Must Ask Questions - IDC Internships Bali

PADI IDC Internship MAQ (Must-Ask Questions)

Choosing the right scuba diving internship is an important decision. Our Course Directors and Master Instructors here at Blue Season Bali understand the decision you are facing. Why? Well, we have each been in your exact position at some point. Everyone has to start somewhere and we try to remember that.

This section features a list of questions you should ask any PADI Instructor Development Center you are considering. Our answers are included for your convenience. After that, you will the questions reprinted without our answers. Please feel free to cut and paste these questions into your enquiry to any training center you are contacting. This will help you compare apples to apples. When the smoke clears, you will see why Blue Season Bali is a very attractive option for quality instructor internship training.

Section One: Costs and Considerations-

1. What's included in your PADI Divemaster Internship?
BSB: Everything! All materials, equipment, divemaster application fee, lunches when diving, accommodation, etc. are all included in our divemaster internships. You'll get yourself to and from Bali. When needed, we can help arrange a visa, but your initial cost for a two-month visa is around USD50. One-month programs can avail of the 30-day Visa on arrival for USD 25.

2. What's included in your PADI Instructor Internship?
BSB: Everything! All materials, your PADI instructor application fee, PADI EXAMINATION fee, equipment, lunches when diving, accommodation, etc. are all included in our IDC internship packages. You will need to pay for your own flight to and from Bali. We can help arrange a visa, but your initial cost for a two-month visa is around USD50. One-month programs can avail of the 30-day Visa on arrival for USD 25.

3. Do you include all PADI manuals for every course I will take, even if they are not listed as "required materials" by PADI?
BSB: Yes. We strive to offer the best training available and PADI learning materials are simply the best in the industry. You will appreciate owning these high-quality materials when you are a licensed PADI instructor teaching your own students!

4. How much does it cost to live in Bali?
BSB: Not much. A good western-standard meal is around USD3-5. You can get Nasi Goreng (fried rice), a local favorite, for about USD1. A film at the local cinema is USD2. Ice-cold Bintang beer is available everywhere for about USD1.5. :)

5. When can I start?
BSB: MSD and Divemaster Internships have a verty flexible start date so you can almost start any day you like. The starting date for your PADI Instructor internship will depend on which PADI Instructor Development Course you would like to take. We conduct 10 each year.

6. Can I customize my internship?
BSB: For sure! If you tell us what you are looking for then we can make specific internship packages to meet your requirements.

7. How do I get to Blue Season Bali?
BSB: You will need to fly into Ngurah Rai International Airport (DPS) in Denpasar, Bali. Upon arrival, we'll pick you up and transfer you to your accommodation. When you finish your internship we will ensure that you also get away smoothly.

8. What about the Visa for Bali?
BSB: When you arrive at the airport you can get a 30 day Visa On Arrival for USD25. If your internship is more than 30 days we will provide you with a sponsor letter so that you can apply for a longer visa allowing you to stay in Indonesia for up to 6 months, depending on your program.

Section Two: Quality of Training-

1. How many of your PADI IDC interns have ever failed the PADI Instructor Examination?
BSB: Zero. Surprisingly, our teaching focus is NOT on passing the PADI IE. We simply teach instructors how to work in the real world. Consequently, this places them well above the minimum requirements to pass the exam.

2. How many of your interns have gotten decompression sickness and gone into a recompression chamber?
BSB: Zero. As opposed to some of the "instructor factories" out there, our small course ratios and respect for safe diving procedures make our committment to safety impossible to surpass.

3. How accessible are your course directors and master instructors to help me before my IDC?
BSB: Always. We are the only dive center in Bali to feature more than one full-time Course Director, and we have three. They are available on a daily basis, year round. Don't be fooled by the part-timers marketing IDCs all over the planet. We're always right here where you can find us; working hard to produce the best dive professionals possible.

4. Do you provide other industry-related training?
BSB: Yes. We include important workshops in our internship programs. Depending on the scuba diving internship program you choose, your workshops may include: Professional CV Development, Dive Center Management, Equipment Servicing, Compressor Use and Maintenance, Website Builder, Project AWARE programs, and many others.

Section Three: Quality of Life-
1. What's it like to live there?
BSB: The Hindu people of Bali are possibly the most friendly and accommodating in the world. We are located in the city of Sanur, a suburb of Denpasar, the capital of Bali. Sanur offers a peaceful yet conveniently-located place to do your scuba diving internship. There are gyms, waterparks, malls, cinemas, nightclubs, and surfing beaches either right here in Sanur or only a short ride away.

2. How is the food?
BSB: Stunning! Balinese food blends some of the finest cultural influences in Asia into a very delicious and eclectic offering. Within walking distance of our shop there are traditional Balinese, Chinese, Thai, Indian, Italian, German and Dutch restaurants. The standard western offerings are also available at every turn. If you desperately need McDonalds or KFC after a hard night out, we've got them locally too.

3. Is there anything to do at night?
BSB: Naturally. Sanur has heaps of high-quality and affordable restaurants, pubs and sports bars. For a great local experience, try the Sanur Night Market. If you want to shake your money maker, the world-famous nightclubs of Kuta are only a short taxi ride away! We also host at least two barbecues per month right here next to the pool at BSB.

