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The PADI Course Director rating denotes the highest instructor achievement in the PADI System of diver education. To become a Course Director, you'll need to complete a PADI Course Director Training program, during which you’ll learn how to conduct PADI Instructor Development programs and gain experience in developing dive educators. As a Course Director you’re among the dive industry’s most influential opinion makers and play a critical role in shaping the attitudes and abilities of PADI Instructors. You’ll serve as role model for other PADI Members with respect to PADI instruction, diver training and professionalism.

To apply for a PADI Course Director Training program, you must:

1. Be a renewed, Teaching status PADI Master Instructor for at least six months.
2. For at least 12 months prior to application have:
   1. No verified quality assurance complaints.
   2. Conducted all PADI certification courses and experience courses using methods consistent with PADI Standards and philosophy as outlined in the PADI Instructor Manual.
   3. Exclusively used the complete PADI System of diver education including all appropriate PADI training materials. Issued only PADI certifications to students completing diver training.
   4. (Exceptions are students referred from other certification organizations for completion of entry-level training, and specialty certifications issued for training activities outside the PADI System of diver education.)
3. Be certified as a PADI IDC Staff Instructor.
4. Have staffed at least two complete IDCs after certification as an IDC Staff Instructor since the implementation of the revised IDC curriculum (January 1996).
5. Be certified as a current PADI MEDIC FIRST AID® Instructor.
6. Have conducted at least one PADI MEDIC FIRST AID® program.
7. Meet the minimum experience requirement of 250 logged dives.
8. Have experience working with a PADI Dive Center or Resort.
9. Meet all other requirements as specified by PADI at the time of application.

(Note: Applications are not accepted unless all prerequisites have been met. Fulfillment of all prerequisites does not guarantee acceptance into the program. All applications are evaluated against rigid selection criteria and ranked within the pool of applicants. The top ranking applicants are accepted into the program.)

Training and Certification

PADI Course Director Training programs are conducted by PADI Office staff. The program has two phases – a training phase and an evaluation phase. You'll need to successfully complete both phases to be certified as PADI Course Director.

Duties of a PADI course Director

Beyond the responsibilities and duties you may already have as PADI IDC Staff Instructor and Master Instructor, Teaching status PADI Course Directors are authorized to:

1. Conduct PADI Instructor Development Courses (IDCs), Instructor Orientation Courses (IOCs) and IDC Staff Instructor Courses.
2. Conduct Status Update and Open Water Scuba Instructor Upgrade programs.
3. After successful completion of a MEDIC FIRST AID® (MFA) Instructor Trainer program, conduct MFA Instructor courses.
4. After certification as a Specialty Instructor Trainer, conduct Specialty Instructor Training programs.
5. Observe PADI Instructor Examinations (at the discretion of the Instructor Examiner.)