Top Ten Hacks for IDC Preparation – Don’t miss out!

So you’ve decided to become a PADI Dive Instructor?

Great! Welcome to THE BEST JOB in the world!

Filled with fun, excitement and adventure, to become a PADI Instructor is to become everyone’s favourite teacher. You know the one teacher we all remember from school whose class was the most fun; who inspired us, mentored us, and who we keep in touch with even after leaving school?

THAT’S who you are going to be once you successfully complete your IDC & IE!

But first you’ve got to put in the necessary work to prepare for your IDC.

#1 Grab a friend, literally, and practice your dive skills

Watch the skills videos, practice them with a buddy, keep them fresh in your memory. Just like in your Dive Master course, it’s not enough to just be able to do the skill, you’ll need to be able demonstrate all the skills. The good news is that the assessment criteria is exactly the same as in your Dive Master course.

There are plenty of Dive Master Skills videos available online, but be careful to make sure the one you follow shows the latest updated skills from PADI, or you could be in deep trouble. You can watch a good example of a Skills video here.

#2 Get your dive theory knowledge up-to-date

Remember, you don’t get taught dive theory at the IDC, you will only have the opportunity to go over questions you don’t get correct in the various quizzes and tests. As the dive theory is from the Dive Master course, you will be expected to attend your IDC with this knowledge. So study your dive theory, or if you want to be extra prepared, do PADI Dive Theory Online before the IDC.

We know how difficult it can be to find time to refresh your dive theory while working as a dive master. Hence, our IDC is especially designed to include Dive Theory review sessions. But any preparation you can do beforehand will still be a big help. As an early-bird bonus, you get to join online dive theory classes through our blended learning (virtual learning) platform. That’ll give you a head start without even having to take time off from work!

#3 Become VERY familiar with the PADI Pros Site

The PADI Pros Site is the primary online resource you’ll be using during your IDC as well as afterwards when you are teaching. So make sure you can access it, and be sure to have a good look around so that you are familiar with what resources are available and from where in the Pro Site.

You can download the latest Instructor Manual from the Pros Site. Also, check out the PADI 18 Steps for Preparing Prescriptive Presentations video to get a head start with preparing for knowledge assessments.

#4 Practice your rescue assessment (exercise no. 7)

In addition to the ever popular Rescue Exercise number 7 which will be assessed separately, you will have a number of skills that you will be teaching in the IDC and IE from the PADI Rescue Diver Course. So it’s a good idea to go through all the Rescue Diver Course skills and assist in a Rescue diver course if time permits.

In our IDC you will be taught BOTH mouth-to-mask and mouth-to-mouth resuscitation so you don’t get caught out in the IE or thereafter.

#5 Check your EFR License

You must have completed CPR and First Aid training within the past 24 months if you want to do the IDC. So make sure you check your EFR licence now and if required, attend a refresher course quick.

We know how hard fit is to find free time when you’re a hardworking DM, so we’ve included an EFR Refresher in your IDC, just in case.

#6 Get medical clearance

As always, you’re required to provide a valid an RSTC Medical Statement of your fitness for diving. This certificate is valid for 12 months, so check when your last one was done.

If you don’t have one, ooh boy, better get on it now so that you won’t be stressed about it later.

#7 Bring all your certification cards & log book

Or just scan & bring copies of your certification cards. The certificate numbers from the cards is required for your PADI IE Enrolment Form.

Also bring along a copy of your log book page which records your 100th dive logged. You do know that you need to have a 100 logged dives before you can become an instructor, right? Right?

To make things easier, we’ll send out a Data Collection Form with your IDC Application form so that you can enter all your certification data on one sheet and send it back to us. Our team will compile all the necessary paperwork for your IE. You just need to concentrate on learning all you need to pass with flying colours!

#8 Make sure your dive equipment is well & truly tested

You don’t want any mishaps happening during the course, or any unnecessary stress due to new or old equipment. A professional presence is expected, both in yourself and your gear, so replace any old & tattered pieces that seemed to make you look cool as a dive master; with professional, functional equipment. Be sure to test them out and get them in order before you start the course. Check the PADI Instructor Guide for the Required Equipment for a dive instructor to ensure you have everything.

We urge you to bring the dive gear you plan to use as an instructor, as your IDC prepares you for your future as an instructor – the IE is just a gateway you need to pass through to get to that!

Use a standard configuration for your equipment during the IDC as this will make it less stressful for you and the candidate who is your buddy during IE assessments, especially Rescue Exercise 7!

Continue to do the same when you are teaching; after all, you don’t want to confuse new divers with different gizmos and whatnot while they are still trying to figure out what comprises scuba equipment.

#9 Get in touch with your Course Director early on

The best source of information for what to expect and how to prepare for your IDC is your Course Director. So make sure you find an opportunity to talk to her and sort out any questions you may have. Make it a point to confirm the logistics of the program with her such as;

• What you need to do to register for the program
• What is included in the package and what you need to provide for yourself
• What PADI materials you need
• Information on the IDC location & when you need to go for IDC Orientation
• Confirm your exact travel details & who to call if you have any last minute travel changes
• Travel & accommodation arrangements
• Any special diet requirements
• Any financial worries or study concerns you are having

If your Course Director is anything like ours, she will allay your fears and tell you clearly what needs to be done. She will specify how you can best spend your time before the IDC to be prepared fully. She will tell you what exactly to expect from your IDC and which areas you can be sure of getting extra help from us. Her understanding approach and genuine care and compassion for your situation will bolster your self-confidence and renew your determination to take this next step in your dive career.

