Are you looking for something extraordinary? To do something others can only dream of? To help people transform their lives? To open doors you didn’t even know existed? All of this, and more, awaits you as a PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor.

View the Instructor Development Calendar

The Open Water Scuba Instructor (OWSI) program is one of two distinct components of PADI’s Instructor Development Course (IDC)—the core of PADI Instructor training. The first portion is the Assistant Instructor course followed by the Open Water Scuba Instructor program.

The OWSI program is a minimum of four days – but we conduct this over a longer period giving you more opportunity to process the information. It introduces you to the entire PADI System of diver education and concentrates on further developing your abilities as a professional dive educator.

To qualify for training as a PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor, you must:

• Be certified as a PADI Divemaster or a PADI Assistant Instructor or be an instructor in good standing with another training organization for at least six months (check with our PADI Course Director or Contact PADI for qualifying credentials.)
• Be certified as an Emergency First Response Instructor
• Be at least 18 years old
• Be certified as a diver for at least six months
• Have 60 logged dives that include experience in night, deep and navigation diving to participate in the Instructor Development Course. You’ll need 100 logged dives to take the Instructor Exams
• Have proof of CPR and First Aid training within the last 24 months. The Emergency First Response course meets this requirement
• Be fit for diving and submit a Medical Statement (PDF) signed by a physician within the last 12 months

It’s about life transformations—both yours and those around you.

The fun part of instructor training is interacting with course participants and IDC staff while creating friendships that continue long after the course concludes.

You’ll begin networking with other professionals and begin to explore PADI Pro Diving Jobs worldwide. You’ll also have the opportunity to continue your professional education by participating in Specialty Instructor courses, which train you to teach specialties after instructor certification.

The challenging part of this course is your personal commitment to the training. The course requires you to complete all the self-study Knowledge Reviews before the course begins and to prepare daily assignments for teaching presentations daily. Organization, dedication and teamwork are key to success.

You build upon your abilities to organize and supervise scuba diving activities, while concentrating on developing teaching skills. You learn through:

• Knowledge development through self-study, quizzes, lectures and presentations
  • Confined water skill review and assessment, workshops and presentations
  • Open water workshops, rescue assessment and candidate presentations

The PADI Assistant Instructor Course consists of these sections:

• Module 1: Academic Training
  • PADI Discover Scuba Diving and Snorkeling Programs
  • Developing Knowledge Development Presentations
  • Teaching Project AWARE and Peak Performance Buoyancy Specialties
  • Teaching in Confined Water
  • Conducting Open Water Training Presentations
• Module 2: Independent Study
  • Knowledge Development
• Module 3: Practical Application
  • Confined Water and Open Water Teaching Presentations
  • Standards Exam
  • Dive Rescue Skills Assessment

During the course you’ll learn how to apply the PADI System of Education by presenting at least

• Two confined water teaching presentations
• Two knowledge development presentations
• One open water teaching presentations integrating two skills

You will also attend and participate in the following 14 curriculum presentations:

• Course Orientation
• Dive Industry Overview
• General Standards and Procedures
• The Role of Media and Prescriptive Teaching
• Legal Responsibility and Risk Management
• PADI Scuba Diver and Open Water Diver Course
• Adaptive Teaching
• The PADI Continuing Education Philosophy
• Business Principles for the Dive Instructor
• Adventures in Diving Program
• Specialty Diver Courses and Master Scuba Diver Program
• Rescue Diver Course
• Divemaster Course
• Diver Retention Programs
• How to Teach the RDP (Instructors from recreational diver training organizations other than PADI must complete.)

You will demonstrate competence at

• Performing all 20 dive skills listed on the Skill Evaluation.
• Performing a facedown, nonstop swim for 800 metres/yards using a mask, snorkel and fins.

During the course you’ll need to demonstrate competency in Dive theory by passing a five-part theory exam scoring 75% on each part.

After becoming an Open Water Scuba Instructor, you will be able to conduct the entire range of PADI programs from Discover Scuba Diving up to Divemaster. You may also choose to acquire specialty instructor ratings in areas of interest, such as Digital Underwater Photographer or Enriched Air Diver.

At a glance, compare what you can teach when you continue your professional diver education.

It is highly recommended that you own all of your own scuba equipment, as familiarity with personal gear improves general scuba diving skills and you will also find it easier to gain employment. You can find most everything at Scuba Nation PADI 5 Star Instructor Development Centre

You will need to equip yourself with all the basic scuba gear, some scuba accessories such as a dive slate, dive knife, compass, dive watch, etc as well as two scuba signaling devices —one audible and one visual.

Check with our dive centre to purchase equipment needed for the course.

View the Scuba Nation Instructor Development Calendar

Your Next Adventure: You’ll want to continue your professional training by completing courses that allow you to teach beyond the core courses. For example, Emergency Oxygen Provider Instructor, Emergency First Response Instructor, and specialty instructor courses complement your Open Water Scuba Instructor rating and add to your professional portfolio.

• Unlimited diving one week prior to the IDC*.
• Three day FREE Instructor Preparation Course (IPC)
• Twelve day PADI IDC program including lunch every day
• Free accommodation in a/c twin share room including breakfast during the entire IDC plus the IE, total 16 night’s accommodation. If you would like a room on your own then there will be a surcharge.
• All tanks, weights and belts for the entire IDC/IE
• Workshop: Write a good diving CV
• Not including required PADI Materials

* NOTE: subject to availability and space on dive trips.

This fee is the only fee and can be paid by Credit Card (CC) and of course in the ever acceptable US$ cash. Banks in Sihanoukville and Phnom Penh can also do ATM and CC withdrawals.

Now you have come this far and you’re a new instructor? Just finished the IE? No problem. Ask our Course Director for the PADI Specialty Instructor Course Training and the Master Scuba Diver Trainer Course. This will enable you to teach more courses, increase your employability and continue your diving education.