This program is especially suited for Divemasters who doesn’t have the time and resources to take the entire IDC in one schedule, or those who are not interested to teach the entire spectrum of PADI dive courses (yet).

The PADI Assistant Instructor Course can be taught any time on request. The AI course takes 4 days and is the first portion of the PADI Instructor development Course (IDC). After the AI course you can take the OWSI course to complete your PADI IDC and after successfully passing the PADI Instructor Exam you will be a PADI Instructor!

What can you do as a PADI Assistant Instructor?

As a PADI Assistant Instructor you can act as an assistant to the instructor and can assume limited teaching responsibilities. It’s a great way to gain experience in order to become a scuba diving instructor. As well as all the things you can do as a PADI Divemaster, once certified as a PADI Assistant Instructor you will be able to:

• Teach academic presentations 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 and certify PADI Peak Performance Buoyancy Specialty Divers under the direction of a PADI Instructor
• Teach Project AWARE Specialty courses
• Teach the AWARE Coral Reef Conservation specialty course
• Conduct PADI Discover Scuba Diving experiences in a pool or confined water
• Conduct PADI Seal Team AquaMissions
• Teach PADI Digital Underwater Photographer specialty courses under the direction of a PADI Instructor after earning the PADI Digital Underwater Photographer Specialty Instructor rating.
• Teach PADI Equipment and PADI Oxygen Provider Specialties with further training.

AI Program Performance Requirements

To be certified as a PADI Assistant Instructor, you must meet the following performance requirements:

• Attend the required IDC Curriculum Components some of which can be done online:
  • Course Orientation
  • Learning, Instruction and the PADI System
  • General Standards and Procedures
  • Risk Management
  • Marketing Diving
  • Start Diving
  • Teaching PADI Specialty Diver Courses
  • Business of Diving (optional)
  • Keep Diving (optional)
  •  How to teach the RDP (optional)
• Developing Knowledge Development Presentations
• Teaching in Confined Water
• Conducting Open Water Dives
• Present at least two evaluated knowledge development teaching presentations and score a 3.5 or higher on at least one presentation.
• Present at least two evaluated confined water teaching presentations and score a 3.4 or higher on at least one presentation.
• Present at least one integrated (two skills) evaluated open water teaching presentation and score a 3.4 or higher on each skill.
• Demonstrate competence at performing all 20 dive skills listed on the Skill Evaluation. Candidates must earn 68 total points, with no individual score below 3.
• Score 75 percent or higher on the PADI Systems, Standards and Procedures Exam and have any missed questions reviewed until mastery is achieved. Scores less than 75 percent require a retest.
• Successfully complete the PADI Divemaster course diver rescue skills assessment in open water.