Are you ready to take the plunge into the world of scuba diving as a professional instructor? Choosing the right instructor course is crucial to your diving career and will significantly impact your future opportunities.
At Crystal Dive in Koh Tao, we offer the renowned PADI Instructor Development Course (IDC), and we want to ensure you make the best choice for your training. In this blog post, we will guide you through essential factors to consider when selecting your instructor course.
Accreditation and Reputation
The Dive Center and Course Director you chose will have a huge impact on your course, and more importantly your future career. They can have as much influence to make or break your future in the diving industry.
Dive Center
In order to offer an IDC a dive center needs to be within the PADI system and rated as a “Instructor Development Center”. This is not the only ranking available for centers offering IDC’s, the top level of PADI center is called a 5-star Career Development Center. Worldwide there are only around 100 Career Development Centers out of the 6700+ PADI dive centers; meaning they represent only 1.5% of the centers around the globe.
According to PADI; “a PADI 5 Star Career Development Center (CDC) classification is awarded to PADI Five Star Instructor Development Centers and Five Star Instructor Development Dive Resorts that dedicate their businesses to professional development for dive instructors. These dive shops meet the highest requirements for training PADI Professionals and offer career-oriented programs to prepare scuba diving professionals for employment in the dive industry, as well as offer job placement assistance for program graduates. PADI Five Star CDCs are committed to excellence and provide divers with the opportunity to live the dive lifestyle”
Crystal Dive achieved its Career Development Center ranking more than 2 decades ago and has managed to retain this until the current day. They have done this by training thousands of dive leaders; from Divemaster to Master Instructor, with some graduates even progressing to the prestigious Course Director Ranking, or even working in positions with PADI themselves. Throughout its 26 years Crystal Dive has certified over 130,000 students and counting making it one of the world’s most popular and successful dive centers.
Course Director and Staff
The instructor who is in control and is responsible for any Instructor Development Centre has to be a Course Director- the highest ranking of instructor within the PADI system. Its obviously very important that this Course Director is up to date and competent conveying all relevant information and instruction to you. Not only this, you want an experienced and active Instructor or even better, an instructing team. Within PADI Course Directors receive different awards based on how active they are within the industry. The awards are Silver, Gold and Platinum, the latter being the highest. Out of the roughly 1800 Course directors around the world only about 3.5% are Platinum Course Directors meaning there is 65 PADI Platinum Course Directors around the world.
A lot of Course Directors like to have a team of people helping with your IDC, IDC Staff Instructors & Master Instructors to translators. This means you receive lots of attention and guidance from various sources and different perspectives. We think this is vital for your development.
Here at Crystal Dive we are lucky to have 3 Platinum Course Directors and are 1 of 2 dive centers in Asia Pacific that have that number. We are proud to have our 3 platinum course Directors being supported by 6 Master Instructors and 3 IDC Staff Instructors with more than 115 years of collective experience in the dive industry. Nowhere worldwide will you find such a wealth of experience and top ranking PADI Instructors.
Location and Facilities
Location
The environment in which you will be training can significantly affect your education. Choose a location with abundant diving sites and favorable conditions. A location wherein after your training you have the maximum chances for employment opportunities, is something to take into account.
Koh Tao is known for its stunning underwater ecosystems, vibrant marine life and favorable year-round diving conditions. Not only this, the accessibility of the sites on the island is unmatched. 95% of the 35+ sites on the island are reachable in under an hour’s boat ride, with many of the sites being accessible by shore. Koh Tao is known as a “Mecca” of diver training worldwide, because of this there is an extraordinary amount of dive centers around the island, over 70 in number! Because of all of this, it makes Koh Tao the perfect backdrop for your training and future career development.
Facilities & Amenities
Additionally, a very important factor to consider is the facilities available at the dive center. including but not limited to: classrooms, boats, pools, accommodation & equipment availability.
We are happy to tell you about our facilities which include: 7 purpose-built A/C classrooms, 2 purpose built training pools with access to 2 more, and 2 High-capacity dive boats moored at our private pier.
Our equipment room is enviable, even if we do say ourselves. Boasting over 120 full sets of equipment including wrist-mounted computers & Sidemount gear. There is ample space for you to clean and store your personal gear too!
Our accommodation options include onsite A/C bungalows – a stone’s throw from the sea, and partnership with 2 further resorts next to us on the beach.
After a long day of diving, we welcome you to join us in our own beach front pool bar, where you can sip a variety of refreshments and meet other staff, and students from the community.
Instructor-to-Student Ratio
Another critical aspect to consider is the instructor-to-student ratio during the course. A lower ratio allows for more personalized attention and guidance. At Crystal Dive, we keep our classes small, in actual fact our maximum ratio is 4 participants to 1 instructor which we maintain with our professional level programs. This means that each candidate receives ample support and feedback, enhancing the overall learning experience- ensuring nobody is left behind and everyone’s true potential is maximized.
Course Structure and Content
The PADI Instructor Development Course consists of various components, including theoretical knowledge, practical skills, and teaching techniques. Of course, any IDC needs to cover all the minimum requirements as dictated by PADI, but many dive centers expand on that and include more. Before enrolling, do some research into any extras included in the instructor program offered at that dive center.
Our program at Crystal Dive is comprehensive, covering all the PADI curriculum. Not only that, we expand on the minimum requirements. For example, PADI requires each candidate to do a minimum of: 3 knowledge development, 4 confined water, and 2 open water presentations. During the Crystal Dive IDC, we include: 6 knowledge development presentations, 8 confined water presentations and 8 open water presentations. This ensures you are prepared not only for the Instructor Exam but real-life teaching after your program.
We also include 2 extra specialty training courses with our IDC, meaning after you finish you will be an Instructor of Emergency Oxygen Provider and of AWARE Shark Conservation, making you more employable and standing out in the industry.
Post-Course Support and Job Placement
Completing your instructor course is just the beginning. A reputable dive center will offer post-course support, helping you transition into the diving industry successfully. Inquire about job placement assistance, internships, or networking opportunities with local dive shops.
At Crystal Dive, we only employ in-house as we believe in our training programs – so all of our 40+ dive professionals were developed in our own programs. Because we are one of the largest schools globally it means we have a high demand for staff so look no further than our own graduates. Not only this, we offer free internships with all of our lifestyle packages giving you real hands on experience with customers and us, the ability to write you a reference or perhaps even offer you work with us!
Reviews and Alumni Success Stories
Before making your decision, research reviews and success stories from alumni of the program. Hearing about former students’ experiences can give you insight into what to expect and the potential career paths available after course completion.
Many successful instructors have started their journeys at Crystal Dive, and their testimonials reflect the quality of our PADI Instructor Development Course. We encourage you to look them up on any of the popular platforms such as Google or Trip Advisor.
Cost and Value
While cost should not be the sole determining factor, it’s essential to understand what you are getting for your investment. Some courses may seem cheaper but lack quality and comprehensive training.
At Crystal Dive, we provide transparent pricing for our PADI IDC, ensuring that you receive excellent value for your money while gaining the skills and knowledge necessary to advance your career.
Conclusion
Choosing the right instructor course is vital for your future as a diving professional. By considering factors such as accreditation, course structure, instructor support, and post-course opportunities, you can make an informed decision.
The PADI Instructor Development Program at Crystal Dive in Koh Tao is designed to equip you with the skills necessary for a rewarding career in scuba diving. Are you ready to start your journey? Contact us today to learn more about our upcoming courses!
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