Divers choose to become a RAID Dive Instructor for a variety of reasons. For some, gaining their RAID Instructor qualification is simply about being able to share their passion for diving with others. For many, it’s a ticket to dive around the world while being paid to do so. For others, it is about achieving a goal to reach the pinnacle of their chosen activity. A RAID Instructor certification can open the door to an exciting new career, or simply enhance your enjoyment of diving.
What makes RAID the best choice for dive instructor training?
RAID has taken a different approach, and we believe a much better approach, to dive training than other diver training agencies. We believe, and the evidence strongly supports our position, that training standards need to be raised. We believe this begins by making far better instructors. So if you truly want to be the “best of the best” then RAID is the choice for you.
It’s not a case of it being a much more difficult path or even a much longer path, just in our opinion, ensuring you are prepared to take the responsibility of training people to dive safely and be able to work with dive facilities that put the quality of dive training above everything else.
RAID does not believe in going back to the “good old days” when it could take months of training to become a diver, but we do believe divers should spend more time perfecting skills in the pool. For example, we believe that something as simple as raising open water training time from just 80 minutes to 120 minutes will make a big difference to diver safety.
As a prospective instructor, you know how long you can spend getting a diver comfortable in those first few dives, and how invaluable an extra 40 minutes in the water will be to consolidating skills. Especially when buoyancy control and other essential skills have already been perfect in the safety of a pool.
As stated, it’s not so much about the difficulty of training (although there are additional prerequisites) but the focus and methodology of training. For example, as a RAID instructor your buoyancy control will be exemplary, if it’s not now we will train you to ensure it is. The Divers Alert Network (DAN) reports poor buoyancy control is a major and unacceptable risk to diver safety, and that is why RAID has put so much focus on this skill and getting it right from the start.
We do require significantly more in-water hours than most other diver training agencies. That is, we require 100 hours, which is about twice the time of other agencies. We believe you need this level of experience to be truly confident as a dive instructor.
Prerequisites
- To be a minimum of 18 years old.
- Have a diving medical not more than 12 months old signed-off on by a licensed medical practitioner.
- Completed and passed RAID Open Circuit Open Water, Advanced 35, Master Rescue and Instructor Academic Sections Quick Quiz and Exams.
- To be certified as a RAID Divemaster or equivalent certification from a recognised training agency and/or complete, to the satisfaction of the instructor, the minimum in water open circuit Divemaster skills.
- To have a minimum of 100 logged underwater hours on Open Circuit.
- To submit a RAID Master Rescue certificate, and/or equivalent and/or complete, to the satisfaction of a RAID Instructor Trainer, the in-water skills of the RAID Master Rescue Course.
- Submit a current Rescue Breathing/CPR/BLS Training and Oxygen Provider Instructor certificates. (DAN/equivalent). • Documented proof of prerequisite requirements needed to be presented to the RAID Dive Centre and Instructor Trainer for approval prior to any in-water training.
- Complete an Instructor Development practical program with a RAID Instructor Trainer or RAID Instructor Examiner.
Course Content
Core Module
Instructor Development Program (IDP) candidates must attend all the Instructor Trainer (IT) run academic PowerPoint presentations. These include:
- IDP Orientation
- Course Structure and Standards
- Student Administration
- Developing Presentations - class, confined and open water Risk Management
- Developing Presentations - class, confined and open water
- Risk Management
- The Business of Diving and RAID
- The RAID Instructor Evaluation
- Teaching Divemasters
- Complete the Risk Management Schedule (RMS) Workshop
- Complete at least one dive site briefing using the RAID Dive Site Briefing Slate and integrate the RMS and Dive Evaluation Checklist
- Complete the Debriefing and RAID Counselling Workshop
- Complete relevant stamina exercises
- Complete the rescue workshop
- Complete the online theory training
- Complete the Open Circuit Try Dive workshop
Specific Discipline Module
Candidates must also:
- Present and pass at least three open water presentations.
- Present and pass at least three confined water presentations.
- Present and pass at least three open water presentations.
- Note: Each in-water presentation will consist of 2 skills.
- Present and pass at least one practical application.
For Recreational Open Circuit (OC)
- Pass the OC in-water pro-skill circuit evaluation.
