Structured Preparation
Begin instructor development before you travel through structured online coaching, academic preparation, standards review, teaching assignments, and professional-development work.
SDI IDC Curaçao | Mammoth Dive Academy - Elite Diving Curaçao
2026 SDI Professional Development
SDI Open Water Scuba Diver Instructor
Start From Home. Finish in Curaçao.
Ready to take the next step from dive leader to instructor? Begin your professional development online from wherever you live, then join Mammoth Dive Academy and Elite Diving Curaçao for hands-on instructor development and evaluation in the Caribbean.
November 2 Online Development Begins
November 9–15 Curaçao IDC + IEC
8 Candidates Limited 2026 Cohort
$2,799 Early Registration Through Sept. 15
Turn Experience Into Leadership
Instructor development builds on the experience you already have as a dive professional. Strengthen your ability to teach, lead, mentor, manage students, and make sound professional decisions.
Develop in the Caribbean
Move from structured online preparation into a working Caribbean dive environment. Curaçao gives candidates an opportunity to apply instructor-level skills in an ocean setting outside their home training environment.
Build More with SDI
SDI instructor training can expand your professional capabilities and prepare you for teaching opportunities with dive centers, training facilities, clubs, travel programs, and destination operations.
SDI Course Director
Randy Lublinski
Elite Diving Curaçao
SDI Instructor Trainer
Jason Burleson
Mammoth Dive Academy
Qualified Candidates Can Start From Anywhere
Online instructor development begins November 2, 2026. Candidates then travel to Curaçao for the in-person Instructor Development Course and Instructor Evaluation Course phase November 9–15. The 2026 cohort is limited to eight candidates.
Early Registration: $2,799 through September 15, 2026. Regular tuition is $3,000 after September 15, subject to remaining availability. Candidate eligibility and package requirements should be confirmed before booking travel. Airfare, lodging, meals, local transportation, personal expenses, and optional activities are separate unless specifically included in writing.
Availability: In Stock
2026 SDI Professional Development
Your SDI Instructor Path Starts Here
Start From Home. Finish in Curaçao.
Begin with structured online instructor development through Mammoth Dive Academy, then join Mammoth and Elite Diving Curaçao for the in-person Instructor Development Course and Instructor Evaluation Course phase in the Caribbean.
SDI Instructor Pathway
IDC Development
IEC Evaluation
ONLINE Preparation
CUR Curaçao Week
Online Development
Use SDI learning resources together with instructor-led preparation to strengthen academics, standards knowledge, teaching concepts, theory, and professional readiness before Curaçao.
Safety First, Always
Professional instructor development is built around judgment, rescue readiness, student management, risk management, supervision, and real-world decision-making.
One Dive Family
SDI professional development connects recreational training with the broader International Training family, including TDI technical diving, ERDI public safety diving, and PFI freediving pathways.
Start From Home. Finish in Curaçao.
Online instructor development begins November 2, 2026. Candidates then travel to Curaçao for in-person instructor development and evaluation November 9–15. The 2026 program is limited to 8 candidates.
Know Before You Enroll
What Does Your Tuition Include?
The program package includes the professional-development, evaluation, materials, registration, and processing components listed below. Travel and personal expenses remain the candidate's responsibility.
IDC + IEC Package
- SDI Instructor Development Course (IDC) tuition and professional-development program.
- SDI Instructor Evaluation Course (IEC) evaluation component.
- Required SDI course materials for the IDC/IEC pathway.
- SDI registration fees associated with the program.
- SDI processing fees associated with the program.
- Structured online preparation and coaching beginning before the Curaçao phase.
- Standards review, academic preparation, and teaching-presentation development.
- In-person instructor development during the Curaçao training week.
- Candidate mentoring and IEC preparation focused on safety, judgment, teaching, and professional readiness.
Not Included
- SDI professional membership fees.
- Airfare and airline baggage fees.
- Airport transfers and local transportation.
- Lodging and accommodations.
- Meals and personal expenses.
- Personal scuba equipment, dive computer, exposure protection, or replacement equipment.
