PADI Whale Defender Instructor – Protect Giants of the Deep at Diving Academy

At Diving Academy, we believe diving is about more than exploration—it’s about advocacy. The PADI Whale Defender Instructor course empowers you to inspire divers to become champions for whale conservation, education, and protection.

Whales are among the most awe-inspiring and intelligent creatures on the planet, yet they face mounting threats from climate change, pollution, entanglement, and illegal hunting. As a PADI Whale Defender Instructor, you’ll train divers to understand these threats and take meaningful action—both underwater and in their communities.

Why Become a Whale Defender Instructor?

Today’s divers want more than certifications—they want purpose. This specialty allows you to offer something unique: a way for students to combine their love of diving with real-world impact. Whether you’re working with conservation-minded divers or marine biology students, this course connects passion with action.

Additionally, the course fits perfectly with other ocean advocacy specialties like PADI AWARE, Shark Conservation, and Coral Reef Conservation. Bundling these creates powerful learning journeys and gives you the opportunity to attract mission-driven divers.

Teach Purpose-Driven, Standards-Based Conservation

In this course, you’ll guide students through whale biology, migration patterns, human impacts, and international protection efforts. You’ll also explore current research initiatives and how divers can contribute to data collection and advocacy campaigns.

While following PADI’s standards, you’ll also learn how to engage your students through storytelling, science, and in-water interaction protocols where applicable. As a PADI Whale Defender Instructor, you won’t just teach facts—you’ll inspire change.

Deliver Conservation Training Through Immersive Workshops

At Diving Academy, we prepare instructors to educate and lead. Your training includes:

Whale ecology and conservation education
Community and diver engagement strategies
Course promotion and partnership planning
Risk management and respectful wildlife interaction
Open water workshops and responsible observation dives (where permitted)

By the end, you’ll be ready to deliver a course that empowers divers to protect whales and promote ocean conservation globally.

Take the lead in marine advocacy. Become a PADI Whale Defender Instructor at Diving Academy and make a lasting impact.

👉 Contact us to get started today.

Prerequisites

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.

All Specialties

PADI Instructor (Scuba, Tec, Mermaid & Freediving), or you are currently participating in or have completed an IDC/OWSI Program within the past 12 months. IDC/OWSI candidates may apply for Specialty Instructor certification only after successfully completing an IE.

Specialties Without Dives

PADI Assistant Instructor
PADI Divemaster for these courses: Emergency Oxygen Provider, Equipment
Specialist, Coral Reef Conservation, Project AWARE Specialist and PADI
Distinctive Specialty Diver (approved).

Exception: Both Divemasters and Assistant Instructors may attend Digital Underwater Photographer specialty instructor training courses.

Meet Our Course Directors

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

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PADI Whale Defender Instructor

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