The Final PADI IDC at Oceans 5 Gili Air

The Final PADI IDC at Oceans 5 Gili Air: A New Beginning for Future Instructors and the Dive Center

The Final PADI IDC at Oceans 5 Gili Air

The month ahead marks an extraordinary moment in the long history of Oceans 5 Gili Air. As the last PADI Instructor Development Course (IDC) begins, we proudly welcome Phil, Eddie, and Cecile into a program that has shaped hundreds of instructors since 2011. For 14 years as a PADI IDC Centre and 12 years as a PADI Career Development Centre, Oceans 5 Gili Air has been a place where divers evolve into confident, passionate, and environmentally responsible dive instructors.

This upcoming IDC is more than just another training program—it is the closing chapter of a legacy and the beginning of an exciting new era. Under the guidance of PADI Course Director Waz, our candidates will embark on a 20-day journey designed not only to prepare them for the Instructor Examination, but to transform them into competent, adaptive professionals ready for modern teaching environments.

Although this is our final PADI IDC before Oceans 5 transitions to another agency on 1 January 2026, nothing about our philosophy, values, or passion for quality instruction will change. We will continue to deliver training rooted in safety, environmental awareness, and personal attention—principles that have defined us since 2010.

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Welcoming Phil, Eddie, and Cecile to Their IDC Journey

Every IDC group at Oceans 5 is unique, but what remains constant is the intimate, family-like environment in which candidates train. This year, we are proud to welcome Phil, Eddie, and Cecile, three motivated divers ready to take the next step in their professional careers.

From the moment they step through the doors of Oceans 5, they become part of a supportive team. Our approach has always been to work in limited group settings, allowing each candidate access to the individual attention needed to build confidence and refine their skills. For the next 20 days, their world will revolve around teaching presentations, rescue workshops, confined water sessions, open water evaluations, classroom time, environmental integration, and the mentorship of Course Director Waz.

For them, this IDC is not a box-ticking exercise. It is an immersive, real-world learning experience guided by instructors who live and breathe the philosophy of quality teaching.

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Guided by PADI Course Director Waz: A Mentor With Passion

One of the greatest advantages of taking the IDC at Oceans 5 is the mentorship of PADI Course Director Waz, whose teaching style, energy, and passion have made him a respected figure across the Gili Islands and beyond. Waz brings a perfect balance of professionalism, experience, humor, and realism—qualities that help create a stress-free learning environment.

At many IDC centers, candidates are passed from the course director to staff instructors, divemasters, or interns. Oceans 5 has never followed this model. Here, the Course Director teaches the IDC from start to finish, ensuring consistency, authenticity, and genuine instructor-level mentoring.

IDC candidates come to Oceans 5 specifically for their Course Director. They deserve direct access to the person responsible for their development—not a substitute, not an assistant, not a staff member. Waz’s approach offers exactly that.

Throughout the 20-day program, he will help Phil, Eddie, and Cecile refine their teaching style, repair weaknesses, sharpen decision-making, and embrace the mindset of a true instructor: calm, confident, safe, environmentally responsible, and able to lead students with clarity and patience.

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A 20-Day Program Built on Realistic and Environmental Teaching Techniques

The Oceans 5 IDC is not rushed, condensed, or diluted. It is a full 20-day course designed around one main goal: to create confident, competent, real-world instructors. This means the training goes far beyond the minimum requirements of the PADI IDC curriculum.

1. Realistic Teaching Techniques

We prepare instructor candidates for real teaching scenarios—not just for passing an exam. Candidates practice:

• Correcting buoyancy safely and respectfully

• Managing student anxiety

• Handling equipment issues underwater

• Giving constructive feedback

• Teaching skills neutrally buoyant

• Controlling multiple students in dynamic ocean environments

These are the skills that determine whether a new instructor thrives or struggles after certification.

2. Environmental Education at the Core

Oceans 5 Gili Air is located inside the Gili Matra Marine Park, one of Indonesia’s oldest marine protected areas. Teaching here naturally instills environmental responsibility, conservation understanding, and respect for the ocean.

During the IDC, environmental elements are integrated into every part of the course:

• Neutrally buoyant skill demonstrations

• Discussions on coral-friendly guiding techniques

• Impact awareness of fins, boats, anchors, and divers

• Participation in cleanups and conservation activities

• Understanding how dive instructors can become environmental ambassadors

We do not simply train instructors. We train ambassadors of the ocean.

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A Legacy of Quality Over Quantity

In an era where some dive centers reduce course durations, increase group sizes, or focus on certification numbers, Oceans 5 Gili Air continues to follow a very different philosophy.

Here, quality comes first.

This means:

• Small groups (maximum 6 candidates per IDC)

• Personalised attention from the Course Director

• Longer training days if needed

• Stronger emphasis on real skills instead of passing scores

• Slow, patient teaching pace based on the needs of each candidate

Our success has never been measured by how many instructors we certify, but by the kind of instructors we release into the diving world. For 14 years, we have trained instructors who teach safely, ethically, and with passion—and that will never change.

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Why Gili Air Is the Perfect Place for Your IDC

Gili Air has always held a unique charm that distinguishes it from the rest of the Gili Islands. For IDC candidates, it provides the ideal environment to learn, relax, and grow.

1. A Calm, Community-Oriented Island

Unlike the faster pace of Gili Trawangan, Gili Air maintains a relaxed atmosphere, perfect for study and focus. Everything is within walking distance, the people are friendly, and life flows with a peaceful island rhythm.

After long IDC days, candidates can unwind watching sunsets, enjoy local food, or have casual chats with the Oceans 5 community. A stress-free mind leads to better learning.

2. Easy Access to Diverse Dive Sites

Within a short boat ride, candidates will encounter:

• Shallow reefs

• Deeper training sites

• Drift conditions

• Coral gardens

• Marine life ranging from turtles to reef sharks to nudibranchs

These conditions prepare instructors for teaching in a wide variety of environments around the world.

3. An Ideal Setting for Instructor Development

The combination of:

• a focused learning environment,

• easy logistics,

• an engaged dive community, and

• the beauty of the marine park

makes Gili Air one of the best places in Indonesia to become a dive professional.

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Why Oceans 5 Has Chosen to Move On After 14 Years

This upcoming IDC will be the last PADI IDC at Oceans 5 Gili Air. After 14 years as an IDC center and 12 years as a Career Development Centre, the time has come to transition to another agency.

What does this mean for future students?

Nothing changes in our teaching philosophy.

Oceans 5 Gili Air will continue to:

• teach in small, personalized groups

• follow high safety and environmental standards

• prioritize quality over quantity

• maintain strict adherence to training standards

• invest in instructor development

• support conservation and community programs

The agency may change, but the identity of Oceans 5 remains the same.

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A Legacy Continues

As Phil, Eddie, and Cecile prepare to start their journey, they are stepping into a long tradition of instructor development that has shaped oceans of people over more than a decade.

This final PADI IDC is not an end—but a milestone.

It symbolizes:

• 14 years of dedication

• 12 years of commitment as a CDC

• countless instructors now teaching worldwide

• thousands of safe, educated divers

• partnerships with conservation groups

• a deep connection with Gili Air’s community

• an unwavering mission to protect the marine environment

And soon, a new chapter begins.

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Conclusion: The Last PADI IDC, The Same Oceans 5 Philosophy

The final PADI IDC at Oceans 5 Gili Air represents both the closing of a beautiful chapter and the beginning of a new story. For the next 20 days, Phil, Eddie, and Cecile will receive the same attention, passion, and quality that have defined our IDCs since the beginning.

Under Course Director Waz, they will transform into confident, responsible instructors—professionals who understand not only how to teach but why teaching matters. They will learn to protect the marine environment, guide divers safely, and represent the future of diving with integrity.

Oceans 5 may be changing agencies soon, but our heart, our identity, and our standards remain the same.

Quality. Safety. Environmental awareness. Personal attention.

These values shaped our past, define our present, and will continue to guide our future.