The PADI Course Director rating is the highest instructor rating in the PADI System for recreational diving. To become a Course Director, you will need to attend and complete the PADI Course Director Training Course (PADI CDTC) 2 times a year. One in Kota Kinaubalu, Malaysia, the other in Caribbean island of the Dominican Republic. Recently there has been a third CDTC held in China conducted in Mandarin.
During the PADI Course Director Training Course, you will learn how to conduct PADI Instructor Development programs and gain experience in developing dive educators. Upon completion, as a Course Director, you will find yourself among the most influential in the dive industry. You will serve as a role model for many, especially the instructors you will train. And also because you play such a pivitol role in influencing the attitudes and abilities of the next generation of instructors, you will find that the things you do or say have a multiplying effect.
PADI Course Director Training Course Requirements
To apply for a PADI Course Director Training Course, you must:
1. Be a Master Instructor.
2. Be an EFR Instructor Trainer.
3. Be certified as an upgraded and renewed PADI IDC Staff Instructor.
4. Have within the prior 12 month:
A. No verified Quality Assurance complaints filed with PADI.
B. Conducted all certifications of each level of diver training consistent
with PADI philosophy and as outlined in the PADI Instructor Manual &
PADI Course Director Manual. Any modification of the courses outlined in
the PADI Instructor Manual & PADI Course Director Manual must have
been approved by PADI.
C. Exclusively used the PADI System of diver education, including the
various diver manuals, videos, DVDs, CD-ROMs, quizzes, exams,
instructor guides, lesson guides and Recreational Dive Planner.
D. Issued only PADI certifications to students completing PADI Diver
training courses.
5. Have completed the PADI System, Standards and Procedures Examination
with a score of 85% or higher at an IE by registering with PADI. This must be
done within one year of the CDTC Application due date.
6. Have completed the Diving Theory Examination with a score of 83% or higher
in each of the five topics (Physics, Physiology, RDP, Equipment and Skills &
Environment) at an IE by registering with PADI or by completing Dive Theory
Online with the appropriate scores. This must be done within one year of the
CDTC Application due date.
7. Have staffing experience of at least two complete IDCs or combination of two
AI and two OWSI programs or one AI, one OWSI and one full IDC after
certification as an IDC Staff Instructor since the introduction of the current IDC
curriculum.
8. Have experience working with a PADI Resort & Retail Association Member.
9. Have organized or led
a) one Project AWARE Dive Against Debris Cleanup,
b) setup a My Ocean Profile
c) promoted the AWARE C-Card to your student divers
d) organized or led at least one more Project AWARE activity or event
such as Cleanup, Coral Watch, Whale Shark Project, installation or maintenance
of mooring systems, AWARE Kids programs, fund raising, etc. within the past
three years.
Note: Meeting the four prerequisites above (a, b, c & d) is the minimum
requirement for applying for the CDTC. Additional credit will be awarded for
additional activities.
10. Meet the minimum experience requirement of 250 logged dives.
No application will be accepted unless all requirements have been met.