Open Water Scuba Instructor
PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor Course
Are you looking for something extraordinary? To do something others can only dream of? To help people transform their lives? To open doors you didn’t even know existed? All of this, and more, awaits you as a PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor.(OWSI)
The Open Water Scuba Instructor (OWSI) program is one of two distinct components of PADI’s Instructor Development Course (IDC)—the core of PADI Instructor training. The first portion is the Assistant Instructor course followed by the Open Water Scuba Instructor program.
The OWSI program is a minimum of four days. It introduces you to the entire PADI System of diver education and concentrates on further developing your abilities as a professional dive educator.
The Fun Part
It’s about life transformations—both yours and those around you.
The fun part of instructor training is interacting with course participants while creating friendships that continue long after the course concludes.
You’ll begin networking with other professionals and begin to explore PADI Pro Diving Jobs worldwide. You’ll also have the opportunity to continue your professional education by participating in specialty instructor courses, which trains you to teach specialties after instructor certification.
The Challenging Part
The challenging part of this course is your personal commitment to the training. The course requires you to complete all the self-study Knowledge Reviews before the course begins and to prepare daily assignments for teaching presentations daily. Organization and dedication are key.
What You Learn
During the course you’ll learn how to apply the PADI System of Education by presenting at least
- Two confined water teaching presentations
- Two knowledge development presentations
- One open water teaching presentations integrating two skills
You will also attend and participate in the following 14 curriculum presentations:
- Course Orientation
- Dive Industry Overview
- General Standards and Procedures
- The Role of Media and Prescriptive Teaching
- Legal Responsibility and Risk Management
- PADI Scuba Diver and Open Water Diver Course
- Adaptive Teaching
- The PADI Continuing Education Philosophy
- Business Principles for the Dive Instructor
- Adventures in Diving Program
- Specialty Diver Courses and Master Scuba Diver Program
- Rescue Diver Course
- Divemaster Course
- Diver Retention Programs
- How to Teach the RDP (Instructors from recreational diver training organizations other than PADI must complete.)
You will demonstrate competence at
- performing all 24 dive skills listed on the Skill Evaluation.
- performing a facedown, nonstop swim for 800 metres/yards using a mask, snorkel and fins.
During the course you’ll need to demonstrate competency in Dive theory by passing a five-part theory exam scoring 75% on each part .
What You Can Teach
After becoming an Open Water Scuba Instructor, you will be able to conduct the entire range of PADI programs from Discover Scuba Diving up to Divemaster. You may also choose to acquire specialty instructor ratings in areas of interest, such as Digital Underwater Photographer or Enriched Air Diver.
At a glance, compare what you can teach when you continue your professional diver education.
The Scuba Gear You Use
You will need to equip yourself with all the basic scuba gear as well as two scuba signaling devices —one audible and one visual.
Check with your local dive shop to purchase equipment needed for the course.
The Learning Materials You Need
The PADI Instructor Development Course crewpak includes all the materials needed to prepare for the Instructor Development Course. The 23-item pack includes:
- Instructor cue cards for PADI’s core courses (Open Water and Advanced, Rescue and Divemaster)
- Instructor Development Course Candidate Workbook and related reference materials,
- Lesson planning slates for confined and open water
- Quiz and exam booklets for the core courses
- Specialty outlines for Project AWARE
- PADI Instructor Manual
To purchase this product, contact your local PADI Five Star Instructor Development Course Dive Shop or Resort.
Next Steps
Contact us for more information
Prerequisites
To qualify for training as a PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor, you must:
- Be certified as a PADI Divemaster or a PADI Assistant Instructor or be an instructor in good standing with another training organization for at least six months (check with a PADI Course Director or for qualifying credentials.)
- Be certified as an Emergency First Response Instructor (will be done during the IDC)
- Be at least 18 years old
- Be certified as a diver for at least six months
- Have 60 logged dives that include experience in night, deep and navigation diving to participate in the Instructor Development Course. You’ll need 100 logged dives to take the Instructor Exams
- Have proof of CPR and First Aid training within the last 24 months. The Emergency First Response course meets this requirement
- Be fit for diving and submit a Medical Statement (PDF) signed by a physician within the last 12 months
If you are looking for information on where to go pro, please contact your PADI Instructor Development Center or Career Development Center and sign-up today!
