The Open Water Scuba Instructor (OWSI) program is one of two distinct components of PADI’s Instructor Development Course (IDC)—the core of PADI Instructor training. The first portion is the Assistant Instructor course followed by the Open Water Scuba Instructor program.

The IDC program is seven days in length. It introduces you to the entire PADI System of diver education and concentrates on further developing your abilities as a professional dive educator.

The Fun Part

It’s about life transformations—both yours and those around you. The fun part of instructor training is interacting with course participants while creating friendships that continue long after the course concludes. You’ll also have the opportunity to continue your professional education by participating in specialty instructor courses, which train you to teach specialties after instructor certification.

• Work at local dive centers, on live-aboard dive boats, yachts and at exotic resort location
• Teach OW/AOW/RD/DM and other courses they are certified to teach
• Teach Emergency First Response programs after successful completion of an Emergency First Response Instructor course

• Be certified as a PADI Divemaster or a PADI Assistant Instructor or be a Divemaster in good standing with another training organization for at least six months.
• Be certified as an Emergency First Responder 
• Be at least 18 years old
• Be certified as a diver for at least six months
• Have 60 logged dives that include experience in night, deep and navigation diving to participate in the Instructor Development Course. You’ll need 60 logged dives to take the Instructor Exams
• Have proof of CPR and First Aid training within the last 24 months. The Emergency First Response course meets this requirement
• Be fit for diving and submit a Medical Statement signed by a physician within the last 12 months

• 11 Lecture sessions
• 4 Confined Water Teaching Presentations
• 4 Open water Presentations
• 3 Knowledge Development Presentations

• All appropriate SCUBA equipment (may be rented)

• Classes start about every two months

• Course Orientation
• Knowledge Development Presentations
• PADI Discover Scuba Diving work shop
• Teaching in Confined Water
• Conducting Open Water Training
• General Standards and Procedures
• Risk Management
• PADI Open Water Diver Course
• Adventures in Diving
• Rescue Diver Course
• Divemaster Course

• 800 yard swim in pool

• General diving skills demonstrated in the pool demonstration quality

Practical Application

Additional Requirements

• PADI eLearning can be completed thru PADI by using The Dive Station Store number 1597 or
• by attending two days of eLearning classes given at our school. The topics are.
• Learning Instructions and the PADI System
• General Standards and Procedures part 1
• Risk Management part 1
• Marketing Diving
• Start Diving
• Teaching PADI Speciality Diver Courses
• Business of Diving
• Keep Diving
• How to teach the RDP optional for PADI Members