SCUBA DIVING PROS
To be an APDI Instructor
Educational Objectives
APDI Scuba Instructor training marks the initial departure point as a leader or diving educator. The objective is to equip candidates with the necessary qualities and competencies as leaders and teachers, enabling them to produce high-quality scuba diving students.
Course Prerequisites
– Minimum age of 19 years old.
– Pre-requisite rank of Divemaster or higher (cross-over from recognized equivalent agencies accepted).
– Submission of Rescue training certification and CPR course completion card.
– Valid medical fitness for diving (submission of health certificate).
– At least 100 logged diving activities recorded in the logbook (proof submission required).
– Instructor final theory exam consisting of 140 questions (passing score of 80 points or higher).
– Ownership of required diving equipment for training.
– Ownership of educational materials and teaching aids required for instructor training.
APDI Instructor General Guidelines
– Fully supported by APDI Headquarters, all APDI diving training programs can be utilized and implemented as an APDI Instructor.
– All APDI instructors must deliver original and high-quality diving training regardless of nationality, gender, or beliefs.
– APDI instructors must continuously maintain an exceptionally high level of knowledge and competence related to sports diving to guarantee safety and top-tier training for students.
– When interacting with other associations, organizations, publishers, travel agencies, and industry stakeholders, instructors must conduct themselves with dignity and posture based on a deep understanding of APDI’s business objectives and content, acting as ambassadors for APDI.
– The appearance and attitude of an APDI Instructor presented to third parties must embody a respectable character as a frontline representative of APDI.
– Final certification of diving training and diving levels must proceed strictly only when the training has fully satisfied all completion requirements of the training guidelines both theoretically and practically. Certification qualifications are granted exclusively to instructors in Active status.
– APDI Authorized Centers must inform students of any violations of training standards and the hazards of non-compliant diving training. Furthermore, APDI may take disciplinary action against an instructor at an authorized center by revoking their license if violations are witnessed or reported.
– All SCUBA organizations maintain their respective training standards and guidelines. APDI respects and acknowledges them. Therefore, APDI instructors must introduce the uniqueness of APDI training standards and course guidelines to students who have not yet completed an APDI diving course, providing information on the content of continuous training programs starting from APDI entry levels.
Fulfillment of APDI Instructor Training Authority
– Instructor training authority is granted to those who successfully pass the Instructor Training Seminar (ITS).
– Instructors must pay the designated annual renewal fee every year to maintain their training authority.
– The annual renewal fee is payable during the professional instructor qualification renewal period from September 1st to September 30th each year. Those who complete payment maintain continuous training authority.
– Failure to pay within the renewal period results in the suspension of instructor training authority during an additionally notified grace period.
– Temporary non-payment within 3 months incurs an additional administrative fee. If non-payment extends longer, requiring re-renewal registration within 3 years, candidates must pay the notified fee and complete a Professional Instructor Update Seminar.
– If non-renewal exceeds 5 years, instructor training authority and qualifications are completely revoked, and individuals must retake a simplified ITS training program.
ITS Overview (Instructor Training Seminar Curriculum)
Candidates entering the Instructor Training Seminar (ITS) course must fully satisfy the following education/training contents and pass the final evaluation to achieve certification.
– Mastery of teaching techniques
– Understanding the composition, functions, forms, and characteristics of diving equipment by application, and correctly assembling/disassembling them
– Applying core theories of diving physics to practical scuba (scientific background of diving including pressure, volume, density, and buoyancy)
– Lecturing on the causes, symptoms, and emergency responses for decompression sickness and pulmonary overexpansion injuries in diving physiology (medicine), as well as preventive methods (the ultimate goal)
– Understanding instruction information from dive tables and dive computers for diving within no-decompression limits
– Familiarity with the underwater environment and underwater hand signals
– Lecturing on the execution, characteristics, and precautions of various specialty dives
– Utilizing lecture presentations for each rank
– Rescue scenario training (response and prevention under various emergency situations)
– CPR refresher training
– Theoretical lectures (sub-topics, main topics)
– Underwater skill demonstrations (instructor-level skill demonstrations)
– Underwater instructional briefings
– Practical open water training
– Participation in a seminar for strengthening business capabilities:
* Writing a business plan
* Startup procedures
* Dive travel procedures
* Marketing (cost calculation and revenue)
* Sales and sales promotion
* Diving clubs
Instructor Evaluation
To be certified as an instructor, candidates are evaluated across the following 8 evaluation items and must achieve passing grades or higher:
Candidates must pay the prescribed evaluation fee to take the evaluation.
