PADI Instuctor Course Archives | IDC Nusa Lembongan

So you are finally a dive instructor? Congratulations! You have just made a huge step in your diving career!

You’re probably hugely excited and relieved it is all done now. You may even be a little worried. What am I going to do now?

Some of you may be lucky enough to have a job as a dive instructor all lined up already. If so, that’s great! You are going to be awesome! But some of you may not know what to do next. This can be quite a scary prospect. But, lucky for you, we are here to make the way of your diving career a little clearer.

First, take a deep breath and give yourself a big pat on the back. The hardest part is over now. You deserve to be proud of yourself for everything you have achieved!

Next, you need to choose between two paths in your diving career. Are you going to continue with your dive education or try and jump straight into a job?

You have a few options: Work as a Dive Instructor, go for an internship, or choose a job placement! Scuba Center Asia has contacts worldwide.

For many people, continuing their education makes the most sense. Education makes you more likely to be employed as a dive instructor. This is especially true in areas where the job market is very competitive, like around Indonesia. It also allows you to gain a more exciting or better-paid position. For example, many dive centres here in Indonesia only hire foreign MSDT instructors instead of foreign Open Water Scuba Instructors because there are many local dive instructors available.

Furthering your education also allows you to gain experience as a dive instructor in a supportive environment. So maybe the better option for those of you who are nervous about going straight into an instructor role.

So what are your options for furthering your dive education after a PADI IDC?

The first step is to become a Specialty Instructor. Becoming a Speciality Instructor helps you to gain experience teaching already certified divers. This builds your confidence as a dive instructor. It also allows you to go beyond the “standard” courses a dive instructor can teach. This not only makes you more desirable as an employee, but it also expands your knowledge of different dive practices. With over 25 specialties, there is guaranteed a specialty course that you like!

By taking your Speciality Instructor course, you are taking your first steps towards your master scuba diver trainer (MSDT) qualification. You need to have five Specialty Instructor qualifications before you can start your MSDT internship. This means that you can teach five different Speciality courses on top of the regular PADI courses (Open Water, Advanced, and EFR/Rescue course). The next step will be the MSDT internship!

If you're not keen on becoming a Specialty Instructor but prefer team-teaching the standard PADI courses alongside one of Scuba Center Asia's senior dive instructors, you can totally do that. It's a cool way to hone your teaching skills without any extra perks, besides gaining experience with the regular courses. This option's awesome if you're short on time and want to keep exploring Indonesia, for instance. During this basic dive career internship, you'll teach real students, which is super valuable. Just a heads up, though: you won't get the credits you would during the MSDT internship.

The next step on the dive education ladder is the MSDT. Getting certified as a Master Scuba Diver Trainer sets you apart from other Dive Instructors. It's all about showing off your experience teaching both standard PADI courses and those specialty ones. Joining our internship at Scuba Center Asia guarantees you'll walk away confident. The internship is divided into portions of 5 certifications in which you team-teach with one of our senior Dive Instructors. And let's not forget the perk of soaking up the paradise vibes of Nusa Lembongan during your MSDT internship—sounds like a dream, right?

Once you've nailed the MSDT, you might be thinking about the next steps. Have you ever considered becoming a PADI IDC Staff Instructor or even shooting for the stars as a PADI Course Director? These courses are all about prepping you to mentor the next generation of instructors and trust us, it's a pretty prestigious gig that shines on your CV.

Finding your perfect dive job as a dive instructor

Finding a job as a Dive Instructor is like finding any other job. Sometimes you gotta hustle hard to find the perfect fit, while other times, it falls right into your lap fresh out of your Instructor Development Course (IDC).

So, here's a game plan to land that dream dive job:

Do your research. Where do you wanna work? Close to home, or are you up for diving into places like Indonesia with its insane underwater scenes? Maybe you're cool with bouncing around seasonally or you like to commit yourself for a longer period. Very important is to think about the vibe you are looking for - a big resort or cozy family-run shop.
Put in the effort. If you're interested in a specific dive company, make sure to tell them you're interested. Don't wait for an invite; take charge of your dive destiny! Remember, you're the star of this show, so go grab that Oscar (a.k.a. the Dive Instructor job).
Let's talk money. Starting salaries for dive instructors might not be sky-high, but trust the process. Show some love to the company you're with, and they'll show it right back. If not, well, maybe it's not meant to be. Patience is key here, give it time, and things will click.

Sure, landing a dive instructor job ain't a cakewalk, but there are plenty of paths to explore. Here's a sweet deal: hook up with our PADI Course Director for a dive career sesh. She's got the lowdown on making waves in the dive world, whether it's online or in person. Bonus: snag a free job consulting session when you choose your Complete IDC package! Why not get straight to the point and benefit from our expertise? We are dedicated to helping you dive into success!

