Monthly Archives: January 2012

A survey a couple of years ago found that when people were asked the question “What are you most afraid of?” the top answer was: Public Speaking. This might not come as much surprise to you, but the odd thing about the survey was that after spiders and snakes, DEATH was fourth on the list!  So it seems that people would much rather die that give a talk!
It’s no surprise then that people act in a very strange way when they need to get information from one person to another. Have you ever been bored by a teacher who thinks that being an instructor means that they have to act and speak in a very strange way?

Here is an excellent video, sent to me by a PADI Master Instructor that shows exactly what I am talking about.  You will recognise many things in this video.

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http://www.growingleaders.com/habitudes/communicators/
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Of course What people don’t realise is that communication between humans is the most natural thing in the world to do.  If you really want to learn how to communicate, then just go to your local pub or restaurant and take a look around you. People are communicating all of the time. Mostly far more effectively than “Trained Instructors” do in Classrooms.

PADI Instructors can be very informal when giving presentations

Learning to become a PADI Open Water Instructor involves a lot of understanding of human behaviour. Your PADI Instructor Development Course will teach you lots of valuable skills that are invaluable in many walks of life.
The lesson about Knowledge Development Presentations, teaches fantastic skills that have been developed by educationalists and psychologists over a period of many years.
What IDC Candidates don’t realise is that these exact same skills are being taught to people in the commercial world, often at a vast cost to organisations. ( I know this, because I used to teach these same skills to Organisations around the world)
What is also not understood is that these very skills are so natural and smooth. They use the same techniques that people at the pub are subconsciously using all the time.

PADI Instructor giving classroom presentation

Your IDC is probably going to be the most valuable, important and impressionable diving course that you will ever take. The skills that you learn are NOT so that you can just pass a PADI Instructor Exam.  The skills are designed to make you a very efficient instructor that has your future students clambering to you for further courses.
Please don’t hesitate to contact me to find out more details of our PADI IDC Schedule  of if you have any other questions.

New PADI Instructors get the very best start to their new lives

Do you remember when you passed your driving test? Do you remember how insecure you felt during those first few weeks on the road? You probably have the same feeling every time you start work at a new organisation.
Of course it’s the same for new PADI Instructors. Following their PADI IDC’s, and PADI IE’s, all new instructors are so excited about their new lives ahead. But of course they are now faced with the realisation that very soon they will have their very own customers and that they are now qualified to teach on their own.
I often hear that some people take a very long PADI Divemaster course,  or take a PADI IDC as part of a long internship in an attempt to gain experience. In reality, much of that time is often wasted, it just delays the reality of becoming an instructor. Regardless of the amount of preparation time that has been spent, the new PADI instructor is still very nervous, and needs help to build up experience and confidence. Of course the only way to get experience, is to get out and do it!

Exciting times! but now for reality! Build confidence with Emperor's Internship.

Emperor Divers in Egypt have a wonderful answer to all of these questions. Every PADI IDC Candidate has a free option of spending one whole month with the instructors and staff learning the realities of working at a busy 5 star PADI IDC Centre.
They quickly gain confidence following their PADI Instructor Exam, as they shadow the existing Emperor staff helping with classroom, pool and Open Water training, along with guiding customers on the popular dive sites. It’s even possible to get their very first certifications. This experience is so very valuable in putting all of their training into use. It’s an interesting fact that most of the current Emperor Divers staff have been employed following the one month internship. It’s a fantastic way for new PADI Instructors to impress the management of Emperor Divers and get a job offer. Of course a job offer is not guaranteed, but even so a one month internship is a very impressive item to start your C.V. with!
Not everyone can afford the time to spend a whole month following their PADI Instructor Development Course, so they sometimes get the option to come back at another time, or just spend a week or two gaining that wonderful experience.
I teach 5 PADI IDC’s each year at Emperor Divers in Sharm el Sheikh. Click to see our IDC Schedule. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Emperor Divers

An excellent opportunity has arisen for a couple to help set up and look after an exciting new project at Emperor Divers in Marsa Alam, Red Sea, Egypt. We’ve recently opened a new Dive Centre and Boutique Sales Point at 2 neighbouring hotels (4 star Resta Reef and 5 star Resta Grand) and we’re looking for a couple who can take responsibility for providing first class customer service while generating sales of diving trips, snorkelling excursions, boat trips and shop merchandise while living in the sun!