Evaluation 1:
Instructor final exam of 140 questions (passing grade of 80% or higher).
Evaluation 2:
Theory lecture evaluation (passing grade of 3.5/5 or higher).
Evaluation 3:
Professionalism evaluation (passing grade of 3.5/5 or higher).
Evaluation 4:
Decision-making ability evaluation (passing grade of 3.5/5 or higher).
Evaluation 5:
Underwater skill demonstration evaluation (passing grade of 3.5/5 or higher for each of the 5 skills).
Evaluation 6:
Underwater instructional briefing evaluation (passing grade of 3.5/5 or higher for each of the 2 briefings).
Evaluation 7:
Open water training lecture evaluation (passing grade of 3.5/5 or higher).Evaluation 8: Business plan writing (passing grade of C+ or higher).
Final Instructor Certification
– Candidates who pass the instructor evaluation undergo registration procedures with APDI Headquarters as the final administrative step.
– Candidates who fail may retake the evaluation within 1 year. Fees for re-evaluation are notified separately.
– The training Course Director verifies, signs, and forwards the following documents of passing candidates to Headquarters:
– Instructor training record
– Registration application form
– Photo (taken within the last 6 months)
– Final evaluation confirmation certificate
– APDI Headquarters issues and dispatches certification cards within one week provided there are no discrepancies in the documents.
Instructor Training Authority
– Instructors hold training authority for all levels ranging from Open Water Diver to Divemaster.
– Instructors hold training authority for all APDI specialty diving programs.
– Only APDI instructors may apply for APDI diver certification cards.
Suspension, Loss, and Expulsion of Instructor Qualifications
– Involvement in legal litigation.
– Financial issues arising regarding administrative costs (loss of faith/trust).
– Non-payment of annual renewal fees.
– Serious risk level in training or failure to comply with training standards.
– Damaging the honor and reputation of APDI.
Instructor Trainer
Educational Objectives
The APDI Instructor Trainer grade serves as the immediate prerequisite rank for upgrading to Course Director. Based on rich experience, its objective is to equip candidates with the ability to assist in teaching the Instructor Training Seminar (ITS) curriculum conducted by a Course Director.
Instructor Trainer Prerequisites
– Minimum age of 21 years old.
– Instructor rank (cross-over from recognized equivalent agencies accepted).
– At least 250 logged diving activities recorded in the logbook (proof submission required).
– Instructor final theory exam consisting of 80 questions (passing score of 80 points or higher).
– 2 years elapsed since initial instructor registration.
Instructor Trainer Upgrade Course Criteria
– Complete the Sidemount Diving course (single mount / double mount).
– Qualify with Nitrox certifications up to 40%.
– Understand and analyze the ITS curriculum, and create a day-by-day training schedule.
– Attend a minimum of 8 hours of business seminars.
Final Instructor Trainer Certification
Upon completing the Instructor Trainer course, candidates fill out and submit the upgrade application form to APDI Headquarters through standard administrative procedures.
Instructor Trainer Training Authority
– Participate in ITS course instruction and issue certifications for Nitrox and Sidemount.
– Conduct certification training from APDI Open Water Diver up to the Divemaster grade.
– Conduct certification training for all APDI specialty diving programs.
Course Director
Educational Objectives
The APDI Course Director grade is the highest instructor rank, holding honor and respect within the APDI organization. Its objective is to equip candidates with the necessary qualities and competencies based on rich experience to cultivate top-quality instructors.
Course Director Prerequisites
– Minimum age of 25 years old.
– Instructor Trainer rank (cross-over from recognized equivalent agencies accepted).
– At least 500 logged diving activities recorded in the logbook (proof submission required).
– 5 years elapsed since initial instructor registration.
Course Director Course Criteria
– Possess all forms of diving capabilities provided by APDI.
– Understand and analyze the ITS curriculum, and create a day-by-day training schedule.
– Complete 20 hours or more of instructor diving training courses.
– Complete a minimum of 30 hours of business seminars.Understand and finalize the grading criteria for the instructor final evaluation items (20 hours).
– The Course Director rank can only be recruited, trained, and finally certified at the headquarters level, including regional headquarters.
Final Course Director Certification
Upon completing the Course Director course conducted at APDI Headquarters, final certification is processed through administrative procedures by APDI Headquarters.
Course Director Training Authority
– Course Directors can conduct training and issue certifications for all diving grades provided by APDI.
– Instructor Training Seminars (ITS) can be hosted and recruited exclusively by the Course Director rank.
