S/01 · Instructor Development Course
The PADI IDC is not a lecture series — it's a dense, structured programme that interweaves theory, presentation delivery and in-water craft.
Curriculum
The modules build on each other, are mirrored in mock exams, and are finally tested in the real IE.
Day 1 begins with the PADI System. We review your prerequisites, map out your personal learning path, and clear all administrative items. The rest of the day belongs to PADI Standards — the backbone of everything that gets tested later in the IE.
Classroom presentations, confined-water demonstrations, open-water training sessions. Each category is prepared individually, rehearsed repeatedly, and wrapped in structured feedback. You learn not just what to say — but how to deliver it so it lands.
Physics, physiology, equipment, decompression theory, RDP, and general dive knowledge. Systematically structured with focus on the IE theory exam — taught in the language you actually think in. Emphasis adapts to your prior knowledge.
You practice all 24 confined-water skills in demonstration quality — slow, precise, worthy of being copied by your future students. Open-water sessions focus on briefing, positioning, problem management, and debriefing at the actual dive site.
Rescue skills are practiced and graded to instructor standard. Structured risk management follows: dive site briefings, emergency action plans, emergency scenarios — the content that makes you insurable and accountable as an instructor.
The final two to three days are packed with mock IEs — presentations, theory tests, confined and open-water sessions under realistic conditions. By the time the IE arrives, it no longer feels like an exam — it feels like another training session that happens to have an examiner in the water.
Packages
The IDC training itself stays identical — same Course Director, same small group, same curriculum. The three packages differ in accommodation, meals, additional Specialty Instructor ratings, and the depth of personal follow-up after the course.
IDC + IE
The pure training track. Full IDC participation, IE preparation, Instructor Examination included.
IDC + MSDT + Accommodation
The extended track. Basic + MSDT prep with 5 Specialty Instructor ratings + on-site accommodation. The standard package for anyone serious about their career.
Full Package · with Internship
The complete career track. Silver + two-week internship with a partner dive centre + priority job referrals from my international network.
Transparent: PADI eLearning, Application Fee and IE Fee are billed separately by PADI and are not included in any package — because they go directly to PADI, not to me. You'll get the full pricing breakdown (including these fees) in the freeInfo Pack — or on the pricing page.
S/02 · MSDT
MSDT isn't a luxury — it's a market reality. Most dive centres worldwide prefer to hire MSDTs because they can teach more courses, which means more revenue per instructor. MSDT prep with five Specialty Instructor ratings of your choice is already included in the Silver and Gold packages.
Sidemount Instructor — increasingly in demand, especially in technical and cave environments.
Deep Instructor — essential for any resort offering deeper dives. High market value.
Nitrox Instructor — practically universal. Almost every guest asks for Nitrox certification.
Night / Peak Performance Buoyancy — immediately deployable, short format, high enrolment.
Search & Recovery · Wreck · Underwater Photography — selectable by market.
Location-matched — Specialties are matched to Zurich or Dauin: cold water, night, wreck in Europe; muck, sidemount, deep in Asia.
Prerequisites
Formal PADI requirements are clearly defined. If you're missing something — e.g. EFR Instructor or part of the Divemaster certification — we'll sort it in the Info Pack call and build the right lead-in around it.
PADI Divemaster (or equivalent qualification from another dive organisation).
At least 60 logged dives at course start, 100 for the IE.
EFR Instructor certification — can be completed before or during the IDC.
Dive medical clearance — not older than 12 months at course start.
Minimum age 18 and PADI Divemaster for at least 6 months.
Location choice
You pick one of the two locations for the complete IDC including IE. No mid-course switching, no split training days across continents — one clear, coherent training space from Day 1 until you pass the IE.
Zurich · Switzerland
PADI 5 Star IDC Center on Stauffacherquai. Classic European course logistics, fully equipped showroom, on-site pool sessions, open-water dives at Zurich and regional sites. Ideal for candidates based in DACH, with limited holiday time, or a preference for European diving conditions.
Dauin · Philippines
PADI 5 Star Career Development Center in Negros Oriental. Warm water, calm house reefs, muck-diving capital of the world, up to ten dives per day possible. Ideal for candidates who want to complete their training in a tropical context, train more intensively, or start their instructor career directly in Southeast Asia.
Next step
Full pricing breakdown for Basic, Silver and Gold. Detailed curriculum. Location guide for Zurich and Dauin. Prerequisite checklist. Alumni voices. No surprises — everything you need for an informed decision.