food, socializing etc. Budget accommodation is available at all of our locations, and being in South East Asia food and drink are cheap compared to in other parts of the world.
While it’s not nice to think about it’s important to know what will happen should you fail the PADI Instructor Exams. On these very rare occasions, we have your back: if you complete our IDC and don’t pass your Instructor Examination, we provide additional training and a free IDC retake at no extra cost.
And if the cost of the full IDC is a stretch right now, consider starting with the PADI Assistant Instructor course, which splits both the training and the investment into two stages.
Opportunities After the Course
Once you’ve taken your PADI Instructor Development Course you’ll want to start working. At Two Fish Divers, our unique internships will prepare you for just that and even more importantly, give you experience on your CV so you stand out from “newbies”. For those who successfully complete Instructor Internships with us, we’ll provide a recommendation letter that you can use when applying for positions. We also aim to recruit from our own IDC candidates and have numerous dive center contacts throughout Indonesia.
Internships
We also offer internship options of varying lengths according to your available time – we also welcome corresponding with you beforehand to find out exactly what you are looking for. We offer standalone PADI IDC programs in a choice of world-class Indonesian diving locations. For those who want longer programs and to gain more experience, our free Instructor Internship allows you to gain up to 2 months of invaluable real-life experience in a busy diving center and working with real students.
Ready to Choose Your IDC?
Of course, we’d love for you to join us for an IDC at Two Fish Divers. You’ll find dates, pricing and everything that’s included on our PADI IDC page. If you are still unsure about where to go or if one of our IDC programs is exactly right for you, please do contact us. We’ll get back to you as soon as possible with direct and honest answers and advice.
We look forward to being a part of your journey towards becoming a PADI Instructor.