- Medical examination costs.
- Passport, visa, or other travel-document expenses.
- Optional dives, excursions, additional training, equipment rentals, or activities outside the published IDC/IEC program.
Important: Program tuition includes the IDC, IEC, required SDI materials, SDI registration fees, and SDI processing fees. SDI professional membership fees are separate. Candidates should confirm eligibility and current program details before purchasing airfare or lodging.
2026 Curaçao IDC Early Registration
$2,799Register by September 15, 2026. Regular tuition after September 15 is $3,000, subject to remaining availability.
Questions? Let's Dive In.
SDI Instructor Course Questions
Review candidate eligibility, IDC performance requirements, the Instructor Evaluation Course, and instructor outcomes before beginning your professional-development pathway.
Who is this program for?
This program is designed for qualified dive professionals who are ready to move into instructor-level teaching, leadership, supervision, and professional responsibility.
Can I participate if I am not an SDI Divemaster?
Qualified Divemasters or equivalent dive professionals from other recognized training agencies may be eligible. Contact Mammoth Dive Academy so your current professional rating and certification history can be reviewed before registration.
What are the course prerequisites?
- Minimum age of 18.
- Certified diver for a minimum of 6 months.
- Proof of 100 logged dives in different environments and at varying depths.
- Certified as an SDI Divemaster, SDI Assistant Instructor, or accepted equivalent.
- Current CPR, First Aid, and Oxygen Provider certification where permitted by local law.
Candidate eligibility remains subject to current SDI Standards and Procedures and approval by the instructor-development team.
What will I learn during the IDC?
- SDI Standards and Procedures.
- History of SDI and International Training.
- Products, registration procedures, yearly renewals, and instructor administration.
- Liability, insurance, risk management, waivers, releases, and accident reporting.
- Methods of instruction, teaching theory, oral communication, and lesson preparation.
- Use of training aids, home study, and knowledge-development tools.
- Course budgeting, recruiting students, scheduling, retail awareness, and professional growth.
- Instructor ethics, diving physics, and physiology.
What performance is required during the IDC?
- Present at least four classroom presentations.
- Present at least four confined-water lessons.
- Present at least four open-water lessons.
- Demonstrate preparation, planning, supervision, and control during diving activities.
- Perform one complete rescue scenario to demonstration quality.
- Complete a 10-minute survival float without swimming aids.
- Complete a non-stop 400-metre surface swim without swimming aids.
- Complete an 800-metre mask, snorkel, and fin swim without using the arms in less than 17 minutes.
- Bring a simulated unconscious diver up from no deeper than 6 metres / 20 feet and tow the diver 100 metres in less than 4 minutes.
What is required during the Instructor Evaluation Course?
- Present one classroom presentation lasting at least 15 minutes.
- Present one complete confined-water lesson.
- Present one complete open-water lesson.
- Demonstrate required subjects and skills to the evaluating Instructor Trainer.
- Successfully complete the SDI IDC and IEC process.
- Demonstrate mature, professional judgment in class planning and execution.
What skills are expected in pool or confined water?
- Perform all SDI Open Water Scuba Diver course skills to demonstration quality.
- Demonstrate confined-water problem solving.
- Show control, positioning, communication, supervision, and student management.
What skills are expected in open water?
- Perform all SDI Open Water Scuba Diver course skills to demonstration quality.
- Demonstrate open-water problem solving.
- Show planning, awareness, supervision, site control, and professional-level judgment.
What can I teach after successful completion?
Upon successful completion, activation of the applicable instructor rating, and fulfillment of current SDI professional requirements, graduates may teach SDI programs authorized within their active professional rating.
What is not included in the $2,799 tuition?
SDI professional membership fees are not included. Airfare, lodging, meals, local transportation, personal equipment, travel documents, medical costs, and optional activities are also separate.
Ready to Take the Next Step?
The 2026 Curaçao IDC is limited to 8 candidates. Early-registration tuition of $2,799 is available through September 15, 2026. If you are unsure about prerequisites or crossover eligibility, contact Mammoth before enrolling.