The next step is to either go to the place you want to work and scout out potential dive shops you may want to work in. Or a budget-friendly alternative, you can turn to the PADI employment board. This will show you the jobs available in your area, as well as jobs all over the world!

Next up, it's all about putting yourself out there. Get that killer CV together, showcasing all your experience, even if it's not strictly diving-related. Anything that screams "I'm awesome with customers" should be front and center. Remember, being a Dive Instructor is about more than just teaching—it's all about customer care.

Tip: triple-check that CV for any sneaky typos before hitting send. No one wants to hire you if your CV's riddled with errors! Plus, do not write a general cover letter to a divecenter. Personalize it and make sure you mention the reason you want to be on their team.

Now keep applying to every position that you think would be a good match for you. The more shops you apply to the better your chances of getting an interview are!

It is best to prepare some general answers to questions you think the interviewer may have and think of a few questions you can ask them. Nothing is worse than not having any questions to ask them at the end of the interview!

Above all else, be yourself. There is no point pretending to be someone you’re not, as you might end up in a shop that doesn’t fit your personality. Better to be rejected a few times than be miserable in your job.

Finally, get that Dive Instructor job!

Once you have aced the interview, the only thing left is to wait for that YES!

And it will come even if there are a few (or a lot) of no’s beforehand.

Everyone here at Scuba Center Asia wishes you all the best, and we know you will go out there and be the best dive instructor ever!

Remember, contact our Pro team, for that one-on-one dive career session.

So you have decided to live life in paradise and be a PADI scuba dive instructor. But how long is it going to take you to be a great one? How long until people come into the shop and think ‘I want to dive with you!’?

We are going to break it down for you!

Qualities of a great Dive Instructor

Before we put a length of time on this feat we need to break down the qualities that make someone a scuba dive PADI instructor vs a great PADI dive instructor!

Not just anyone can be a PADI instructor. There are specific characteristics you’ll need, especially in the diving industry, and especially while diving in the Nusa Islands, Komodo, or anywhere in Indonesia.

Patience as a Dive Instructor

Let’s face it, teaching someone a new skill is hard! No matter how you look at it. People have different learning styles and different personalities. Some students may take longer than others. Specific underwater skills just don’t click right away.

This is where patience comes into play. You have to repeat the same skill multiple times. You could have three other students impatiently waiting but you have to have patience with yourself. This is when you have to get creative and think of a new way to teach a skill. Keep it fun, interesting and be understanding, and have that patience. Think back at yourself now and then to understand your students and become that great dive instructor.

Confidence as a Dive Instructor

Fake it until you make it, right? Well, wrong, when you are a PADI scuba instructor. In the beginning, you may still feel out of your comfort zone showing other people how to breathe underwater for 60 minutes, but this will change. Many practice and team teaching is by far the best thing to get you started as a new Dive Instructor. Scuba Center Asia Lembongan has this unique team teaching opportunity while you are training to become a Master Scuba Diver Trainer!

You have all the underwater skills needed, otherwise you would not have completed the PADI Instructor Development Course or passed your PADI Instructor Exam!

But it is still the beginning of a new chapter for you as a

Time management as a Dive Instructor

A full PADI open water course takes approximately four days to complete if you do it on a paradise island like Nusa Lembongan. Time management is the key because don’t forget your students are also on holiday at the same time!

Throughout the PADI open water course, a student has to complete a variety of different tasks. This includes five sections of knowledge review, underwater skills in a confined area, and four dives in the open water plus an exam! These are the minimum requirements. You can imagine as a great dive instructor there is more to that. Let us know what is important to you to have as a scuba instructor?!

Skills for a Dive Instructor

The skills for a dive instructor don’t end by the minimum requirements of the PADI standards. No, they are the beginning! Proper additional skills for a dive instructor start with your personality and yours beliefs. Some dive instructors are maybe a bit lazy and stick to the minimum PADI requirements, but luckily if you look around more and more dive instructors have a passion and take their duty of care more seriously and want to make the best divers out of their students!

It’s more than just completing your PADI open water and the Advanced open water course. If you make those courses fun for your students, guaranteed they will continue to the Rescue course. And believe it or not, the Rescue course is one of those courses where you can be the artist of teaching! Once you get a bit more experience as a scuba instructor you may coach Divemaster candidates during their divemaster!

