Instructor Training Program

Overview

As one of Australia’s largest dive centres and one of only four dive centres in the world to have certified more than 150,000 students, Divers Den is the perfect place to kick-start your career in the dive industry!

​As a candidate in our Instructor Training Program (ITP), you will gain valuable experience that will prepare you in the best possible way for the PADI Instructor Development Course (IDC) and the PADI Instructor Examinations (IE). Graduates of our program are highly sought after and many of our former candidates are currently enjoying successful careers in the diving industry in some of the most beautiful locations around the world.

By entering the ITP, you will be fully involved in our daily operations, gaining real-life experience within the scope of your Divemaster skills and qualifications. From guiding certified divers, showcasing the beauty of the Great Barrier Reef as a snorkel guide, to assisting the resident instructors in all levels of PADI diver training.

We will introduce you to general boat and rope handling skills, introduce you to compressor operations and everything else that will make you a well-rounded dive professional by the time the IE comes around.

Divers Den has a great team of PADI Instructors and PADI Course Directors, many of whom came through the ITP themselves. Everyone is friendly and helpful and will make sure you get the best possible training out of your time with us.

As part of our team, we require you to act in a professional manner with customer service and safety foremost in mind at all times. All of our Dive Staff have to follow PADI standards as well as the Queensland Code of Practice, and adhere to Operational Health & Safety requirements and procedures laid out in the company’s Operations Manual. Once selected, trainees are required to wear company uniform which will be provided as part of the internship. 

What you need to enrol

  • Proof of PADI Divemaster certification (or equivalent), current/renewed
  • Proof of current liability insurance
  • Current Professional Dive Medical to Australian Standard AS2299
  • Current First Aid Certificate (i.e. EFR, DAN, Red Cross, St. John’s, etc.)
  • Proof of personal Dive Injury/Evacuation Insurance

Dive equipment in our shop and equipment service in our workshop is available to ITP participants at discounted rates. You will spend a total of 45 days with us (spread over 9 weeks) in a fantastic, on-the-job training program.

Once the days are completed, we provide you with the PADI Instructor Development Program, the Emergency First Response (EFR) Instructor program as well as all instructor-level PADI material.

Important Info

  • PADI IE and PADI application and registration fees, as well as EMC charges (“Reef Tax”) during the IDC are not part of the training program. You will need to pay these directly to PADI and Divers Den.
  • You will have to be able to support yourself during the program as there is no salary or wages involved.
  • We generally place participants on a 5-day-per-week roster (for a total of 9 weeks). However, due to the nature of the industry and other factors beyond our control, this might not be possible every week.
  • While we cannot give job guarantees, we do like to hire out of our training programs.

Duration:

Approximately 3 months

Course Outline:

45 days of on-the-job training (split over 9 weeks), followed by 3 weeks for the Instructor Development Course and Exams

TAKE THE NEXT STEP

Ready to get started and make diving your career? Contact our Divers Den PADI Course Directors for more information including availability and scheduling.

Additional info

ITP/IDC/IE Dates

Below are our upcoming ITP start dates, along with the dates for the following Instructor Development Course. The start dates shown are the latest possible date to start your 45-day ITP with Divers Den.

  • 18th March 2024 (IDC starts 13 May 2024)
  • 20th May 2024 (IDC starts 22 July 2024)
  • 29th July 2024 (IDC starts 30 September 2024)
  • 16th September 2024 (IDC starts 25 November 2024)

Medical & Altitude Info

All scuba participants must meet medical questionnaire requirements. Some conditions or medications may prevent you from diving.

It is required by Queensland law that you must wait at least 24 hours after diving before going to altitude or flying – there is no guarantee that this requirement will prevent decompression sickness. There are no current guidelines regarding diving after flying.

Altitude is defined as 300m/1000ft above sea level. Certain other tourist attractions around Cairns and Tropical North Queensland involve travelling to altitude. These include the Atherton Tablelands and the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway, so we recommend a gap between booking these experiences and any dive course or trip.