Should fast track programs be avoided?
No, not necessarily. These programs have worked well in the past and will do so in the future. You only need to be aware that the full responsibility for your preparation rests with you and that most of your instructor exam will be based on that preparation. If you find yourself in a position to remediate things you are supposed to know and do, much of the intended preparation for real-life after your training will be lost. If you opt for fast track – prepare well.
Is the instructor exam hard?
Not when you are well prepared. There is no complicated mathematics and there are no rigorous stamina tests. You are expected to know a wide variety of things and to be able to do various skills. All are expected to a reasonable level only. It is the very large variety in knowledge and skills that makes guidance during your preparations so important.
Why should I opt for the College for my instructor course?
Infra structure, experience, career-chances and ambiance. Classroom, pool and open water are only meters apart (no time is lost on transport). We have the largest selection of training aids and teaching tools in the industry. Daniela and Jan have certified more than 6.000 instructor level programs and on several cases were asked by PADI and manufacturers to test (and comment on) new products and courses. The College allows only very limited numbers of people on its premises, which guarantees a tranquil learning environment and last but not least – chances are good that the owner or base-leader of your preferred employer was him/herself trained at the College.
The training to become a PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor sets the basis for becoming a diving professional. This can either be a full-time career, or the enjoyment to share your passion for diving with others, next to your regular job. Your success as a diving professional depends largely on the quality and the effectiveness of your initial training – the training toward the first Instructor level (Open Water Scuba Instructor).
No matter how your training is conducted, two things stay the same. The exam (called the IE or Instructor Examination) and the challenges you are going to be facing when you start teaching your first courses. Your training is supposed to prepare you for both aspects and it is in your personal interest that both aspects get equal attention.
Almost all facilities offering instructor courses apply the fast track format. This format assumes that all candidates are equally well prepared and sets a fixed number of days to complete the training. When doing the fast track format students (you) take full responsibility for their own preparation. They then only learn the “how to teach” part in their course and present themselves to the exam in which both their preparation (75%) and the “how to teach” part (25%) are going to be tested.
What typically happens is that some of the candidates find out during the course that their preparation has not been adequate (either due to wrong information from their peers or instructors, or because of inefficient studying). This then slows down the course for themselves, but also for others. What was started and intended as a preparation for both the exam and life after the exam becomes to a large extend an exam preparation program, setting priorities for only one of the original objectives.
To avoid such a situation, you should be able to enjoy a program adapted to your personal situation and level of preparation. Only a relaxed and thorough program can assure a preparation for both passing the exam and for life after the exam. With two full-time Course Directors on-site, the College is in the unique situation to offer such personalized training programs. Don’t get us wrong – relaxed and thorough does not necessarily mean “longer” – it just means that your training schedule is adapted to your personal situation. The program is planned to assure equal attention to exam preparation and preparation for the challenges of the life of a PADI instructor. We are going to share in the responsibility for your preparation.
Some people intent a complete career-shift from an already learned and practiced profession to a career in recreational diving. In many cases such a shift has to be completed in a single course. At the end of a military career, the army normally pays for a single course only. The same is seen in companies that reduce their working force numbers. Others already know at the end of their school time that diving is what they want to do in life. For these individuals, the College offers a complete career program.
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