What Is An IDC Centre?
You have probably heard us shouting about
our achievement to be recognized as an IDC Centre recently but what exactly
does being an IDC Centre mean?
PADI IDC Centres are dive centres which have
been approved to teach the PADI Instructor Development Course (IDC) to
professional divers who meet the qualifications. At the end of each course an
Instructor Exam (IE) which takes place over 2 days is hosted by PADI Examiners
in the nearest resort center with candidates able to qualify as a PADI Open
Water Scuba Instructor upon successful completion.
Dive Centres have to demonstrate to PADI a
commitment to PADI standards and the highest levels of professionalism to become
an IDC Centre. Not every dive centre can host instructor training courses.
A Course Director oversees the entire IDC
for each IDC Centre. Although the Course Director must be present at the start
of the course, they don’t have to be insitu at the Centre permanently (many
dive centres will often fly in or “rent” a Course Director)
Here at Circle Divers we are pleased to
have 2 permanent PADI Course Directors at our centres, Jilly in Sharm El Sheikh
and Andi in Dahab. Between them Jilly and Andi can boast over 40 years of
professional diving instructing to divers of all levels, from Open Water to Scuba
Dive Instructor and beyond.
Circle Divers was awarded the status of PADI 5 Star Instructor Development Resort on 2/1/24 for both Sharm El Sheikh and Dahab centres. The first IDC will take place at the end of January with the IE exams held in mid February in Sharm el Sheikh and Dahab. For our full IDC schedule check out the IDC page on our website.