How did I become a PADI Scuba Diving Instructor?
If you’re sitting in your office daydreaming about a more exciting and fulfilling career, you might be wondering if there’s something better out there for you. There is—and it’s becoming a PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor. This career allows you to leave the confines of a traditional office job and explore the wonders of the underwater world. As a scuba diving instructor, you can share your passion for diving with others, travel to beautiful destinations, and enjoy a lifestyle filled with adventure and discovery.
In this blog, I’ll share my journey of becoming a PADI Scuba Diving Instructor, offering insights into how I turned my dreams into reality and embarked on an extraordinary career path.
Not all PADI scuba instructors have been lifelong divers. Some become hooked from the very first time they dive, while others decide to pursue this path without ever having entered the water. They fall in love with the idea and the dream of travelling the world, escaping the rat race, diving into the vast blue sea, and teaching others to scuba dive.
First Step
The first step in your journey to becoming a PADI Scuba Diving Instructor is completing the PADI Open Water Course. This foundational course is where you will first learn to scuba dive, and it consists of three key components: theory, confined water skills, and open water diving. Spanning three days, the course is designed to provide you with the essential knowledge and skills needed to explore the underwater world safely.
This was where I first got hooked on diving. I was fortunate enough to complete the open water component of my PADI Open Water Course on a liveaboard boat here in Phuket, Thailand. During my second dive, I had the incredible experience of seeing two giant manta rays, which got me thinking about the possibilities of diving. However, what sealed the deal for me was that evening. My PADI Open Water Instructor and I were relaxing on the liveaboard, enjoying a beer in the warm tropical weather after a day of diving. I remember asking him, “Are you getting paid for this?” His answer was a simple “yes.” I thought back to what I would have been doing in Australia and realized, “I could do this… easily.”
PADI Open Water Course
After completing the PADI Open Water Course, I immediately returned to Phuket to sign up for my PADI Advanced Open Water Course. This two-day course includes five dives, each with a specific theme, known as adventure dives. Two of these dives are compulsory: learning about deep diving and underwater navigation. For the remaining three adventure dives, I chose wreck diving, multilevel and computer diving, and AWARE fish identification. If the PADI Open Water Course hadn’t already sold me on the dream of becoming a PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor, the Advanced Open Water Course certainly did. I was hooked, line and sinker.
After returning to Australia, I began planning my next adventure: the PADI Rescue Diver Course. I couldn’t get back to Phuket, Thailand, fast enough. I was eager to learn more about the scuba diving world, and the good thing was, it provided me with both a new dream and a new hobby. I wanted to see different creatures and learn about equipment and different diving options, such as the differences between technical and recreational diving. Diving had opened up a whole new world for me.
Back to Phuket
Six months later, I was back in Phuket, Thailand, ready to continue my scuba diving education. My first two courses were quick and easy half-day courses. The PADI Enriched Air Course took just half a day in the classroom and was very interesting. It also gave me a couple of dives on a day boat the following day. I learned about the potential dangers of using enriched air without proper training, how to plan for enriched air dives, and how to test tanks. The knowledge I gained in this course is something I still use today.
Next was the Emergency First Response Course, a prerequisite for the PADI Rescue Diver Course. It was an interesting and relatively easy course focused on first aid. The course provided valuable information on assisting those with injuries or illnesses, which is particularly important since many scuba diving sites are far from medical help—especially in Phuket, Thailand.
PADI Rescue Course
I then took on what is possibly the most challenging course in the PADI training system: the PADI Rescue Diver Course. This three-day course follows a similar structure to the PADI Open Water Course, with theory, confined water, and open water components. Although there have been some slight updates to the training syllabus, it remains largely the same.
The theory took a significant step up from previous courses, as did the confined water skills. Instead of the typical watch-and-repeat skills, we engaged in physical exercises and simulated rescue techniques. By the end of the day, I was exhausted and questioned if being a PADI Open Water Instructor was what I truly wanted. Little did I know, the toughest day was yet to come. The following day, we went out on a day trip boat for open water exercises, and my instructor surprised me with various simulated rescue scenarios throughout the day.
By the end of the day, I was completely exhausted, but I realized how much I had learned. The PADI Rescue Diver Course taught me many important things, most notably that scuba diving can be very dangerous if not conducted properly. While it may not be the most fun PADI course, it is certainly the most rewarding.
PADI Divemaster Course
After completing the Rescue Diver Course, I continued to dive on day trip boats and soon signed up for the PADI Divemaster Course. With a significant theory component, it was beneficial to get the books early and begin self-study. My instructor explained what I needed to learn independently and what he would teach me. The PADI Divemaster Course is the most thorough and comprehensive course in the PADI system. It includes a large theory component, water skill sessions, more rescue scenarios, timed swims, course assistance, and your first experience of being in charge of other divers.
I started the theory but had to return to work in Australia. The dream of becoming a professional diver continued to grow, and I began to plan for extended time off work and even considered quitting my current job. It was no longer just a dream; it was becoming a reality.
A few months later, I returned to Phuket to complete my PADI Divemaster Course in about six weeks. By the end of the course, I truly felt like a scuba diving professional. It was a great feeling to know I had a certification that allowed me to teach in most countries around the world. But I knew my journey wasn’t over. There was one more step: the PADI Instructor Development Course, the final step to becoming a PADI Open Water Instructor.
Back to Australia Again
I returned home to Australia with a new set of books for self-study. This time, I was serious about studying and planning for more extended time off work.
It was a long break away from Phuket and Thailand, but there was plenty of studying to do. Fortunately, I was able to plan for six months off from work.
PADI Instructor Development Course
Before I knew it, I was back on a plane, standing in Phuket International Airport. After a week, I began my two-week PADI Instructor Development Course. It was an interesting course, and while there wasn’t much new to learn, it was about perfecting what I already knew. The pressure came from being good at what I had learned rather than learning new material.
The two weeks passed quickly, and soon I found myself standing in front of a PADI Examiner for the first night of theory examinations. After passing successfully, I moved on to the confined water examinations and lesson presentations, culminating in the open water examination on Sunday. By 3:00 p.m. that afternoon, I was a PADI Open Water Instructor and had achieved my goal.
Employment
I was fortunate enough to be offered employment by the company where I completed my training, and I never returned to my old job. I have continued my PADI education and am now a PADI Course Director, the highest level within the PADI Profession.
Every day I spend in the water, I remind myself how fortunate I am. I have a fantastic job—some even say the best job in the world—and it’s hard to argue with that sentiment on most days. Diving has opened up a whole new world for me. I’ve met people from all walks of life and many countries, I live in a tropical paradise, and I get to see some of the most wonderful creatures on the planet. Best of all, I have the privilege of introducing people to this incredible world for the first time. While I may never be rich financially, I am rich with experiences and memories.
