PADI Freediver Instructors are a fairly new breed of PADI Pro. With many pairing freediving skills with scuba diving skills, these Instructors are in high demand in the industry. Travel is beginning to boom following the pandemic, and it’s no surprise many are looking to escape the corporate world. A PADI Freediver Instructor qualification is quite literally your passport to freedom!
If your passion alone has not yet convinced you, take a look below at why you should absolutely take the PADI Freediver Instructor course. Scroll down to hear from passionate PADI Freediver Instructor Yolande Pauwels, whose first freediving experiences was swimming with wild dolphins in Egypt. “It was a kind of revelation, feeling at home underwater, admiring the beam of light through the water and all the wildlife.“
Today, Pauwels has made her dreams a reality and works as a PADI Freediver Instructor in Dahab, a small coastal town often dubbed the “Bali of Egypt”. We caught up with her to share her inspiring story of becoming a PADI Freediver Instructor, and why she encourages others to do the same!
Expand Your Underwater Skills Portfolio
Not only are the PADI Freediver courses an excellent way to expand your skillset, but becoming an Instructor takes it to a whole new level. High-level Instructor qualifications (especially having several) can make you far more desirable to a dive shop. As a PADI Freediver Instructor, you can take beginners right through to advanced apnea levels, increasing the services that a dive shop can provide.
There are 3 additional levels of PADI Freediver Instructor training past the initial PADI Freediver Instructor certification:
Gain Contentment from Learning New Skills
Learning new skills is said to be a path to happiness! The PADI Freediver Instructor course focuses on both your underwater and above-water skillset. Not only will you understand the course standards and procedures, but you’ll also gain knowledge of teaching skills and risk management. Furthermore, you’ll learn in-depth about freediving physiology and psychology. Lastly, your PADI Freediver Instructor trainer will cover organization and marketing freediving.
Help Others Find Their Passion
Freediving is unarguably one of the most peaceful experiences in the world – just you, the blue, and an open mind. And, we can agree that apnea is a skill far more people should experience. You can make this accessible for others. Your weekend passion or holiday hobby can be turned into a payable qualification by undertaking the Instructor course.
PADI Freediver Instructor Yolande Pauwels goes even further, remarking on the huge impact Instructors can have on the lives of their students, “Learning freediving is about how to be comfortable underwater, have fun and be safe at the same time. It is about creating new connections and new habits in the water environment. It helps to know more about yourself or even help to clear some past traumas if needed. Being in this new element is a way to trick the brain and the body. The more comfortable you are in the water, the better you will be (longer dive time, deeper dives, if you feel like it).”
Plus, Work From Anywhere in the World
Some of the best freediving locations in the world include Egypt, Thailand, and Mexico – just to name a few. After becoming a certified Instructor, you could quite literally travel between countries living your passion. Many only dream of this kind of lifestyle, but the Instructor course could make it possible for you.
According to Pauwels, “I discovered freediving and scuba diving the same week in one of the most beautiful places on earth. How lucky I am! At the end of the week, the owner of the boat [I was on] did a presentation to showcase his new concept. He finished by saying that he needed people to add to the team. I stood up, without taking the time to analyze more, because it was obvious to me and said that I wanted to be part of this beautiful project. Becoming an Instructor was part of the project. (Teach freediving and manage the customers). COVID came, and things changed…However, I continued my learning journey to become a freediving instructor.“
Keep Up With the Diving Industry
As underwater enthusiasts, certified divers and freedivers, as well as PADI Pros, it’s important to stay up-to-date with available data and qualifications. As a result, your skillset is current, and your knowledge is in-depth. If you’re already a scuba diving Instructor, just like a “regular” job (whatever that is anyway), you want to keep adding exciting new skills to your capabilities to keep up with the industry. In this case, you’ll want to try a hands-on Freediver Instructor course to keep your PADI Pro career fresh.
When asked why she would encourage others to become PADI Freediver Instructors, Pauwels added, “Being part of the PADI family gives me the opportunity to work in lots of dive sites around the world. As a PADI Freediver Instructor, you can freelance or work for a diving center. The learning materials are well-made and easy to use. A great team is available to support you at any time. That’s the strength of the PADI family! And the most important point is, first of all, having fun in a beautiful environment in a safe way!”
Be a Part of Something Bigger
The Instructor course doesn’t stop once you receive your qualification. PADI’s Torchbearer movement aims to create over one billion Torchbearers. Becoming one of those carrying a “torch” for the ocean means you become an advocate both above and below the surface. As an Instructor, your students will look and listen to your guidance and knowledge on the ways in which we can properly explore and protect our oceans. You’ll be able to pass on knowledge to students of conservation movements, like PADI AWARE, and give something back to our planet with your voice.
- Find out more about Torchbearers.
- Learn about PADI AWARE.
Are You Ready to Take the First Step?
Differing from the PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor Course, the PADI Freediver Instructor course takes just 4 days of classroom and in-water training. It’s intense but highly rewarding. The first step is to get in touch with a PADI Dive Shop.