FREEDIVING PROS
Freediving Instructor Course
Training Locations: Seminar room / Freediving pool / Open water
Training Duration: Minimum of 4 sessions
Course Prerequisites:
－ Age requirement: Minimum 18 years old
－ APDI Freediving Level 4 certification or equivalent certification from another agency
－ Health certificate including a physician’s opinion dated within the last 2 years
－ Minimum of 100 logged freediving sessions
Course Content:
－ Orientation
－ APDI freediver course training standards by level
－ Teaching techniques (learning methods, pedagogy, methodology)
－ Freediving training:
－ Confined Water Seminar & Workshop 1 – Static Apnea
－ Confined Water Seminar & Workshop 2 – Rescue & Security
－ Confined Water Seminar & Workshop 3 – Dynamic Apnea
－ Open Water Seminar & Workshop 1 – Weighting & Free Immersion
－ Open Water Seminar & Workshop 2 – Constant Weight
－ Open Water Seminar & Workshop 3 – Openwater Rescue
－ Business seminar (focused on sales and marketing)
－ Freediver health and safety
－ Understanding the composition, forms, and functions of freediving equipment
－ Freediving principles and rules
－ Freediving physiology and medicine
－ Equalization and breathing techniques
－ Relaxation
－ Dive planning
Course Completion Requirements:
－ Static apnea: 3 minutes 30 seconds
－ Dynamic apnea: 75 meters
－ Depth: 30 meters
－ Final instructor theory exam
Freediving Instructor Trainer Course
Training Locations: Seminar room / Freediving pool / Open water
Training Duration: Conducted according to the trainer curriculum
Course Prerequisites:
－ Age requirement: Minimum 18 years old
－ APDI Freediving Instructor certification or equivalent certification from another agency
－ Health certificate including a physician’s opinion dated within the last 2 years
－ Minimum of 200 logged freediving sessions
Course Content:
－ Orientation
－ Instructor seminar course curriculum
－ APDI freediver course training standards by level
－ Teaching techniques (learning methods, pedagogy, methodology)
－ Freediving evaluation
－ Business seminar
APDI Professional Crossover Program
Expand Your Professional Horizons with APDI
Are you an active diving or freediving instructor certified by another recognized training agency? APDI warmly welcomes passionate professionals to cross over into our globally recognized system. Elevate your teaching career with APDI’s advanced training standards, comprehensive global support, and elite quality management framework.
Program Overview & Duration
The APDI Crossover Seminar is designed as an intensive 1 to 2-day program to efficiently bridge your current professional experience with APDI’s unique teaching methodologies, training standards, and certification systems.
Crossover Programs
1. Scuba Instructor Crossover
Prerequisites:
－ Must hold a valid, active-status Scuba Instructor certification (or equivalent professional rank) from a recognized international diving agency.
－ Submission of valid medical fitness for diving (health certificate) and CPR training proof.
－ Active teaching experience and logbook verification.
Core Curriculum (1–2 Days): on-line seminar or off-line seminar
－ Introduction to APDI standards, philosophy, and organization.
－ Scuba teaching techniques, classroom lecture methodology, and water skill demonstrations.
－ Review of rescue scenarios and safety guidelines.
2. Freediving Instructor Crossover
Prerequisites:
－ Must hold a valid, active-status Freediving Instructor certification (or equivalent professional rank) from a recognized international freediving agency.
－ Health certificate including a physician’s opinion dated within the last 2 years.
－ Minimum of logged freediving sessions and active teaching experience.
Core Curriculum (1–2 Days):
－ Introduction to APDI freediving training standards by level.
－ Confined water and open water workshops (Static apnea, dynamic apnea, equalization, and rescue techniques).
－ Teaching methodologies, breathing techniques, relaxation, and safety management.
Why Choose APDI Crossover?
Global Recognition & Trust: Gain full authority to train, certify, and mentor students under APDI’s rigorous ISO-certified quality management system.
Streamlined Transition: A fast-track 1 to 2-day seminar that respects your prior professional background while aligning you with APDI’s premier educational standards.
Comprehensive Support: Access to up-to-date teaching materials, business seminars, marketing resources, and continuous professional development opportunities.
How to Apply
➡ Submit Documentation: Send your current instructor credentials, certification cards, logbook proofs, and medical statements to APDI Headquarters or your regional office.
➡ Review & Approval: Our training department will review your qualifications and schedule your 1–2 day crossover seminar track.
ualifications and schedule your 1–2 day crossover seminar track.
➡ Complete Crossover Session: Attend the orientation/seminar, complete the required evaluations, and step forward as an official APDI Professional.
For detailed application inquiries, regional scheduling, and fee structures, please contact the APDI Headquarters administration team.