4. How many brothels are located on the same street as your dive shop?
BSB: None. Sorry to have to put this one in here, but you may be surprised at the response of some other shops! What you do with your free time is up to you; we couldn't care less. As with nearly any Southeast-Asian location, Bali has them, but these establishments are located across town. Our location here in Sanur is more low-key, letting you focus on your dive training.

5. How is the accommodation?
BSB: The normal accommodation included in the internship packages are what we call "losmen" rooms. This is a Balinese term for a room with ensuite toilet opening in to a central, private courtyard. The rooms are cleaned daily, have fans, western toilet and the normal ammenities you would expect. They are budget rooms so you are welcome to upgrade to better rooms, with air conditioning for example. Rooms are normally twin share; for USD150 per month you can upgrade to a single room.

6. What are the other candidates like on the internship?
BSB: We have a real variety of candidates that come from all over the globe. For instance, last year we had candidates from the USA, UK, Australia, Ireland, Finland, Sweden, Poland, France, Belgium, Italy, Canada, Switzerland, Germany, China, Malaysia, Japan, Taiwan and Indonesia. The age of the interns also varies greatly although most generally tend to be in their 20's or 30's although we have had people in their 60's taking our scuba diving internships! You will be training with exciting people just like you- lovers of diving!

Section Four: Quality of Diving-
1. How's the diving there?
BSB: Awesome! Well, it's only awesome if you like things like cuttlefish, octopi, nudibranches, great barracuda, schooling jacks, mantas, sunfish, reef sharks and giant cod. Our permanent instructor development staff members have dived all over the world. We each originally came here for one reason- the diving. Have a look at Bali's dive sites.

2. Is there any of the "big stuff"?
BSB: Yep. We have schooling Manta Rays year-round, and seasonal Oceanic Sunfish (Mola-Mola). While these pelagic species have been nearly wiped out in places like the Bay of Thailand and the East Coast of Australia, they are still thriving in Indonesia.

3. What about the "small stuff?"
BSB: The Indonesian Archipelago is considered to be the global cradle of marine diversity. Thousands of species of nudibranches, crabs and shrimp inhabit the region, making Bali a world-renowned macro photography destination.

4. Is there wreck diving?
BSB: Yep! The wreck of the USAT Liberty is nearby and we had trips going there more than 280 days last year. This huge ship was beached after being rendered inoperable by a Japanese torpedo impact in 1945. 22 years later, the tremors from the eruption of Mt. Agung in 1967 pushed her into the water, making it a surprisingly well-preserved WWII era wreck. Ranging from 5m-30m in depth, this is an excellent dive site and offers perfect conditions for wreck training!

5. How diverse are your dive sites?
BSB: Very diverse. We have walls, reefs and wrecks. We have drift sites, deep sites, shallow sites, easy sites, challenging sites- just about anything you can imagine! Part of being a competent dive professional is having experience in a wide variety of diving sites and conditions. The natural diversity of Bali offers the opportunity to gain this valuable experience in one location.

Section Five: Committment to Interns:
1. When was the last time you were recognized for excellence by PADI?
BSB: Our head Course Director Jonathan Cross was (most recently) awarded PADI's certificate of recognition for excellence in 2009. This is one of five awards for excellence issued to our staff members in 2009. In fact, Jonathan was selected by PADI Asia Pacific as the WINNER of the 2010 Instructor Development Award. Furthre to that, Blue Season Bali as a company was selected as WINNER of the Outstanding Dive Business Award.

2. How do you help interns get jobs after the PADI IE?
BSB: We include our exclusive Professional CV Development Seminar with every internship. Our one-month IDC program has a new Website Builder workshop where you get your own site and domain to keep. Our experienced staff has worked all over, and we also work hard to utilize our personal networks of dive centers and resort owners to help interns find professional placement.

3. Are you just going to give me access to a "job listing" website and send me on my way?
BSB: No. There are plenty of websites available out there, and we can point you in the right direction. However, we take a personal approach to helping each intern find placement after becoming a PADI professional. We do this with the goal that our committment to excellence will inspire you conduct yourself the same when you are out there representing PADI and BSB. Have a look at our job placement programs for more information.

So, here's a simple cut-and-paste question list that you can feel free to send to any of our competitors. You can even use the google search links provided below to find them. You already have our answers, listed above. We provide this information knowing full well that Blue Season Bali is the most cost effective all-inclusive professional training available world wide. We're simply trying to help you discover that for yourself.

Dear Sirs:

Before coming and booking my professional training with your dive center, I have a few questions:
1. How many of your PADI IDC interns have ever failed the PADI Instructor Examination?

2. How many of your interns have gotten decompression sickness and gone into a recompression chamber?

3. How accessible are your course directors and master instructors to help me before my IDC?

4. Do you provide other industry-related training?

5. What's it like to live there?

6. How is the food?

7. Is there anything to do at night?

8. Is your dive shop surrounded by girly-bars and brothels? I've heard some are...

9. How's the diving there?

10. Is there any of the "big stuff"?

11. What about the "small stuff?"

12. Is there wreck diving?

13. How diverse are your dive sites?

14. When was the last time you were recognized for excellence by PADI?

15. How do you help interns get jobs after the PADI IE?

16. Are you just going to give me access to a "job listing" website and send me on my way?

I appreciate any information you can provide. This is a big decision for me.

GOOGLE LINKS FOR SEARCHES:

"PADI IDC Asia"
"PADI Instructor Internship"
"PADI Internship Asia"
"Diving Instructor Training"