Best PADI IDC
Unique Views of the PADI IDC Courses around the world
Choosing PADI IDC
A really important decision for you at this point is where will you actually complete your PADI IDC, it will determine so many things like how much fun and enjoyment you have and what sort of people you will train and have fun with.
Where should you take your PADI IDC?
This is a very big question and there is no correct answer but you can narrow down your selection by considering the following
- What do you want to do once you complete your courses and exams
- Where you want to work once you are a Scuba Instructor (OWSI)
- Where the Instructors that took you for your Divemaster or Assistant Instructor course do their IDCs
- The experience of the Course Director*
- Location and water temperature and conditions
- Resort popularity (you may want to be on a almost deserted island but not everyone wants that)
- Other Instructor training availability (Master Scuba Diver Trainer – MSDT prep program and Instructor specialties)
- IDC accommodation and facilities (do you need wifi access, do you have your own room?)
- What is the potential for work after you pass
- Does the Course Director offer an IDC Preparation program
- Could I do my Staff Instructor course with the Course Director in the future
- What do previous IDC students say about the IDC course and the Course Director and staff.
- How easy it is get a work permit in the country of the IDC
- How much will it cost to get a work permit and how often do you need to renew it.
- How politically stable is the country?
- If I don’t reach the required standard on the IDC can I do the next one.
- If I fail my IE can I stay in resort and sit the next one.
- Are their recompression chambers nearby
- What are the medical facilities like in resort.
- What protection to wear (rash vests, wetsuits or drysuits)
- How does the Course Director answer your IDC Questions
- Freshwater or Saltwater.
* In 2009 there were less than 50 Platinum rated Course Directors in the whole world, this is the highest rating a PADI Course Director can achieve and represents the most experienced PADI Instructor trainers in the world.
Most established PADI 5 Star IDC centers have all or most of the above factors covered to some degree or other, but some factors vary wildly with location, doing your IDC in Scotland will be vastly different to doing it in Bali or Honduras in terms of water temperature and what suit protection to take.
Choosing the right Course Director and PADI 5 Star IDC or Career Development Center (CDC) for your instructor training is the most important decision you will make prior to entering the dive industry as a professional educator.
Forums should be used to view people’s experiences with certain Course Directors, there could be be some ‘fake’ or self-promotion going on so always ignore the best and worst comments, or at least take them in isolation. You can go on the Facebook page of your IDC or Course Director (most have them now) and ask their ex students directly. Alternatively you can look at past students ‘verified’ comments on this site.
The founder of IDC Guide (James) done his IDC / IE and MSDT and Staff Instructor courses In Phuket when he lived there between 2006 – 2007. He rates some of the Course Directors there as some of the most ‘effective’ instructors that he has had the pleasure to work with. The recommended Phuket Course Director for IDC guide is Sarah Kench of Scubacat who knows the IDC inside and out and knows the IE like the back of her hand.
There are parts of the course that I personally don’t agree with and parts I would like to change (like dropping knot tying and adding SMB inflation drills) but that’s another story. I’m very confident that you will be happy with doing your IDC in any of the regions / countries that we feature in this Guide as we have done our best to feature the most experienced, friendly and professional PADI Course Directors from all over the world, we wish you good luck with your PADI IDC and IE and recommend you make contact with any Course Director in this guide and look at their locations as places for you to complete your IDC and possibly go on to live and work there.
So you want to do your PADI IDC with one of the World’s best dive educators? then you have found the best resource available, read and absorb all of this website then order yourself a PADI IDC Revision Pack to prepare yourself perfectly for your IDC and IE which will also make your courses and exams easier and more fun.