WHY IS OUR PADI INSTRUCTOR COURSE SO EXPENSIVE?

 

Our PADI Instructor Courses start at £2,995.

Oof, sounds expensive, right?

Compared to some of the others you're looking at it will seem that way at first glance.

I promise you, once you see what's included in mine you'll see that it's actually amazing value for money and we offer sooo much more than the rest.

In this article, I'm going to explain exactly what you get for your money.

I'm gonna be brutally honest with you.

Good scuba diver training costs money. At ALL levels.

If you're sitting here reading this, I'm guessing that you want to become a PADI Instructor. There's also a pretty good chance that you're thinking about making it your job. If that's the case, you need to find an Instructor Development Course that is going to teach you everything you need to know to be an amazing instructor.

Any money you spend on this training is literally an investment in your future and your career success. Take this opportunity to really do your research and find the best training you can get - the one that gives the biggest bang for your buck. You're paying to make sure that you're going to excel at your job.

Not all PADI Instructor Courses are the same, and that's why you're seeing such a difference in prices as you're looking around.

Some programs are short and give you the bare bones so you can pass an exam to get your instructor ticket. Others are in-depth, take a long time and focus on your success after the exam.

Courses at The Fifth Point fall into that second category. And that's why we're more expensive than the others.

 

Let me give you 5 reasons why training with us is money well spent.

 

1. CAREER-FOCUSED PADI INSTRUCTOR COURSE

There's more to being a PADI Instructor than passing an exam. I remember standing up in front of my very first class of student divers and feeling completely out of my depth (pun intended).

During my IDC I was trained to pass an exam. Which I did. But I had no idea how teach in real life afterwards. I didn't know how to handle real students when they were facing difficulties. I didn't know how to make sure I was teaching in a way that was best for their learning style. I didn't know how to organise my courses to make them flow. Wow, was I out of my comfort zone.

When I became a Course Director I fine-tuned my PADI Instructor Course to focus on what happens AFTER the Instructor Exam. I don't want you to feel like I did as a baby instructor, not being able to handle my first course. By the end of our time together, you will know exactly what you're doing. You'll stand confidently in front of your first class and deliver amazing training.

At The Fifth Point you will learn how to be a good instructor. The happy coincidence is that by achieving this, you can pass any little exam with your eyes closed.

The thing is, to reach this level takes time.

To give you an idea, PADI stipulates that the minimum time to complete an IDC is 6 days. Most of the course you'll see during your research will be between 6 and 10 days.

My IDCs are 16 days and full of all this exciting stuff...

 

THE PADI CURRICULUM IS COVERED IN MORE DEPTH

We spend more time drilling down into the PADI Curriculum compared to your average Instructor Course. This stuff is the bread and butter of the program, so every Course Director will cover it in their IDCs. Unfortunately, some Course Directors only pay it lip service - they see it as a tick-in-the-box exercise and just run through some slide shows.

The difference at The Fifth Point is that we take a deep dive into each topic. It's not just something to breeze over. You need this information to be an amazing instructor so we're going to make sure you have a much higher level of understanding. By the end of your program, you'll take away everything you've learned and be able to easily apply it when you teach.

  • Everything is applied to real life. You'll be able to use the techniques you've learnt when you're out there teaching for real. It's not about jumping through hoops to pass an exam. In fact, mentioning the PADI IE is banned after day 1 of the program!
  • Learn from experts in the diving industry. I don't know everything. (OMG... a Course Director actually admitted it!) I have things that are my specialties (like ocean protection for example). I have things that I'm not very good at (like physics haha). I don't bullsh*t my way through presentations that I know nothing about. I don't try to pretend I'm an expert. Instead, I bring in the pros to teach you their field of expertise.
    • Laura is a Clinical Psychologist. She will help you understand how students learn. She'll show you everything from how to set up a psychologically safe learning environment where students feel able to make mistakes to how to deal with panicking students.
    • James is an equipment wizard. He will teach you how to use modern wing and long hose setup to improve your training. He'll show you how to encourage neutral buoyancy in your students from the first time they hit the water.
    • Helena and Ian are outdoor first aid specialists. They'll teach you how to deliver fantastic Emergency First Response training.
  • No death by crappy powerpoints. Our workshops are interactive - you should be doing more talking than us! This is about your development as a PADI Instructor and sitting in boring lectures does nothing to help you excel. You'll be implementing all the new techniques you've picked up by role modelling teaching presentations, skills demos and course set ups.

BONUS WORKSHOPS

The PADI Curriculum is awesome, the content of the PADI Instructor Course is excellent. BUT we still think there are some aspects missing. We've plugged the gaps with workshops that will help you become a rounded PADI Instructor ready to teach in the real world.

Our bonus workshops include:

  • Preventing diver panic
  • Creating more confident divers by teaching neutrally buoyant
  • Dive theory masterclasses
  • Teaching techniques that protect the environment
  • Getting your students involved in ocean protection
  • Teaching in modern kit like wing and long hose

A RECOGNISED FIRST AID QUALIFICATION

As part of your PADI Instructor training, you'll also become an EFR Instructor. This is so you can teach your divers essential first aid techniques during their Rescue Course. If it's something that you love doing, you could also develop your skills so you can provide this training to non-divers too - expanding your potential income as an Instructor.

Again, I'm not going to pretend this is my forte. I'll level with you - I faint at the sight of blood! I'll teach you the bones of delivering EFR training, but when it comes to the meaty stuff like demoing skills, I bring in the experts.

