Top Tips for Aspiring Dive Instructors (From Someone Who's Trained a Lot of Them)

Every year I get candidates asking the same question in different forms: "What do I need to do to make sure I pass?" It's the wrong question, but I understand why people ask it — becoming an instructor feels like a big, nerve-wracking leap. So instead of generic advice, here's what I actually tell candidates, based on what separates the ones who thrive from the ones who just scrape through.

Eye-level view of a dive instructor demonstrating skills in a clear blue ocean

1. Log dives with intention, not just numbers

You need a minimum of 60 logged dives to start your IDC, but the number matters less than what you did with them. Did you dive in different conditions? Different environments? Did you ever dive with someone less experienced than you and notice yourself naturally slipping into a teaching mindset — checking on them, anticipating problems before they happened? That instinct is worth more than dive number 61 in the same familiar spot.

2. Get comfortable being watched

Teaching means being observed constantly — by students, by co-instructors, by me during your IDC. If that makes you deeply uncomfortable right now, that's fine, but it's worth working on before you arrive. Practice explaining things out loud, even to yourself. Confidence in front of an audience is a skill, not a personality trait, and it's trainable.

3. Learn to say "I don't know, let's find out"

New instructors often feel pressure to have every answer. You won't, and pretending otherwise is far more damaging to your credibility than just admitting it. The best instructors I've trained are the ones comfortable saying "good question, I'm not sure — let's look it up together" rather than bluffing.

4. Understand the why, not just the how

This is the single biggest thing I look for. Anyone can memorize a five-step skill sequence. What matters is whether you understand why each step exists, so that when a real student does something unexpected — and they will — you can adapt instead of freezing. I don't train candidates to pass an exam. I train them to actually teach, which means real time spent on judgment, not just repetition.

5. Take care of your body before the IDC, not during it

Two weeks of pool sessions, open water dives, and long teaching days is physically demanding in a way most people underestimate. Arrive rested, reasonably fit, and hydrated — don't try to get in shape during the course itself.

6. Choose who trains you carefully

Not all IDCs are the same, even though the PADI curriculum is standardized. The difference is in the how — small groups versus large ones, real mentorship versus a production line. Ask questions before you commit: how many candidates per course, how much one-on-one time, what happens after certification. A center that can't answer clearly is telling you something.

If there's one thing I'd want every aspiring instructor to walk away with, it's this: the goal isn't to become certified. It's to become someone worth being certified. Those aren't the same thing, and the gap between them is exactly what a good IDC should close.