Most importantly, you will develop that critical factor to ensure a successful IDC & IE for yourself – TRUST in your Course Director and her ability to guide you through the IDC, IE and on to a successful career.

And with our Course Director, it won’t stop there; she will become the mentor you have been looking for, the role-model you can respect and the instructor you aspire to become; and the true friend who will always guide and support you throughout your professional life. Just ask any diver she has trained; but make sure you have enough time to listen to them go on and on about their CD!❣️😀

#10 Last but not the least, relax and be prepared to have fun at your IDC.

The friendships you build and the camaraderie you enjoy during an IDC is like nothing else. Because of intense shared experiences during a short period of time, your IDC buddies will become lifelong friends who will accompany you on your professional career pathway from Instructor to Master Scuba Diver Trainer to Staff Instructor and beyond. As in the IDC, you continue to learn from their successes and mistakes as they learn from yours.

As you may have noticed from the photos and videos posted here, we tend to have A LOT of fun at our IDCs. The ‘in jokes’, funny gags and comedic antics make sure that nobody feels left out or stressed out. All this is no accident, as we believe that your IDC should be all about YOU and making sure that YOU get the most out of this once in a lifetime experience.

After all, the program is called instructor development for a reason, as your Course Director will be developing your abilities through personal and professional growth to become the best instructor you can be. You will be surprised by how much your self-confidence and teaching skills improve in a relatively short amount of time as you progress through the IDC.

We can’t wait to help you through the metamorphosis from an excellent (& cool!) Dive Master into an Instructor beyond par (which is pretty cool)!

Just prepare yourself for the best job in the world and welcome to the world of the PADI diving instructor. Any enquiries and anything that we can help you with click here and one of our knowledgeable staff will get straight back to you. 

Check out some of our latest antics on Youtube and subscribe for more helpful hints from the pros.

Stakeholder Forum on Diving Regulations – September 11th 2017

Maldives, known for it’s natural beauty, has a very large tourism industry.

The tourism industry equally attracts island-goers, who include newlyweds and vacation goes, of which a lions’ share are divers.

Rich in marine life and beautiful reefs, Maldives attracts all kinds of divers, who take part in snorkeling and recreational diving.

However, Maldives also has a very old set of diving regulations that was drafted in 2000 and then ratified in 2003.

When Team BLAK, Organizers of the annual Maldives Marine Expo, approached the Faculty of Marine Studies with an opportunity to hold a forum, it provided us with the perfect opportunity to create a platform to discuss these regulations.

Our reasons for taking on such a momentous task were 2-fold. Firstly, and most importantly, it was TIME. No one else seemed in a hurry to do this. 🙂

Secondly, and no less importantly, we feel it as our obligation to initiate and lead the dialogue on important issues facing this industry. As a training institution with a proud history of educating Dive and Water Sports professionals, we believe it is our duty to set the bar high for industry Best Practices and to lead the way towards a safe work environment for our graduates in their professions.

Held on the last day of the Marine Expo 2017, the Stakeholder Forum was an invitee-only platform to offer the active dive training agencies in this country; PADI, SSI and RAID, the opportunity to put forward the changes they would like to see in the regulations.

The 2- hour forum started with a brief background on the emergence of current diving regulations by our own Sendi, Founder of the Faculty of Marine Studies. Following this, PADI Regional Manager to Maldives, Matt Wenger presented the changes proposed by the training agencies.

The floor was then opened for the attendees, the stakeholders in the industry, to comment on these proposed changes and discuss them.

The lively, and at times heated, discussion was kept on track by our Dean, Dr. Shamáa Abdullah Hameed [Anna] who moderated the session in her signature relaxed style. She kept everyone thoroughly engaged and involved. No voice was left unheard, no concern unvoiced.

The open discussions bore fruit, with many valid issues being raised on some of the proposed changes, while everyone fully supported others. The attendees were encouraged to note down any further issues they wished to raise regarding the diving regulations. These were later circulated amongst those who attended via email.

It was a huge success, with some changes deemed to be discussed further, and some changes deemed okay to process and submit to the Tourism Ministry.

The forum was attended by over 40 invitees from the diving industry, representing over 30 different operations. These included guest house owners, local dive center owners, as well as dive center owners from resorts. Industry representatives from Liveaboards Association of Maldives, MATATO, Marine Police, as well as a representative from the Tourism Ministry also attended.

We thank each and every one of you for your active participation at this Stakeholder Forum on Diving Regulations.

Due to the overwhelmingly positive feedback we received from everyone who attended, the Faculty plans to organize more such forums to discuss further concerns regarding the current dive regulations as well as other issues relevant to the diving and water sports industry.

We look forward to seeing you there!