PADI Course Director - Andy Phillips - Go Pro Utila Honduras Caribbean

Andy Phillips

Take your PADI IDC in the Caribbean with Go Pro Utila and PADI Platinum Course Director Andy Phillips.

About Andy

In addition to being a PADI Course Director, Andy Phillips is also a DAN Instructor trainer, IANTD Technical Instructor Trainer, DSAT Trimix Instructor Trainer, Rebreather Instructor, and ‘Beautiful Oceans' Science Instructor Trainer, and currently working on his IAHD (Handicapped Divers) Instructor Trainer.

Andy started snorkelling at the age of 10 years old in the Mediterranean and scuba dived at 18 years old. He has been working as a dive professional full time since qualifying as a PADI Divemaster in Thailand in 1997, and as a PADI Instructor in the Caribbean in 1998. His diving career has taken him all over the world diving and Instructing, Thailand, Australia, Mediterranean, South Africa, Mozambique, Mexico, USA, Honduras, Costa Rica, The Galapagos and the Red Sea.

To date Andy has issued over 2000 diver level certifications and 1500 professional level certifications at various levels, from PADI OWSI to DSAT Trimix Instructor. His quality of instruction, patience, empathy, and innovation, has earned him countless certificates and awards from PADI. Andy has also been invited as a speaker to PADI and ecological seminars, and has consulted with PADI on training and marketing areas within recreational diving.

Andy also holds a Masters degree in e-commerce, and uses his business background , network of professional contacts and proven track record within the dive industry, to help his candidates get the best start to their careers as dive professionals, educators and business people.

What is the philosophy of your company?

To teach in a fun and professional manner is my benchmark, but every course I aim to improve on my last course, make it better, more thorough, easier to assimilate for the students, but also I make an effort, especially in each IDC, to role model the attribute that our candidates will need to display when they themselves are working in the industry, such as; empathy, humour, adaptability an flexibility, open-minded, culturally aware and being knowledgeable.
I believe we are all blessed work in the dive industry and to be able to share this passion with others, and we have a vessel with which to help make a positive difference, regardless of how small it is, to both the environment and individual's education and esteem.

Has anything funny happened during your IDC courses?

I once sent a female candidate to get her medical and came back with news she was pregnant, she found it funny the Doctor and her Course Director found out before the husband. I had one candidate before a boat trip for an Open Water teaching presentation, sign up on the earlier boat and miss the session. We also had a Manta ray circle us once as well during a presentation in Open Water which was very impressive. Each course is always a lot of fun for myself, the staff and the candidates.

What is the reason Divemasters should take their IDC with you?

I take an interest in my candidates from their first point of contact, continuing for years after their training with myself and Utila Dive Centre. I don't measure our success by the number of candidates we train, or how successful they are at the exams, instead I closely follow our candidates throughout their dive careers and measure our success by their success and standing within the industry years down the line. I make the effort to answer any questions they have when they are no longer training with us, just as thoroughly and as fast as when they are inquiring to take a course and pride ourselves on the lifetime support and service we offer to all our candidates. As an Instructor Development team and facility, and as dive professionals we are all constantly learning and evolving, and I like to continually pass on our knowledge and insights to every candidates, before, during and after their training with us.
We provide all the regular benefits you see every Course Director and IDC facility offering, small group sizes, reduced rates on equipment sales, course packages, quality instruction, accommodation, language support, job placements, etc..... However I really believe our experience and commitment to mentoring our candidates, business teachings, and sharing of our philosophies is what helps our candidates excel in their careers not just on the course and at the exams.

What are your personal diving obsessions?

Exploration, destinations and ecology. I qualified as a full cave diver in the Yucatan peninsular of Mexico to discover an entire new world, environment and eco-system. Each year I try to explore a new destination or take a trip to a remote location, and my fascination with sharks has taken me on expeditions to Cocos Island and the Galapagos, often carrying around my rebreather. I try to get something out of every dive, and qualified as a ‘Beautiful Oceans' Science Instructor Trainer, to better educator our candidates about coral reefs and ecology systems, which we're fortunate to have in Utila.

What type of diving do you like the best?

I love to explore new places, or sites at deeper depth. When I'm not busy working around Utila, I like to take my rebreather and explore new sites or at deeper depths, and each year make an effort to travel to a new destination. In recent years I've been fortunate to dive virgins reefs off the coast of Sudan on the Southern Red Sea, and get buzzed by Hammer head sharks whilst on my rebreather at Cocos Island.

What else do you like (non diving)?

Anything with travel and the ocean. I also enjoy sailing, have recently taken up kite surfing, and enjoy new foods and cultures.

Why do you love being a PADI Course Director?

The people I get to meet and work with, they take this training because they want to, not because they have to, and their passion and commitment is second to none. No two IDC's are ever the same as the people are always different, and the dynamics change. I know the time we have on this planet is miniscule in the grand scheme of things, but I take comfort when the time comes to move on to the next life, I'll probably have one of the biggest smiles on my face because of the people I've been fortunate to meet and work with.

What does the future hold for you?

In addition to my role and duties at Utila Dive Centre, I am working on more conservation projects and training courses on the island and hoping to help more people share and enjoy this amazing lifestyle.

The photo below is Andy Phillips at Go Pro Utila, Honduras with his November 2009 IDC class after they all successfully completed their IE with a 100% pass rate. Well done to all the new PADI Scuba Instructors - Have a safe and happy dive career.