PADI Assistant Instructor (AI)

If you have a passion for scuba diving and want an extraordinary life - If you want to become a PADI Instructor. Teaching scuba diving allows you to share your love of the aquatic world with others while doing what you enjoy - being in, around and under water.

PADI Open Water Scuba Instructors and PADI Assistant Instructors are the most sought-after dive professionals around the world because they've completed the program that sets the standard for training dive professionals.

You earn a PADI Instructor rating through hard work and commitment, but you're rewarded with a job that lets you share incredible underwater adventures with others - transforming their lives for the better and enriching yours.

Are you ready to join the ranks of the dedicated professionals who teach the world's most progressive and popular scuba diver education programs? Then Go PRO with an Instructor Development Course.

The Instructor Development Course (IDC) is made up of two parts -

The Assistant Instructor (AI) course and The Open Water Scuba Instructor (OWSI) program.

Most dive professionals complete the entire IDC and go on to attend an Instructor Examination (IE), which is the final step to earn a PADI Instructor certification.

Successfully completing just the Assistant Instructor course (AI) results in a PADI Assistant Instructor qualification.

When an AI is ready to progress, attending an OWSI program allows entry into an IE to earn a full PADI Instructor rating.

Who Can Enroll on the PADI AI?

A PADI Divemaster who has been a certified diver for six months, may enroll in the AI Course.

You also need:

• At least 60 logged dives to start the AI Course.
• Emergency First Response Primary and Secondary Care (CPR and First Aid) training within the past 24 months.
• A medical statement signed by a physician within the last 12 months.

Dive leadership who hold a leadership-level certification rating with another diver training organization may be eligible to enroll directly in the AI Course.

What Will You Learn?

Building on skills and abilities to organize and supervise scuba diving activities, during the Assistant Instructor course we will focus on developing teaching skills.

Over a minimum of five days, but usually more like seven, the AI teaches you to conduct some of PADI core courses. You'll be able to organize and present information, conduct skill development sessions and control open water dives. Basically, you become a better public speaker and get really good at demonstrating skills while watching out for student diver safety.

PADI Assistant Instructor Course has two parts; the online section and the Course Director or Staff Instructor led portion.

The online section includes the following subjects within the e-learning part of your digital Crew Pack.

1. Getting Started
2. PADI System Overview
3. Learning, Instruction and the PADI System
4. Discover Scuba Diving and Experience Programs
5. Risk Management and Legal Considerations
6. Managing Risk
7. PADI Quality Management and Licensing
8. Introduction to Teaching Presentations
9. Conducting and Evaluating Knowledge Development
10. Confined Water Training
11. Open Water Training

The rest of the AI curriculum is Course Director or IDC Staff Instructor led and consists of the following subjects:

• Orientation
• PADI System Workshop
• Learning and Teaching Workshop
• Discover Scuba Diving Workshop
• Risk Management and Licensing Workshop
• Knowledge Development Presentation Workshop and Candidate Knowledge Development Presentations
• Skill Development Workshop
• Confined Water Training Workshop and Candidate Confined Water Teaching Presentations
• Open Water Training Workshop and Candidate Open Water Teaching Presentations

What can I teach as PADI AI?

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

• Teach classroom presentations (under the indirect supervision of a PADI Instructor)
• Present initial skill training during Confined water training (under the direct supervision of a PADI Instructor)
• Evaluate Open Water diver course 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 AWARE Coral Reef Conservation specialty courses
• Conduct the PADI Discover Scuba Diver experience in a swimming pool or an open confined water environment
• Conduct PADI Seal Team Aqua Missions
• Teach the PADI Digital Underwater Photography specialty course (under the direction of a PADI Instructor) after earning the PADI Digital Underwater Photography Specialty Instructor rating 

Are you ready to begin your journey?

Contact us  for private counseling and to help plan your next steps as a dive professional. 

Your dream of becoming a PADI Pro starts today. Let us show you how!