The PADI Assistant Instructor Course is the first step of the new PADI instructor development course, which was introduced in 2001.
Assistant Instructor (AI):
The Assistant Instructor course takes place over 7 days during this time you will work to perfect your water skills up to demonstration level. You will be introduced to the PADI system of teaching and learn how to present dive theory. PADI Assistant Instructors are diving educators who are able to assist with, organize and supervise classroom and water sessions in partnership with PADI Instructors. AI’s are also able to independently conduct some diving and non-diving specialties; a valuable component of the diving world.
Assistant Instructor - Course Prerequisites (These prerequisites are the same for IDC)
1. PADI Divemaster, or leadership level with another diver training organization including, 60 logged dives; documented experience in night diving, deep diving and underwater navigation
2. Be a minimum of 18 years old
3. Be a certified diver for at least six months
4. Medical clearance attesting to dive fitness signed by a Physician within the previous 12 months, if you have completed your Divemaster course in that time period, the same medical form can be used.
5. Have completed an Emergency First Response Primary and Secondary Care Course (or qualifying training) within the last 24 months
If you are not a PADI Divemaster, you will need to complete the diver rescue assessment from the PADI Divemaster course. You will also need to submit documentation of your qualifying certifications for Open Water, Advanced, Rescue and leadership level if from another organization to the Course Director.
What should I bring to the Assistant Instructor Course:
- Three passport sized photos (you can get them from us for 20,000 rp).
- Medical examination certificate.
- MFA completed with the last two years (If not, ask us to get updated).
- Logbook with evidenced of at least sixty dives.
- All certification cards or certificates from Open Water to Dive Master (or equivalent).
- Tuition fees.
- Please let us know beforehand if for any reason you do not have any of the above.
Assistant Instructor requirements:
To be certified as a PADI Assistant Instructor, which you will accomplish easily under the guidance of our skilled course directors and staff instructors, you must meet the following performance requirements:
1. Complete all independent learning sections online through PADI eLearning, or participate in the following sections during the AI Course:
a. Learning, Instruction and the PADI System
b. General Standards and Procedures
c. Risk Management
d. Marketing Diving
e. Start Diving
f. Teaching PADI Specialty Diver Courses
2. Participate in the following curriculum components:
a. Course Orientation
b. Developing Knowledge Development Presentations
• Knowledge Development Teaching Presentation 1 and 2
• 4 Es Counseling Workshop 1
c. Teaching in Confined Water
• Skills Demonstrations Workshop
• Confined Water Teaching Presentation 1 and 2
d. Conducting Open Water Dives
• Open Water Teaching Presentation 1
• Rescue Exercise Workshop
3. Present two knowledge development teaching presentations, scoring a minimum of 3.5 on at least one
4. Present two confined water teaching presentations, scoring a minimum of 3.4 on at least one.
5. Present one integrated (two skills) open water teaching presentation, scoring
a minimum of 3.4 on each skill.
6. Perform all 20 dive skills in the Skill Evaluation, scoring a minimum of 68 total points, with no individual score below 3.
7. Score 75 percent on the PADI Systems, Standards and Procedures Exam and have any missed questions reviewed until mastery is achieved. Retest candidates scoring less than 75 percent.
8. Complete the PADI Divemaster course – Diver Rescue assessment in open water.
Duties of an Assistant Instructor after certification
1. Present the knowledge development elaboration for any PADI Diver course under the instructor’s indirect supervision. The instructor personally assesses the student’s knowledge development.
2. Present initial skills training under the instructor’s direct supervision during confined water dives.
3. Conduct open water surface skill evaluations during Open Water Diver course dives under the instructor’s indirect supervision.
4. Teach and certify Peak Performance Buoyancy Specialty Divers, under the direction of an instructor.
5. Independently teach the Project AWARE (nondiving) Specialty course.
6. Independently teach the AWARE - Coral Reef Conservation (nondiving) Specialty course.
7. Independently conduct Discover Scuba Diving in a pool or confined water.
8. Independently conduct PADI Seal Team AquaMissions.
9. Teach and certify divers in a specialty courses that don’t include dives after successful completion of Specialty Instructor Training courses for such specialties.
10. After completing the corresponding instructor training, conduct:
a. Digital Underwater Photographer specialty courses under the direction of a PADI Instructor.
b. Emergency Oxygen Provider courses.
Course Materials are the same for what is required to become an OWSI:
Materials required: Instructor Crew Pack - $650
• PADI Guide to Teaching including decal
• Open Water Diver Quizzes and Exam booklet
• Rescue Diver Final Exams booklet
• Divemaster Final Exams booklet
• Open Water Diver Course, Confined and Open Water Aquatic Cue Cards
• Adventures in Diving Instructor Aquatic Cue Cards
• Rescue Diver Instructor Aquatic Cue Cards
• Divemaster Instructor Aquatic Cue Cards
• Confined Water Lesson Preparation slate
• Open Water Training Dive Lesson Planning slate
• Children and Scuba Diving: A Resource Guide for Instructors and Parents
• Instructor Application, Brochures and other course documentation,
• PADI Professional Reference Collection on DVD (Risk Management Duty of Care video + PDF Manuals - The Best of the Undersea Journal; Children and Scuba Diving; The Business of Diving; The Law and the Diving Professional),
• Positive Approach Selling DVD
• Specialty Course Instructor Manual (Digital, Multilingual version - English, Dutch, French, Spanish)
• PADI Backpack.
Mandatory materials required: not included in the Crew Pack
• PADI Instructor Manual
• Recreational Dive Planner – RDP Table and eRDPML, including
• Instructions for Use booklets
• The Encyclopedia of Recreational Diving