Passion as a Dive Instructor

Once you reach that level as a PADI instructor. It’s all YOU! Your responsibility, Your smile that will make their day beautiful, your assistance, your patience and your knowledge that you can share with the new divers. If you do it well, your student will perhaps call you up someday and say, “Hey! I am now also a dive instructor, thanks to you, you were my inspiration”. Now if you hear that! That is what it takes to have the skills as a great dive instructor.

The difference is being passionate for yourself versus being so passionate you feel the need to cultivate your love for diving in others. There is nothing better than a PADI dive instructor with more than 6,000 dives being giddy about a dive. It creates indescribable energy.

Is there a timeframe to be a great Dive Instructor?

The short answer is no. There is not an exact amount of time when all the items listed above are completely done. You never stop learning. Only then you be a great PADI Dive Instructor. But you can start by choosing the right IDC (Instructor Development Course). This is an investment and it should not involve picking the IDC that is the cheapest. Instead, it should involve quality and the vibe you get with talking to the PADI Course Director. Are you willing to learn from him or her?

After completing the IDC grab that chance to team teach! To give you an idea, after the PADI IDC at Scuba Center Asia, you will get that chance. Once you start feeling comfortable the number of students you have certified grows. Your knowledge of the industry grows. Slowly but certainly you will grow into that great scuba instructor.

And most importantly you realize not every single time you are going to be the most patient, demonstrate every skill perfectly, or feel the most confidence. If that is about to happen, take a day off, rest, or seek help from your senior instructor to talk things through. Why? Because we great dive instructors do not have ‘bad days’ and need a day off as well!?

And before you know it, whether it is in six months or three years, you will be sitting in a dive shop and a new client will walk in and you will hear them say, ‘Hi! I want to complete my open water with (insert your name here)! I was recommended to you because you are a great PADI dive instructor!’ How stunning is that?!

Come dive with us at Scuba Center Asia where we have many great instructors who all provide their energy and passion for diving!

More importantly, if you want to become that great Dive Instructor, don’t miss out on the PADI IDC at Scuba Center Asia! Seriously, this Pro team is the bomb: fine-tuned to perfection, a dynamic duo of Course Directors and supporting Team leading you the way to success. Forget cookie-cutter courses; here, you’ll find a personalized touch that goes beyond merely passing the PADI IE.

First, can you give us a little break down of how the IDC is structured?

Sure! So the IDC is divided into two sections. The Assistant Instructor component and the Open Water Scuba Instructor (OWSI) component. These have both wet and dry segments that develop your ability to teach other divers. At the end of the IDC, the PADI Instructor Examination (IE) is held by one of PADI’s examiners.

What do you learn in the IDC?

As an Instructor, you can teach many different dive courses. So, first, you have to review all of the dive theory that is covered in these courses. You have to have an understanding far beyond that of a Divemaster. You then learn effective strategies to relay this information using the PADI model.

In water, you practice and perfect all skills “to demonstration standards”. You learn what common problems students have with each skill. And how to detect and correct them to ensure each student’s success. You practice this in both confined and open water.

How is it different from the Divemaster (DM) or AI courses?

In your Divemaster course, you learn how to set up and help supervise students and fun divers. But, you are restricted in the number of courses you can supervise. In the IDC you learn how to actually teach the various PADI courses. As a PADI Instructor, you are eligible to teach many dive courses. You are also able to independently supervise student divers.

The IDC is much more focussed on teaching. It actually isn’t too different from the Assistant Instructor course. It’s more like the AI course on steroids. Everything you only do once or twice in AI you do ten or fifteen times in the IDC!

What does a typical day on the IDC consist of?

We usually arrive in the classroom between 8 am and 9 am and chat with Kim about that day’s plan over coffee. Some days are spent in the classroom, reviewing theory, taking practice exams, or giving mock presentations. Other days are spent in the pool or ocean, practicing skills and teaching skills to “students”. We also learn strategies to correct skills to ensure that our students perform them up to standard. Most days are a mixture of both dry and wet learning. The Pro team at Scuba Center Asia is to die for! You can always expect to laugh and have a good time!

The classroom may sound boring BUT IT ISN’T! The team is amazing at finding strategies to engage different learning styles in a fun and interactive way!

Day 1: Dry (theory and presentations)

In the morning you take two exams. The Standards Exam (which is open book) and the Theory Exam, which is broken into five equal sections. These sections include: equipment, dive physics, physiology, general skills & environment, and recreational dive planning (RDP). You then take a one hour break to prepare your presentation. After that, you present what you have prepared in front of your examination group.

Day 2: Wet

Confined Water: you start the day in the pool where you have to “teach” two skills to mock students. You must be able to teach the skill and correct any problems that the students face when demonstrating the skill. You then have to demonstrate five skills in a skills circuit.

