What does a course director learn from PADI’s course director training?

A PADI Course Director is the highest qualification in professional scuba diving, allowing one to teach other aspiring scuba diving instructors. How does an individual go about becoming a PADI Course Director?

Before considering to take up PADI’s Course Director training, it is important to first find out what the rating of a course director is. Becoming a course director isn’t a short-term achievement you can decide to undertake at the drop of a hat. Only if you are committed to a career in diving and want to teach professionals is this a rating that you would consider.

Who should consider The PADI Course Director Training Course (CDTC)?

What it means to become a certified PADI Course Director is to have the desire to train dive instructors. This course takes real commitment to the diving industry and most importantly, to yourself.

For those considering to become a certified PADI Course Director, be aware that it’s about taking the next step to join a respected, elite group of PADI instructor trainers. Once qualified, you are allowed to teach PADI Instructor Development courses and other instructor-level training. This is why Course Directors are the diving industry’s role models and most influential leaders. Getting into the training will take a serious amount of time and effort, so this is not something to take lightly.

What will you expect to learn?

Once your application has been accepted, your training begins by completing the required knowledge reviews and online presentations before the course. Although the training itself isn’t cheap, it is worth the investment for those passionate enough to set an example for other dive instructors.

The course director training course (CDTC) lasts nine days consisting of staff presentations, practical sessions with many evaluation training sessions in confined and open water, counselling techniques, and professional development.

Applying for CDTC

Currently, there are two PADI Course Director training courses per year. One in Malaysia in Feb/March and the other in the Dominican Republic in June/July. Both courses admit a limited number of candidates (approximately 40), but any diver confident to have matched the required criteria can submit their application. Criteria, in order to be able to apply, are detailed on the PADI Pro website and in the PADI Instructor manual.

Applicants are expected to have completed a minimum number of dives, PADI course certifications, and other specifics that demonstrate mastery with the PADI systemd of diver education. Be aware, PADI takes into account many factors in order to be able to ‘rank’ your application among other eager applicants. It is a competitive process. Ranking factors can include your participation and interest in conservation and PADI’s Project AWARE, the number of dive professionals you have trained, the amount of Instructor Development courses you have staffed, and many others. Other factors can include the feasibility of your business plan and previous quality assurance (QA) history.

The interview

The final part of the application process is an interview with a PADI staff member. During the interview, be open about your motivations, your plan, and any other topic that may help or is relevant in the interview.

Once all applicant interviews are completed, PADI will compile all the candidates’ applications. The selection committee will review them to decide which of the candidates will be approved for acceptance into the CDTC.

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