BECOME A RAID DIVE INSTRUCTOR

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  difficulty of training (although there are additional pre requisites)  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. 

http://www.diversalertnetwork.org/medical/articles/The_Ups_and_Downs_of_Buoyancy_Control

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 beleive you need this level of experience  to be truly confident as a dive instructor.

Pre Requisites:
•    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 pre-requisite 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 programme with a RAID Instructor Trainer or RAID Instructor Examiner.

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
Teaching RAID Courses
Student Administration
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 De-Briefing 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:
1.    Present and pass at least two academic teaching presentations
2.    Present and pass at least three confined water presentations
3.    Present and pass at least three open water presentations
•    Note: Each in-water presentation will consist of 2 skills
4.    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

5.    Review the relevant sections from Life Support Review (See Appendix)
6.    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  IEs 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 IEs  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 recognizes 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.

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 way 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  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. That is 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 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.