PADI Instructor certification courses

[Fyshebait]

Hi folks. I hope this is the appropriate place to post this question.

I am a divemaster (finished the course last summer, but have been diving for 20 years, and did my rescue diver course about 18 years ago). I teach high school biology full time, but work for a dive shop in PEI, Canada during the summer. The shop has changed ownership, and the new owner (who used to teach the classes) doesn't have time to run courses any more, so he wants me to get the instructors course and take over that part of the shop...he'd like me to get certified asap.

With that in mind...my March break runs from March 14-22. What I'm wondering is if anyone knows of anywhere that might be running the instructors course during that week...the shop owner is willing to pay to send me if it's possible to get signed up for a course. I know it's short notice, but am just hoping that by accessing the collective knowledge of the board I might be able to find a course happening that I could jump onto.

Thanks! I appreciate any advice/help you can give me!

 

[decompression]

That's a tough one but try the shops in Halifax, torpedo Rays etc. hopefully they are running an IDC. I think the chances of finishing beyond Assistant instructor over that time frame are very slim. Good luck.


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[Fyshebait]

Thanks for the suggestion...unfortunately, Torpedo Rays aren't running anything in the near future. The thing is, this course doesn't have to be in Atlantic Canada...I had jokingly said he should send me to Florida and his response was "Price it out". So probably anywhere in North America would be within reason...that's why I put it out to the board; thinking there must be a course happening somewhere!

And I know the timing is tight for dates, but I thought an instructor's course only ran about 5-7 days anyway? So if there is something happening at the right time, it wouldn't be impossible to complete it within the week?

It may not be able to happen, but I thought I'd take a chance and see what I could find...if nothing else, I think Torpedo Rays will be running a session in the summer; I just know he was hoping to hand off the courses to me sooner than later. I've been helping out with them for a while now anyway.

Thanks again!

 

[Jim Lapenta]

I had always heard the IDC and IE took ten days. 7 for the IDC and 3 for the IE.

 

[GDI]

Get a vacation out of it, It's the teaching methodology you'll be studying and some skills assessment. Check Florida out plenty of on going IDC's down south in Key Largo, Ft Pierce etc. Then once you get back to PEI you will need to adjust for the "uniqueness" of diving Canadain waters

 

[Fyshebait]

Thanks GDI...I'll look into Florida and see what I can find. Any chance you know of specific spots that run the courses?

 

[oly5050user]

Thanks GDI...I'll look into Florida and see what I can find. Any chance you know of specific spots that run the courses?

Try Rainbow reef in key largo. We have sent a few of our AI's there.
Asst instr is first 2 days of IDC..next 3 is IDC itself..then 2 days for IE..can be longer,depends on scheduling.

 

[RJP]

Do keep in mind that the course is run by a shop/op but the IE is run by PADI. Might be hard logistically to find a course that runs right up to an IE in the same location within your specific timing. For instance there are plenty of places that run an IDC in Honduras. But the IE in March is the 17th and 18th.

Perhaps you can do the IDC locally and then travel for the IE?

 

[Fyshebait]

Even if I could get the IDC completed right away, say in Florida, and then do the IE later this spring maybe in Halifax it would work? I don't think the IE has to be completed immediately following the IDC?

Thanks for all the helpful suggestions....I'll definitely look into this.

 

[tursiops]

Here is the 2015 IE schedule.
View attachment 2015IESchedulev2Nov14.pdf
You will probably find shops local to each of the exam locations running IDCs immediately before the exam dates.