Open Water: in the afternoon you repeat the skills circuit, performing each at a demonstration standard. You then go onto demonstrating rescue scenario seven. Everyone’s favorite!

Almost everyone I have talked to has said that the IE was not as difficult or scary as they expected it to be.

What will I be able to do after my course?

After your course you can teach Discover Scuba Diving (DSD), Scuba Refresher, Scuba Diver, Open Water, Advanced Open Water, Rescue, Divemaster and Project AWARE courses. There are probably more I’m forgetting as well.

You are also eligible to become a specialty Instructor and work toward your Master Scuba Diver Trainer certification.

Any tips for someone thinking about starting the IDC?

I mean… JUST GO FOR IT! You really have nothing to lose!

For those that have decided to go for it and are preparing for their IDC – study study study your theory! If you have that down before arriving it really cuts down on the amount of time the course director has to lecture in the classroom and makes the whole experience more enjoyable for everyone (you get to sleep in longer and get out of class earlier!).

Familiarise yourself with the Instructor Manual as you will use this A LOT both during and after your IDC. But more importantly, do your best to understand all of the five sections of the theory exam like the back of your hand. You digital crewpack is worth all that investment as it’s complete and very helpful. Plus you can start to study on time, way before the actual IDC starts.

Finally, what makes the IDC with Scuba Center Asia different?

You really have to meet the team at Scuba Center Asia to understand. They are so fun and engaging. They want to make sure you aren’t just learning how to certify divers. They want you to learn how to certify divers who learn to love diving. They want you to get other people excited about diving!

Most importantly, they make you feel like family. It may feel scary to do your IDC if Lembongan is far from wherever you call home. But, once you get here you will realize you ARE home. The owners Kim and Bas surround themselves with amazing people who bring you into their circle and treat you as one of their own.

As you can see the IDC isn’t nearly as scary as you may think. The team here at Scuba Center Asia are here to make sure you have the best experience possible.

So what’s holding you back?

Did you know that just 30 minutes away from Sanur lies an island paradise?
That island is Nusa Lembongan and it is one of the three islands that make up the Nusa Penida Archipelago. Nusa Penida is the largest of the three. Nusa Lembongan and Ceningan Island are the other two and connected by a famous yellow bridge.

Nusa Lembongan will seem like a world away from Bali. It has beautiful golden beaches, phenomenal sunrises, and sunset viewpoints. And world-renowned scuba diving sites and magical marine life.

So now you know this paradise island exists you may be asking yourself, “How do I get there? And what should I do with my time on the island?”

We have answered all the essential questions below for you.

The island of Nusa Lembongan is around a 12-mile journey from mainland Bali. The only way to reach the island is via boat. Most boats depart from Sanur, which is just east of Denpasar as it takes only a short 30-minute journey from this harbor.

There are several different areas on the island where boats arrive to drop and pick up visitors from. Scuba Center Asia is located in the Mushroom Beach area. We tend to use and recommend Marlin Fast Cruise, as they drop off and pick up from Mushroom Beach and have a fast boat.

Three important things to remember:

If you book scuba diving in Lembongan with us here at Scuba Center Asia, we can make your boat reservation for you, so all you have to do is show up and pay for your ticket!
Anywhere you stay in Bali should be able to organize your boat for you as well as your transport to the port.
If you happen to make a mistake and get dropped off on the wrong part of the island, do not worry. Transfers are usually included in your hotel/homestay in the price of the boat ticket or a very small extra charge. Always double check when booking.

Okay, so you made it to island. Now what!?

Nusa Lembongan has a lot to offer, and one of the things that we recommend as a must-do experience is scuba diving!

Scuba Center Asia caters to all experience levels. From newbie to experienced to wanting to take on an instructor course and turn scuba diving into a career, we have got you!

The waters around Nusa Penida contain world-famous scuba diving sites, like Crystal Bay and Manta Point. These locations can have crystal clear waters and a huge diversity of marine life. They are also one of the few spots in the world where you can see the mysterious mola-mola fish or manta rays socialize around a cleaning station. There are also more adventurous dive sites to the north where you can drift dive with currents.

Wake up early to catch the sunrise
Rent a moped or bicycle and explore the island
Drive across the famous yellow bridge into Ceningan Island to explore
Take a surfing lesson and catch some waves
Relax at one of the many beach clubs around the island and enjoy beautiful pools and views
Take a tour of the mangrove forest (yes, the island has a mangrove forest)
Go Scuba diving!
Visit the famous Devils Tear to watch the waves crash against the rocks or to enjoy a stunning sunset
Relax on the beach with a book and a drink
Swim in the ocean
Take a yoga class
Explore all the beautiful beaches the island has to offer

There are a good variety of restaurants in Nusa Lembongan. On the island, you will find options ranging from local ‘warungs’ to burgers, Italian restaurants, resorts that cater to all taste buds. Some you have to drive to, others will arrange pickups and drop-offs from your accommodation.

