The main reasons to take the AI and the IDC courses as separate components are time and money. Indeed, each course takes about a week, so if you can’t get 15 days off straight then doing them separately might fit your schedule nicely. The Instructor Development Course as a whole, with the Instructor

Examination (IE) and the PADI fees, is certainly a hefty budget. So splitting it might help your finances, allowing you more time to save some money. Following the PADI Assistant Instructor Course first allows you to be more prepared for your IDC. Theefore, you increase your success rate for the IE. Some students might struggle with the amount of information and skills they must assimilate within 15 days. As a PADI AI, you not only gain additional experience as a PADI Professional, but you also start learning the PADI system of diver education. You can therefore act as an instructional scuba assistant and assume limited teaching responsibilities. It’s a great way to gain experience.

Some might even work as an Assistant Instructor immediately as you improve your employability within the diving industry. You increase your earning potentials giving you a way to fund your IDC course if money was an issue. You also have time to develop your own teaching skills and techniques. So when it is time to pass the Instructor Exam or teach your first PADI Open Water students, you are ready and confident.

Finally taking the PADI Assistant Instructor Course alone is a great way of finding out if being a Scuba Instructor is something for you. You will be certified to conduct a larger array of PADI programs so you get to experience the life of a PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor.

During the AI Course, you build upon your abilities to organize and supervise scuba diving activities learnt during your Divemaster Course. On top of that you focus on developing your teaching skills to conduct a variety of PADI Programs.

You start with reviewing your diving theory and learning the PADI system of diver education through a series of presentations, lectures, self-study, quizzes and exams. You will be trained to give Knowledge Development Presentations to student, in other words, how to teach the diving theory part of any PADI Courses.

Then you will move to the pool to practice the skill part of any PADI courses. You will review and be assessed on the 24 skills of the PADI Open Water Course. You will also learn how to teach Confined Water Sessions through workshops and presentations.

Finally, you will learn how to conduct Open Water Training Dives in the ocean. There again presentations and workshops will guide you through the learning process. You will also be assessed on your Rescue Skills as a Professional Diver.

Through the PADI Assistant Instructor Course you are being assessed and graded the same way as you would be for your IDC or your Instructor Examination. You will therefore become familiar with what is expected of you and how to pass successfully your IE.

In addition to the responsibilities and duties you already have as a PADI Divemaster, as a PADI Assistant Instructor you can:

• • Teach the knowledge development part for any PADI Diver Course under the indirect supervision of a PADI Instructor

• • During confined water dives, present initial skills training under the direct supervision of a PADI Instructor

• • Evaluate Open Water Diver surface skills under the indirect supervision of a PADI Instructor

• • Teach a variety of PADI Specialty courses under or not the direction of a PADI Instructor.

• • Conduct PADI Discover Scuba Diving & Bubblemaker in a pool or in Confined Waters.

• • Conduct PADI Seal Team Aquamissions

You also assist in a more beneficial way Instructor as you can assume more diverse roles as an instructional assistant. To the dive industry, you are more employable as you can teach a wider range of PADI Programs and increase student to professional ratios.