Your Next Adventure:
You’ll want to continue your professional training by completing courses that allow you to teach beyond the core courses. For example, Emergency Oxygen Provider Instructor and specialty instructor courses complement your Open Water Scuba Instructor rating and add to your professional portfolio. Ask your Course Director for more info on this.
The Tec Deep Instructor Course
If you’re serious about becoming a technical instructor and joining the ranks of PADI technical instructors, the Tec Deep Diver Instructor course is an obvious choice.
The Fun Part
Teach others how to explore the mysteries of the deep.
What You Learn
The PADI Tec Deep Instructor course incorporates instructional philosophies and course goals that directly address the demanding and challenging nature of technical diving instruction.
The Tec Deep Instructor course prepares candidates to conduct the Tec Deep Diver course and addresses the philosophy, organization, practical considerations, promotion and other aspects of teaching the Tec Deep Diver course.
What You Can Teach
As a Tec Deep Instructor, you’ll be qualified to
- Conduct the Discover Tec experience
- Teach the Tec 40 course
- Teach the Tec 45 course
- Teach the Tec 50 course
The Scuba Gear You'll Use
You use technical scuba gear, which typically uses two to four or five regulators, a dive computer, and some accessories
Learning Materials You'll Need
Available products for the Tec-Deep Instructor:
- Tec Deep Lesson Guides CD-Rom (product no. 70838)
- Tec Deep Instructor Guide (product no. 70407)
- Tec Deep Instructor Cue Cards (product no. 60204)
To purchase these products, contact your local PADI Five Star IDC Dive Shop or Resort
Prerequisites
To enroll in this course, you must
- Be a renewed PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor (or a PADI Instructor with a higher rating)
- Be a PADI Enriched Air Instructor, or have successfully completed a PADI Enriched Air Instructor Training course.
- Be a PADI Deep Diver Specialty Instructor or have successfully completed a PADI Deep Diver Speicalty Instructor Training course.
- Have a minimum of 100 logged dives where at least 20 dives were made with enriched air nitrox, 25 dives were deeper than 18 metres/ 60 feet and at least 15 dives were deeper than 30 metres/ 100 feet.
Note that PADI Tec Deep Diver is not required. If you are not certified as a Tec Deep Diver (or equivalent), then the Tec Deep Instructor training course must include the entire Tec Deep Diver course.
Interested? Contact us at for prices and information.
The PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer Course
You tell your students to aim for PADI Master Scuba Diver. You also want to tell them that you can take them all the way there because you’re a PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer (MSDT).
The Fun Part
The Master Scuba Diver Trainer rating sets you apart from other dive instructors by showing your commitment to continuing your dive training and being prepared to help others continue their training as well. You also get to teach specialty diver courses – which opens the door to lots of fun while working.
What You Learn
You’re a new instructor? Just finished the IE? No problem. See your Course Director for PADI Specialty Instructor Training and the Master Scuba Diver Trainer Prep Course.
.jpg "Become a PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer (MSDT)")
As a PADI MSDT, you demonstrate to a dive employer that you have good experience in teaching diving and also can teach a range of specialty diver courses. This makes a dive center or resort more likely to offer you a position.
What You Can Teach
As a PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer, you
- Teach the specialties you love to teach
- Enjoy watching your student divers excel as you lead them from PADI Open Water Diver to PADI Master Scuba Diver
- Increase your income with multiple level training
- Meet one of the requirements to qualify as a PADI Master Instructor
At a glance, compare what you can teach when you continue your professional diver education.
The Scuba Gear You Use
You will need to equip yourself with all the basic scuba gear as well as some scuba accessories.
It is highly recommended and expected that, as a diver of this level, you own your own scuba equipment. You can find most everything at your local dive shop
Prerequisites
- To qualify as a PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer, you must
- Be a PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor
- Have five PADI Specialty Instructor certifications
- Have certified at least 25 PADI Divers
If you’re considering entering the realm of technical dive instruction, then the MSDT will be useful. You must be a MSDT to become an instructor in Tec 50 Diver or the DSAT Trimix Diver courses.
If you are looking for information on where to go pro, please contact your and sign-up today.
