PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor (OWSI)
The Finish Line: Full PADI Instructor Status.
This is it — the last stretch before you're a certified PADI Instructor. OWSI is the second half of the Instructor Development Course (IDC), and finishing it qualifies you to sit the PADI Instructor Examination (IE). Pass that, and you can teach, certify, and change people's lives underwater — anywhere in the world, for the rest of your career.
Why Go For It?
- Full teaching authority. Certify your own Open Water students, run every recreational course, and build a real career doing it.
- Work anywhere. A PADI Instructor rating is recognized worldwide — dive centers everywhere need good instructors.
- The top of the recreational ladder. This is the credential every Divemaster and Assistant Instructor is working toward.
- Get paid to change lives. Few jobs let you watch someone breathe underwater for the first time and know you made that happen.
What You'll Need
- Current PADI Assistant Instructor certification (or an instructor rating from another agency — you may be eligible to enroll directly)
- 18 years or older, certified diver for at least 6 months
- 60 logged dives to start, 100 to attend the Instructor Exam
- Emergency First Response (Primary + Secondary Care) within the last 24 months
- Physician-signed medical clearance (last 12 months)
Not an Assistant Instructor yet? Start there first — we run both courses right here, back to back.
How It Works at 20K
Offered twice a year, as a focused 3-week intensive — same format as our AI course, one week longer:
- Weeknight classroom, Mon–Fri, 5:30–8:30 PM — advanced teaching methodology, standards, and how to run every course in the PADI system
- Weekends — confined-water and open-water teaching practice across the full course schedule
- Culminates in your readiness for the PADI Instructor Examination (IE)
What You'll Actually Do
- Complete academic teaching presentations
- Run confined-water teaching presentations
- Deliver an open-water presentation combining demonstrated skills
- Cover risk management, standards application, and real classroom and in-water teaching
- Finish IDC-ready for the Instructor Exam
Why Train With Us
- In-house PADI Course Director — you're trained by the person who runs the exam standard, not a rotating cast of instructors
- The complete pathway, on-site — Divemaster through OWSI, all under one roof
- Gear's included, nothing extra to chase down
- Local training, on a real schedule you can plan your life around
- VA-approved — supports students using VA educational benefits
Ready to Finish the Climb?
Contact us for prerequisites, upcoming OWSI/IDC start dates, and current pricing.