Helena and Ian from Life Saving Training are avid divers themselves, they're also mountain rescue volunteers and own an awards winning first aid company. Outdoor first aid training is their specialty, and not only are they going to show you how to deliver amazing training, they're also going to put you through a regulated Emergency First Aid At Work certification.

  • You'll have the confidence to help should you ever find yourself in a situation where you need to provide first aid
  • You'll have a solid understanding of how to deliver great first aid training
  • You'll have a recognised qualification that satisfies HSE workplace first aid requirements (your boss and your dive centre will love you for it!)
First Aid Training For Diving Instructors

2. FOUR WEEKS OF GUIDED PREP BEFORE YOU START YOUR PADI INSTRUCTOR COURSE

When you step into The Fifth Point on your first day, we want you to feel prepared and raring to go. That's why you will get access to our amazing IDC Success Pack to use in the 4 weeks leading up to your IDC.

We developed this guided program to help you refresh the knowledge you've been acquiring throughout your whole diver journey (you're going to need it!) and the best thing about it is that it's constantly evolving. Every time one of our candidates hits a roadblock, we create new lessons to help them, and all future candidates. If you hit a block, we'll create resources just for you to get you past it.

This online prep is stuffed full of useful info. There's video lessons, check lists, links to articles, practice questions - everything you'll need to get ready for your IDC and teaching as a PADI Instructor.

Things like:

  • 10 Top Tips to get IDC ready
  • Packing lists
  • What will happen on your IDC, EFRi and IE
  • How to hack the PADI Instructror Manual
  • The psychology of diver training
  • Nailing dive theory questions

Plus on top of all that we meet you in weekly zoom check-ins. We can see how you're getting on and offer help. We'll also guide you through your PADI Instructor Course eLearning. By the end of your 4 week prep, you'll have everything you need to get the most out of your Instructor training and beyond.

 

PADI IDC preparation

You can get a free trial of our IDC Success Pack so you get a taste of what's to come!

3. SMALL GROUP SIZES - YOU'LL HAVE 3 BUDDIES

My job as a Course Director is to make sure that you get the most out of your training. That's why I only ever teach PADI Instructor Development Courses with a maximum of 4 candidates.

You will have my full attention all the way through your program. And remember, it's not just me you have available! My trusty Master Instructors, Laura and James will be with you too along with our little band of Staff Instructors. I guarantee there'll be more staff than candidates!

With such small group sizes and the full team at your disposal, you're not jostling with your classmates to get the help you need. This training is all about you so I recommend you milk us all and get as much out of us as you can!

 

PADI Staff Instructor classroom session

4. THERE ARE NO HIDDEN COSTS

If you take anything away from this article, let it be this: watch out for hidden costs!

Some dive centres make their courses look cheaper by not including things like materials or PADI fees. The thing is, you have to pay this. There's no getting round it. Materials are a requirement for the course and you have to pay your fees if you want to teach.

That's why I'm very upfront about my prices and what's included. All our courses include the materials you need and although you'll pay your fees directly to PADI, exactly how much you'll pay is all there in black and white. There will be no nasty surprises down the line.

During your research, if you see any IDC advertised for less than £2k, there's GOT to be hidden costs.

To help you avoid this trap, I've created an awesome little budgeting tool. You can use it while you're researching and you can start plugging in the costs of the courses from different dive centres. It'll remind you to check if fees and materials are included and if not, you can add this to your calculation. At the end, it'll spit out a total cost for your training.

After that, you can compare programs side by side and choose the best training for you.

 

PADI Instructor Course cost calculator

5. EPIC FACILITIES

The Fifth Point is custom built to provide an amazing learning experience for your PADI Instructor Course. I'm not one to blow my own trumpet too often, but James and I built this centre from scratch. There's a lot of thought gone into how to make the space work for pro-level training and we've managed to create a versatile, multifunctional classroom that's still warm, cosy and comfy too.

I guarantee you've not seen a dive centre like this in the UK before. It's open, light and somewhere you're actually going to enjoy spending time. There's big comfy sofas and beanbags plus a wood burning stove to get toasty after diving.

While you're here, you get VIP treatment. The classroom is sectioned off to minimise interruptions and you've got access to the most important place - the kitchen! We'll feed you throughout your course to make sure your energy levels are up. You'll get breakfast and lunch plus all the snacks and drinks you need.

We've got a training tank onsite which is booked out in big chunks during your course. We'll practice skills and teaching techniques in here nearly every day. You'll not be sharing it with any other divers so you can take your time and not feel pressured to get stuff done. We'll also go to a local high school pool which is a bit bigger so we can stretch our legs and practice skills that need a larger area.

When it comes to open water dives, you're going to be spoilt rotten. The Northumberland coast is home to some epic dive sites and the good news is that although we've got a lot of training to do, I've planned in time so we can do some fun dives and underwater clean-ups too!

Your gear will be taken care of by Harry and the team. He'll make sure things are washed and dried as needed. He'll pack your bags and make sure everything gets to where it needs to be. We've got a washing machine and tumble drier, plus a heated drying room with a dehumidifier piped in. And should anything go wrong with your gear, James is on hand with his massive workshop to fix any problems.

To put it simply, everything you need is right here and the team will take care of all the logistics for you so you can concentrate on your program.

 

PADI Instructor Course Facilities

WANT TO KNOW MORE?

If you've read all this and think that we're the right people for you, let's have a chat. I'm sure you've got a million questions and I'd be more than happy to answer them for you! Hit the button below to come and visit the dive centre or arrange a zoom call at a time to suit you best.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *