The Role of an IDC Staff Instructor

IDC Staff Instructor is the rating that lets experienced instructors formally assist a Course Director in running Instructor Development Courses - evaluating candidates, delivering presentations, and helping coordinate a course that is training instructors rather than recreational divers. The role suits instructors who have built a solid base of real teaching experience and enjoy the coaching side of the job as much as the diving itself. Rather than replacing a Course Director, an IDC Staff Instructor extends what a course can offer: more one-to-one time for candidates, a second experienced perspective on evaluations, and someone who has recently been through the instructor pathway themselves and remembers what it actually feels like from the candidate's side. For instructors thinking about eventually pursuing Course Director status, IDC Staff Instructor is also valuable groundwork. It builds direct experience with how a course is structured and evaluated, which pays off later if the Course Director pathway is part of a longer-term career plan.