- Attend the Nitrox Speciality Instructor Workshop
- Attend the Deep Speciality Instructor Workshop
- Review the relevant sections from Life Support Review (See Appendix)
- Review all prescribed knots
Note: For recreational rebreather, there are similar standards relating to rebreather diving.
Instructor Examination (IE)
A RAID Instructor Examination (IE) is a two-day program that evaluates an instructor candidate’s teaching presentation abilities, academic knowledge, personal skill level, understanding of the RAID education and quality control system and their attitude and professionalism.
RAID IE’s are highly standardized and totally objective assessments of the candidate’s abilities. They are convened only by RAID Examiners, which may include RAID International and RAID Regional Office staff. RAID IE’s are conducted at various locations globally, and you should contact your RAID Regional Office for the location of an IE near you.
The IE will test standards, practical ability and the professional attitude of the candidates. It is a milestone in the Instructor training process and the goal for anyone wanting to become a high quality dive Instructor.
Do A Raid Cross Over and Gain Recognition Of Your Prior Learning and Certification From Another Training Agency
Dive professionals who hold an instructor rating from another recognised diver training agency may be eligible to enrol in the RAID Cross Over Program. This program recognises prior learning (RPL) and past instructor training. By so doing, it provides a pathway to become a RAID Instructor without you being required to go back to complete knowledge and skill assessment on skills and knowledge you should have already mastered. However, such individuals may have to undertake some additional training in respect to academic knowledge and skill development applicable to your current training agency and the level of training RAID requires.
Note that RAID generally requires a higher level of academic knowledge and in-water skill than most other training agencies. However, be aware the majority of the RAID Cross Over Program focuses on developing your knowledge and familiarity with the RAID system of training, rather than a desire on our part to completely retrain you.
RAID Cross Over Consists Of The Following:
- Overview of the RAID system
- RAID Administration
- RAID Instructor level theory overview
- Workshops on the RAID, Try Dive, Deep and Nitrox Programs
- Water skills unique to the RAID system
- The RAID signature buoyancy workshop.
RAID Professional Employment Opportunities
You should not be the slightest concerned about becoming an instructor with an agency who puts quality before the quantity of divers trained. You might think it may in some ways limit your opportunities, but ironically the opposite is the case. It seems the world agrees with the position we have taken. Dive consumers have noticed that RAID has gone from a quality based concept to a movement that is sweeping the globe at an unbelievable rate.
Dive Centres that are joining RAID are seeing an increase in student numbers, because anyone serious about learning to dive appreciates our focus on a thorough and comprehensive approach to diver training. RAID Dive Centres are recognising that by increasing the quality of their training, they:
- Attract more people who want to stay diving.
- Equipment sales rise.
- Have an increase in continuing education.
- Referrals rise, because each person they teach becomes an advocate for better quality training.
- Increasing quality does not mean increasing overheads.
So we are seeing stores around the world wanting to become RAID Dive Centres and needing to employ RAID Instructors.
In just the last twelve months we have been joined by RAID Regional Offices which are independent companies who invest to become local representatives of RAID in all parts of the globe with all of them needing RAID Instructors. This means RAID Instructors are fully serviced by a RAID office, in many cases, in their own country by people who know the region and your needs as a diving professional.
On employment, ultimately it’s a simple case of the number of positions available compared to the number of instructors available to fill them which determines employability. Yes, some other agencies have more stores than RAID, but when the focus is on quantity, there are a lot more instructors vying for these positions. We assure you there will always be demand for quality trained RAID instructors.
If you want to join us in our quest to share our passion for diving and make great divers who will enjoy a lifetime of safe diving, the join the RAID Instructor team today.
RAID Instructors searching for employment can also get a free listing in your Login under Employment Section. This in house FREE employment section provides you contact directly with every RAID Dive Centre locally or internationally.
Start Today
1. To register as a RAID diver, please visit the link provided below and follow registration instructions.
2. Visit our FREe-Learning centre to read the course material, then purchase the course if you wish.
3. Locate your nearest dive center and get in touch to begin your adventure with RAID today!
Be unafRAID and get started today!
⭐ When purchasing a course online, access to the course manuals, quizzes and exam are included. Practical training is provided by your local RAID Dive Centre and Instructor.
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