ASSISTANT INSTRUCTOR COURSE Samal Island, Davao

Take Your First Step Into Scuba Instruction

The PADI Assistant Instructor Course is designed for experienced Divemasters who want to develop their teaching abilities and begin working in a more advanced instructional role.

As an Assistant Instructor, you'll learn how to assist PADI Instructors, conduct certain teaching activities under the appropriate level of supervision, and develop the professional skills required for the next stage of your instructor career.

This is the first step toward becoming a PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor.


COURSE FEE

₱45,000/person

PADI Assistant Instructor Course

Optional Package

₱55,000/person

Can include selected additional items such as:

Final pricing should specify exactly which PADI fees and materials are included.


COURSE DURATION

4–6 Days

Recommended format:

Day 1 – Orientation & Knowledge Development
 Day 2 – Teaching Methodology
 Day 3 – Confined-Water Teaching
 Day 4 – Open-Water Teaching
 Day 5 – Teaching Practice & Assessment
 Day 6 – Review / Remediation / Completion

The course may be completed in fewer days for well-prepared candidates or extended when additional practice is required.

A current PADI Adventures AI listing describes the AI course as approximately 4 days, including confined- and open-water components.


PREREQUISITES

Candidates should generally:

These are the published PADI Assistant Instructor prerequisites.


WHAT YOU WILL LEARN

1. Teaching Methodology

Learn how to turn your diving knowledge into effective instruction.

You'll develop:

The focus changes from:

"I know how to do the skill."

to:

"I know how to teach the skill."


2. Classroom Teaching

You'll practice presenting diving knowledge in a structured and understandable way.

Topics may include:

You'll practice delivering short academic presentations and receive feedback from your instructor/course director.


3. Confined-Water Teaching

You'll learn how to assist with student training in a pool or pool-like environment.

Training may include:

You'll learn to maintain awareness of the whole class, not just the individual student you're working with.


4. Open-Water Teaching

You'll develop experience assisting with open-water training.

This includes:

PADI's Assistant Instructor duties include specific supervised teaching and evaluation activities in confined and open water.


5. Risk Management

Professional instructors need to recognize problems before they become emergencies.

You'll develop skills in:


6. PADI System & Standards

You'll become familiar with:

Understanding the standards is a critical part of becoming a professional instructor.


7. Marketing & Professional Development

The AI course also introduces the business side of diving.

Topics may include:

PADI's Assistant Instructor competency framework includes areas such as marketing diving, sales counseling, risk management and diver safety.


ASSISTING AN INSTRUCTOR

One of the most important parts of the AI pathway is learning how to function effectively as part of an instructional team.

You may assist with:

The objective is to become a reliable instructional team member.


WHAT CAN A PADI ASSISTANT INSTRUCTOR DO?

Depending on the applicable PADI standards and supervision requirements, an Assistant Instructor may perform specific teaching and evaluation activities.

PADI's published standards state that AIs can, under the specified levels of supervision, present knowledge-development elaboration, conduct initial skills training in confined water, and conduct certain open-water surface-skill evaluations. AIs can also teach and certify Peak Performance Buoyancy under the direction of an instructor.

Important: An Assistant Instructor is not yet a full Open Water Scuba Instructor and does not have the same teaching authority as an OWSI.


PACKAGE INCLUSIONS

Professional Training

Diving

Certification


NOT INCLUDED

Unless specifically stated in your quotation:

For your website, I strongly recommend listing PADI agency fees separately, because these can change and different AI packages may include different materials/fees.


EQUIPMENT REQUIREMENTS

Candidates should ideally bring their own professional diving equipment:

Rental equipment can be arranged at additional cost.

For professional-level training, owning and being completely familiar with your equipment is strongly recommended.


WHAT TO BRING

Please bring:


EFR INSTRUCTOR ADD-ON

If the candidate is not yet an EFR Instructor, this can be added to the professional pathway.

EFR Instructor Course

₱12,500/person

This can be scheduled before or during the professional instructor-development pathway, subject to agency requirements.

PADI notes that EFR Instructor status is required for instructor-level teaching, and candidates can earn this rating during instructor training.


AI → OWSI → INSTRUCTOR

The professional pathway is:

Divemaster

↓

Assistant Instructor

↓

Open Water Scuba Instructor (OWSI)

↓

Instructor Examination (IE)

↓

PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor

The AI and OWSI are the two components of the full IDC, and they can be completed separately.


AI VS FULL IDC


Assistant Instructor Full IDC

Level Professional Professional

Duration 4–6 days ~10–14+ days

Main Goal Learn to assist & teach selected activities Prepare for full instructor rating

OWSI ❌ ✅

IE Eligibility ❌ ✅ after required components

Full Instructor ❌ ✅ after IE

Best For Divemasters wanting gradual progression Divers ready for instructor pathway

PADI describes the IDC as AI + OWSI, with the IE as the final examination stage for full instructor certification.


WHO SHOULD TAKE THE AI COURSE?

This course is ideal for:

It's particularly useful for someone who wants to ease into professional teaching before committing to the full OWSI pathway.


WHY TAKE AI IN SAMAL?

Train in a real island diving environment.

You can gain experience with:

The objective is not simply to earn another certification card.

It's about learning how to teach.


WEATHER & TRAINING POLICY

Training schedules may change due to:

Sessions may be relocated, rescheduled or extended when necessary.

Safety always takes priority over completing the course on a fixed schedule.


CAREER DEVELOPMENT

After completing your AI, you can continue toward:

Assistant Instructor

↓

OWSI

↓

PADI Instructor

↓

Specialty Instructor

↓

Master Scuba Diver Trainer

↓

IDC Staff Instructor

↓

Master Instructor

For technical/cave professionals, you can also develop parallel specialties in:

Technical Diving → Cave Diving → CCR → Technical/Cave Instruction


IMPORTANT

The Assistant Instructor qualification does not make you a full PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor.

It gives you a professional rating with specific teaching privileges and responsibilities. The full instructor pathway requires the appropriate OWSI training and successful completion of the PADI Instructor Examination.


READY FOR YOUR FIRST STEP INTO INSTRUCTION?

PADI ASSISTANT INSTRUCTOR COURSE

4–6 Days

₱45,000/person

Samal Island, Davao

Divemaster → Assistant Instructor → Instructor

Don't just know how to dive. Learn how to teach.