If you are looking for local ‘warung food’, for ease we recommend two places. One near Mushroom Beach, the other in Jangut Batu.

Warungs:

Warung Kevin is located about a 5-minute walk from Mushroom Beach. You can ask for directions from us, or most locals should be able to point you in the right direction.
Warung Nyoman is a warung located just outside of Jangut Batu towards the mangroves.

Finally, what would a list of places to eat be if we didn’t let you know where the best pizza on the island is! This can be found at the Hai Tide resort. Only a minute walk from Mushroom Beach / Scuba Center Asia in the Lembongan area.

We hope this complete beginner’s guide to Nusa Lembongan has helped shed some light on this magical little island. If you already know about the islands and want to come and experience some of the world-renowned scuba diving the island has to offer, get in touch with us today for more information.

1. The PADI IDC at Scuba Center Asia: It's FUN!

One thing we can honestly say is that the IDC at Scuba Center Asia is a lot of fun! It wasn't your ordinary classroom snoozefest. It was all about getting hands-on with our Dive Instructors, who brought the passion and made learning a blast. No dull lectures here—just practical, interactive sessions that kept us stoked and ready for action.

For example in the pool and in open water where we learned to teach with members of the Scuba Center Asia team as our students, often resulting in situations that made us giggle in our regulators. Of course, becoming an instructor includes learning about serious topics in the classroom, but if things tend to get too serious, rest assured that Yayan pops in with his happy face and a joke or two.

2. The PADI IDC at Scuba Center Asia: Too cool for school!

Yes, your Dive Instructor course will consist of theory and study, no doubt about that. Yet how all this is presented is accessible. The Pro team of Scuba Center Asia will include a ton of anecdotes that make information more interesting and easier to remember.
The Course Directors, have the best knowledge there is and besides that a lot of experience in the field. Together with the IDC staff like Pimpin or Yayan we now know all there is to learn about the functioning of our own body and the amazing environments we dive in every day. It is way too cool to learn about these things to call it school!

3. The PADI IDC at Scuba Center Asia: Foodie Heaven

Let's talk about the grub. Scuba Center Asia hooked us up with some seriously tasty treats throughout our IDC journey. From midday snacks to the best Indonesian homemade dishes you can find anywhere on the island. The kitchen staff made sure we were well-fed and ready to tackle anything that came our way.

Your IDC is an intense period full of study and practice, and it is easy to forget to take good care of yourself. Luckily this is not something you have to worry about. In fact, you don’t need to worry about anything because the Pro Team together with the kitchen staff and logistical boys will take care of each side issue that might occur. Most importantly, the kitchen ladies and restaurant staff, take care of the food and drinks. Every day a delicious and fresh lunch is provided to sustain you for a full day of practice and fun.

4. The PADI IDC at Scuba Center Asia: Practice, practice, practice!

Practice makes perfect, right? Well, we got plenty of it during our IDC. From teaching simulations to real-world scenarios, the team gave us the hands-on experience we needed to become confident dive instructors. With each dive, we grew more skilled and more pumped for what lay ahead.

The general theme of each IDC day is practice. We practiced our demonstration skills in the pool, problem-solving skills in the open water, presentation skills in the classroom, skills during mock exams, and this list can continue for a little while.

Oh yeah and did we mention that we did some more practice after that? The team goes above and beyond to make sure you’re ready!

Crushing It at the IE! And then you wake up on the morning of your Instructor Exam… A very special person made us a lovely breakfast (see point 3) but we were almost too nervous to eat. Trembling we entered the exam room, but as soon as the procedures started we knew we were going to ace it. The realization we were so well prepared sunk in. In fact, in such a way that we could fully enjoy our exam. It is a truly thrilling experience when your examiner nods, smiles, and tells you ‘Well done, that’s a 5!’

Thanks to the top-notch training and support from Scuba Center Asia, we nailed it with flying colors. Our scores? Off the charts compared to other candidates. Boom!

Our journey through the PADI IDC at Scuba Center Asia was the stuff of dreams. From the thrill of learning new skills to the satisfaction of achieving our goals, it was an adventure we’ll cherish forever. If you’re thinking about taking the plunge into the world of dive instruction, Scuba Center Asia is the place to be. Dive in and make your dreams a reality!

Tag: PADI Instuctor Course