For the successful couple, duties will also include planning and scheduling boat trips, liaising with sales people, liaising with nearby Emperor Centres, inventory management, cash handling and some basic housekeeping.

We’re looking for a couple who have a professional appearance, demonstrate punctuality and initiative and have the ability to work under pressure. Most importantly you must have excellent customer service skills – a background in face to face customer service, bar and restaurant service and hotel/reception work (especially supervisory levels) and planning and organisational roles will give you a definite advantage. If you are great team players, flexible and are able to work in a remote location, then you may be just what we’re looking for.

Both of you must be Open Water Divers (that’s diver – not instructor!) as a minimum and have a love for the sea. For the right candidates this could become an intern position, where we will train you to PADI Divemaster and Assistant Instructor level and at the end of your first year you will have the opportunity to take an OWSI/IDC with Emperor. Once a Divemaster, there may also be some opportunities to work in the water. It should be noted that it is advertised as a ‘dry’ job, though you are more than welcome to dive with Emperor for free on all days off and holidays! The job can also be offered without an internship – to those that don’t want to progress down the professional route as yet – at a higher salary.

Between the couple, you must be able to speak, read and write in German and Italian and both must be fluent in English. Other languages are advantageous, especially Russian. Applicants must have a minimum PADI certification level of Open Water or equivalent and we will also consider PADI Divemasters. Instructors need not apply unless there is an additional reason why you should stay dry. You must be well presented with no visible tattoos or excessive piercings.

We will be offering the successful candidates a 12 month contract starting as soon as possible, monthly salary, commission plus accommodation at the Resta Reef and full board.

If you meet our criteria, please send your CVs showing all relevant diving and non-diving experience along with clear and recent photographs to human.resources@emperordivers.com quoting reference ED102.

Yesterday I spent the day at the PADI offices in Bristol finding out what is new for 2012.
It was interesting to see that despite all of the Doom and Gloom that we all see on a daily basis on TV’s and in our Newspapers, PADI Certifications rose in 2011.  OK, so they only went up by 1 pct,  but at least it shows that the industry that we all love is alive and kicking.

PADI, as always are very innovative and there are some good things to look out for in 2012.

PADI to release Scuba Earth soon

SCUBA EARTH
Scuba Earth will be unveiled very soon. It will be released in Beta format to PADI members later this month, before being released to the whole world. It’s a web based application where we can all go to find out more about Dive Sites around the world. We will be able to share experiences, log dives, keep a record of what equipment we own, including make, model, serial numbers, last service date etc. We will find a record of our certifications, discover more information about future courses that we are interested in … and much much more!

PADI Theory made easy

New Theory Option for nervous PADI IDC and IE candidates
PADI IDC and PADI IE candidates who find exam rooms  very stressful, will soon have a solution. Exact details are not clear yet, but future IE candidates will have the option to take the PADI theory exam on-line at home. They will be able to print out results of the exams and use that as evidence for the PADI IDC and the PADI IE.  They will still have to sit a cut down “Quick Review” at the PADI IE, but that should be a lot more relaxing than taking the full 60 question exam.
For those people who prefer one-on-one tuition, we will still be offering our very popular Distance Learning Preparation course, which helps people by offering simple and easy ways to answer common PADI questions.

New Sidemount and CCR courses
2012 will also see new courses for Sidemount and  Closed Circuit Re-breathers (CCR’s) There will be courses for both Recreational and Technical divers. Once trained, recreational Re-breather divers will be able to take traditional PADI courses using their CCR. Details will be released very soon.

New EFR and New Shark Conservation Courses

Project Aware launch Distinctive Specialty course

EFR  and Project aware have some new courses!   EFR will soon release a new CPR and AED course that will be very popular in the workplace. Any EFR instructor will be able to teach the course.  Materials are ready, and will be released later this month.
Project Aware have launched a new Shark Conservation Distinctive  Speciality Course.
Materials are now available to download from the PADI Pro’s site. All application fees will go to the charity.