Discover how to become a PADI Divemaster or Scuba Instructor. There are many reasons such as sharing your love for the underwater world, or simply for the personal challenge. Along the way, you'll hone your scuba diving skills and emerge as a leader in the world's largest community of divers bound together by a shared passion for adventure and ocean conservation.
The first step to becoming a dive professional is to enroll in a divemaster course. Divemaster is PADI's most popular professional-level certification. In PADI Divemaster, you'll expand your dive knowledge and hone your skills to dive like a pro.
The duties of a Divemaster primarily include leading dives and assisting with scuba classes.
PADI Assistant Instructor is an optional step between Divemaster and PADI Instructor. To become a PADI Assistant Instructor, you complete some (but not all) of the PADI Instructor Development Course (IDC). If you're curious about becoming a scuba instructor but want to gain experience, build confidence or just don't have time to do the entire IDC all in one go, Assistant Instructor is a great option.
"PADI Instructor" is an umbrella term for a range of scuba instructor levels. Everyone starts out as an Open Water Scuba Instructor (OWSI) then works their way up the ranks to Master Instructor or Course Director.
If you're a Divemaster and want to take your love of scuba diving to the next level, you're ready for the PADI Instructor Development Course (IDC), which is made up of two parts - the Assistant Instructor course and the Open Water Scuba Instructor (OWSI) program. Most dive professionals complete the entire IDC and go on to attend an Instructor Examination, which is the final step to earn a PADI Instructor certification. You'll build on your dive theory knowledge, role-model watermanship rescue skills and leadership abilities. After earning your PADI Instructor rating, you'll also join the ranks of the most sought-after dive instructors worldwide.
An OWSI who has issued at least 25 PADI certifications and earned five PADI Specialty Instructor certifications can apply to be a Master Scuba Diver Trainer (MSDT). The five Specialty Instructor certifications are in addition to the three earned by becoming an OWSI.
The name "Master Scuba Diver Trainer" ties in to the recreational diver-level requirements. To become a PADI Master Scuba Diver, you need at least five PADI specialty certifications. A Master Scuba Diver Trainer can teach at least five specialties, so a diver could theoretically do all of their training from non-diver to Master Scuba Diver with the same instructor (but you don't have to).
The majority of PADI Instructors are MSDTs or OWSIs, but some pursue additional training so they can work with future PADI Instructors. As the name suggests, IDC Staff Instructors assist with IDCs (Instructor Development Courses).
PADI IDC Staff Instructors who have been PADI Instructors for at least two years may qualify for the elite Master Instructor rating. Other requirements include:
The highest rung on the PADI Professional ladder is Course Director, essentially an instructor trainer. Instructors at this level teach PADI Instructor Development Courses (IDCs) and conduct other instructor-level training.
To become a PADI Course Director, you must earn a spot in a Course Director Training Course (CDTC). The application process is very competitive. Being an exemplary instructor is just one of the many skills required to be a Course Director.
Upon successful completion of the CDTC, a Course Director may dedicate themselves to training instructors at a single dive shop or geographic region, or they may travel around and conduct IDCs at other PADI 5 Star IDC Centers in different locations. A handful of Course Directors go on to work for PADI as Instructor Examiners, Regional Managers or Regional Training Consultants.