San Pedro's Annual Instructor Development Course (IDC) this year is scheduled for October 17th through the 25th and Instructor Evaluation (IE) has been set for the 26th and 27th.
The visiting Course Director for this year will be E.K. Sowell. Ramon's Village Dive Shop and ProTech are combining efforts in sponsoring this event.

PADI Staff Instructor, Elbert Greer told The San Pedro Sun, "This program will provide local dive masters the opportunity to advance to the level of Open Water Scuba Instructor (OWSI). Being a Scuba Instructor offers young men and women of Belize a viable and well paying vocation within the country's rapid growing tourist industry." The IDC/IE is the only way instructors are certified by PADI headquarters, and is an intense week of training which includes pool sessions, classroom, and dives, followed by the two-day Instructor Evaluation.

Mr. Greer went on to explain that the Instructor course addresses not only the technical aspects of becoming a Scuba instructor, but also attitudes and judgments. Attitudes are emotional influences that shape individual choices ranging from professional behavior, role modeling, personal health and following safe diving practices. Judgment applies to anything from, experiences, theoretical knowledge, deduction, and intuition, to problem solving and making decisions based on variables, sometimes under circumstances that are not simply black and white.

Mr. Greer added that with the birth of so many new dive operations, when instructor jobs become available, Belize's lack of qualified personnel is usually justification for the Immigration Department to allow dive operations to import Scuba instructors, giving non-Belizeans a share of the Belizean tourist market.

Tuition costs for the programs are $ 1,190 US plus books and materials or $1,090 if paid before August 1st. Tour Guides wishing to get their Belizean Tour Guide license renewal requirement of current CPR can do so with the First Responder Course offered as part of the IDC. To confirm your enrollment in the course, a $300 deposit must be received before September 1st.

For further information visit www.scubalessonsbelize.com


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