Category Archives: IDC Preparation Course

Although the PADI IDC in Sharm el Sheikh doesn’t officially start until  tomorrow, the team building has already begun. We have spent the past two days removing any last minute doubts about Dive Theory, and had a laugh while practicing the very latest Skills in the pool. Everyone had completed our “Distance Learning” Preparation, so  were already very prepared.

They are also now familiar with the Computer software that they will have to use during the PADI IDC and the PADI IE. Of course it will also enhance their teaching in the real world after the IE.

The team are now 100 pct relaxed and ready to begin their transformation into a PADI Instructor. Their lives are about to CHANGE for ever!

The start of the PADI Instructor Development Course

Saad, Istvan and Ian are ready to start their PADI IDC

Istvan, Saad and Ian arrived at Emperor Divers in Sharm, 2 days ahead of their PADI Instructor Development Course.  Over the past few weeks, they had taken part in our Distance Learning Preparation course and completed 8 mock exams that I had sent to them. The exams had focused their revision on both dive theory and PADI Standards, so they were already fairly relaxed.
Of course they are extremely excited about the next couple of weeks and keen to get started on the road to becoming a PADI Instructor. The next 2 days would continue their preparation, removing any last niggling doubts about their knowledge or ability so that they could concentrate fully on learning a new set of teaching skills that will make them effective Instructors.

Preparation Course Day 1 

Explaining the finer points of the eRDPml

On the first day, following introductions, I was keen to make sure that they all understood that the whole point of doing a PADI IDC was not just to pass a PADI Instructor Exam! The main purpose was to learn the techniques that would make them a very successful Instructor in the future. Having said that, we spent an hour or so looking at the content of a PADI Instructor’s Exam.  Afterwards, everyone felt more relaxed and confident.  Not least because they knew, the work they had already completed through the Distance Learning course meant they could already pass some elements of the Instructor’s Exam and we hadn’t even started the course yet!

Naturally there were still a couple of areas that needed brushing up. Physics (as always) is one of them. It’s so very common for people to have difficulty with Physics, so I make sure that I explain some very simple and fun ways to learn the most difficult of subjects.
The PADI materials that teach Physics are very much the same as each other. So if people can’t understand a subject after learning it from their Divemaster course, I find that they are just as confused after reading the Diving Knowledge Workbook or the Encyclopaedia as all of the subjects are explained in a similar way throughout all PADI products.
If someone cannot understand a subject, then it needs to be explained in a very different manner. On the Preparation Course, people not only see a very fresh way to “learn” these subjects, but they also know that they can use the same methods to teach their future students.
Just before lunch, Ian, Saad and Istvan were able to prove to me and to themselves  how much all of this helped by passing a mock Theory exam with flying colours.

software used on a PADI IDC and PADI IE

The PADI Examiners expect PADI Instructor Candidates to be familiar with some Computer Software programs. The candidates will be expected to know their way around the Open Water, Rescue and Divemaster Prescriptive Lesson Guides. So the afternoon was spent explaining the benefits of all components of these guides, and also how to use function keys.
All three candidates had seen the Prescriptive Lesson Guides before, but they didn’t appreciate just how helpful they were. Nor did they know how to use them. This session proved to be  very useful for them all.

Preparation Course Day 2

Deciding the best way to demonstrate PADI Skills

IDC candidates are often concerned about  the quality of their skill demonstrations, so we set off to the beach at Sharks Bay, where we could talk in detail about several skills. There are many ways to demonstrate most skills, and we discussed different options for different students. After a couple of  cups of coffee, we set up our equipment and made our way into the sea where we could spend time, practising skills, adjusting weights and generally feeling more comfortable underwater.

Saad showing us how to demonstrate PADI Skills

This was a wonderful exercise for all of the candidates, afterwards they felt much more at ease and they all told me that they had learnt different ways of tackling some of the skills.

A Blue Spotted Ray joined us for the PADI Skill Circuit

The IDC stamina swim test can also cause concern if candidates struggled in this area during their PADI Divemaster course. They assume that they have to complete the swim even faster than at Divemaster.  In fact, the IDC swim is a snorkel swim and it is not timed. Ian, Istvan and Saad were joined by Janet and I and we all enjoyed swimming along the reef at Sharks Bay.  A curious Napoleon Wrasse also followed us along for most of the way!

As the candidates exited the water and relaxed over lunch at Sharks Bay, there was a definite feeling of relief in the air.  Maybe this PADI IDC wasn’t going to be as tough as had been imagined?