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PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor ( AI Upgrade)
Upgrade from Assistant Instructor to full PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor with this focused and empowering course at The Diving Academy. Designed for certified Assistant Instructors, this program completes your transition into a fully qualified PADI Instructor, enabling you to teach all core PADI courses. With expert coaching and practical training across our UK centres in Reading, Swindon, Oxford, and Bristol, you’ll refine your skills, enhance your confidence, and prepare to pass the PADI Instructor Examination (IE).
Course Type: Professional
Application Fee : Please refer to your PADI Portal, or Contact Us.
Booking Information: If you have any questions please get in contact with us to schedule a call with our Course Directors and they will be happy to help.
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Become a Fully Qualified PADI Instructor in the UK
Ready to turn your passion for diving into a rewarding career? Our PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor (OWSI) Upgrade bridges the gap between Assistant Instructor and full PADI Instructor status—empowering you to teach Discover Scuba Diving, Open Water Diver, Advanced Open Water, Rescue Diver and Divemaster courses independently.
Why Choose The Diving Academy for Your PADI Instructor Upgrade?
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Expert Course Directors – Train under Danny Stepney and Mark Taylor, two of the UK’s top PADI Course Directors, with decades of teaching and industry experience.
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UK-Based Training Centres – Gain practical experience in diverse British dive sites at our centres in Reading, Swindon.
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Career-Focused Curriculum – From lesson planning to student management and IE prep, we tailor every module to boost your confidence and employability.
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Proven Track Record – Dozens of Assistant Instructors have successfully upgraded and gone on to lead dive programs worldwide.
Course Highlights
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Full PADI Core Program Delivery
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Teach Discover Scuba Diving through Divemaster, start to finish
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Master PADI Standards & Procedures
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Dynamic Teaching Presentations
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Confined-water skill demos
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Open-water lesson delivery and risk mitigation
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Knowledge Development & Performance Evaluations
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Evidence-based assessments
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Real-time feedback from Danny & Mark.
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Practical Career Skills
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Student recruitment & retention tips
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Business insights for UK dive centres and overseas operations
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Instructor Examination (IE) Preparation
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Mock IE sessions
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One-on-one mentoring to help you pass first time
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Prerequisites & What You’ll Need
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Certified PADI Assistant Instructor
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Minimum Age: 18 years
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EFR Certification: Current within 24 months
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Logged Dives: 100+ dives in open water
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Medical Clearance: Current, from a dive-qualified physician
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PADI Instructor Crewpak
Your Career Path: From Assistant to Leader
By completing the PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor Upgrade with The Diving Academy, you’ll:
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Expand Your Job Prospects at UK dive centres
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Qualify to Teach Globally—go tropical or stay local
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Earn a Competitive Edge with direct mentorship from Danny Stepney & Mark Taylor
Book Your PADI Instructor Upgrade Today
Don’t wait to dive into your dream career upgrade today with The Diving Academy now and start leading PADI courses with confidence.
Prerequisites
The PADI Instructor Development Course Prerequisites:
Be certified as a PADI Divemaster/Assistant Instructor or be an Divemaster/Instructor in good standing with another training organization for at least six months.
- Be at least 18 years old
- Be certified as a diver for at least six months
- Have 100 logged dives that include experience in night, deep and navigation diving.
- Have proof of CPR and First Aid training within the last 24 months. The Emergency First Response course meets this requirement
- Be fit for diving and submit a Medical Statement signed by a physician within the last 12 months or full HSE Medical.
Medical Requirements
Scuba diving requires a minimum level of health and fitness. Chronic health conditions, certain medications and/or recent surgery may require you to get written approval from a physician before diving.
Avoid disappointment, download and review the Diver Medical form to ensure you won’t need a physician’s approval to dive before enrolling in a scuba course. Instructors, divemasters and dive shop staff are not physicians and should not be asked for medical advice; only medical professionals can give medical clearance to dive.
If you (or your physician) have questions about medical fitness to dive, contact the experts at Divers Alert Network (DAN).
Your Medical Statement must be signed by a physician within the last 12 months or full HSE Medical. Under the Diving at Work Regulations 1997, all divers at work must have a valid certificate of HSE fitness to dive issued by an Approved Medical Examiner of Divers (AMED), please Contact Us for more information.
Next Steps
Study
Step 1 – PADI eLearning
PADI eLearning makes it easy to fit scuba lessons into a busy schedule. Complete the independent study part of your course whenever, wherever it’s convenient for you.
Work at your own pace, online or offline, using a computer or mobile device. Connect with your instructor for inwater training, or whenever you have a question.
- eLearning time commitment: 10-16 hours
At The Diving Academy
Step 2 – With Your Instructor
You will complete the PADI Standards and Procedures workshops for courses you can teach with in water training, learning, instruction, the PADI System, Risk Management and Diver Safety, The Business of Diving and your role as an instructor, Marketing Diving and Sales Counselling workshops.
Meet Our Course Directors
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Course Locations
Dive Centre
Diving Academy – Dive Centre, Sunfield Business Park, New Mill Road, Wokingham, RG40 4QT
Pool Training Sites
Wokingham – The Forest School, Robin Hood Lane, Winnersh, Wokingham, RG41 5NE
Yateley – Yateley School, School Lane, GU46 6NW
Hagbourne – Hagbourne School Pool, Main Road, East Hagbourne, OX11 9LR
Swindon – Halo Highworth Recreation Centre, The Elms, Highworth, Swindon SN6 7DD
Open Water Training Sites:
London – Wraysbury Diving Lake, Station Road, Wraysbury, Berkshire, TW19 5ND
Radstock – Vobster Quay, Upper Vobster, Radstock, BA3 5SD
Leicester – Stoney Cove, Sapcote Road, Stoney Stanton, Leicester, LE9 4DW
Related products
Crossover to PADI
Whether you are BSAC, SSI, CMAS or any other dive agency qualified, you can crossover to PADI and make yourself a more marketable commodity around the world. We have experience of working with numerous other agencys’ candidates and can help you navigate the PADI system until you are super comfortable teaching PADI courses.
Contact our knowledgable team who will be able to advise you at what level your need to begin your PADI training. Most existing Divemasters / Dive Leaders can enrol directly onto an IDC, and if you are already an Instructor elsewhere you probably only need to do the OWSI section of an IDC and then attend an IE.
Whether you are BSAC, SSI, CMAS or any other dive agency qualified, you can crossover to PADI and make yourself a more marketable commodity around the world. We have experience of working with numerous other agencys’ candidates and can help you navigate the PADI system until you are super comfortable teaching PADI courses.
Contact our knowledgable team who will be able to advise you at what level your need to begin your PADI training. Most existing Divemasters / Dive Leaders can enrol directly onto an IDC, and if you are already an Instructor elsewhere you probably only need to do the OWSI section of an IDC and then attend an IE.