Introduction

PADI Course Director Michael Wheatley CD-111768 has been diving since 1995, with 1,000’s of logged dives all up and down the east coast of Australia from Carins to Melbourne, PNG to Vanuatu and more still to come.

Mick as he likes to be called is also an EFR Instructor Trainer and holds numerous speciality instructor trainer ratings.  Mick is also the only active resident Course Director between Bundaberg and Newcastle.  Having taught and team taught hundreds if not thousands of divers at all levels from Scuba diver right through to Instructor level.  Mick is the most experienced PADI Instructor in South East Queensland, his reputation has seen him invited to teach IDC’s in other places like PNG, Phillipines and Honduras.

With 15 years teaching experience a wealth of knowledge and a philosophy that his students are a direct reflection on him, Mick ensures that you know what you are doing before heading to the IE. Since graduating as a PADI Course Director, 100% of IDC candidates trained by Mick have achieved a first IE passing rate!

Mick has been recognised by PADI for excellence in teaching and is always willing to go that extra mile for students to ensure that they have a great time and a valuable experience.

•    Staff of 10 including 1 IDC Staff instructor
•    31 years old
•    5+ IDCs per year
•    15 years diving experience
•    100% First time IE success rate

What is the philosophy of your company?

The quality of the students, are a direct reflection of the instructional staff.

Your history (your first dive, your first course, how you got into the dive industry)

During high school I was given the opportunity to learn to dive as part of a marine studies program.  So I thought to myself, why do real school work when I can learn to dive?  I can still remember that first ocean dive, 15m visibility, 12 degrees, sea urchins as far as the eye could sea and some beautiful Blue Groupers swimming around.

As a lot of people do I learnt to dive and didn’t dive again for about a year, and one day I was passing a dive shop and met a Divemaster who soon became my mentor.  I was taken for a dive and when I came home I proclaimed that I was going to become a scuba Instructor.

I still had to wait 12months to turn 18 before I could start my Divemaster course so I spent that time working for free in dive centres, diving every weekend, doing any course I could afford to do or had to do and as my 18th birthday present to myself I enrolled in a Divemaster course.  It took me a year to finish it but it was worth it.  3 months to the day later I was handed my IE certificate of completion.

My first open water course that I taught was a disaster!  I have so many do’s and don’ts to pass on from this course but that is how we learn, we keep the good bits and store the bad as a reminder of what not to do.

12 years later I own my own 5 Star Instructor Development Centre in Brisbane and what a ride it has been.

Write something funny that happened during your IDCs

The funniest thing I have seen on an IDC was a grown man walking into the classroom wearing a little yellow plastic raincoat, hat and umbrella to illustrate that it is important to have appropriate exposure protection.

What is the reason people should take their IDC with you (your USP)

Friendly professional attitude and approach to teaching and willingness to assist students in any way possible to make sure that they reach their goals.

Facilities

What are your personal  diving obsessions?

Working with kids who have duchenne muscular dystrophy (dmd), in 2008  I developed a program with a local physiotherapist to take kids who have dmd scuba diving.  This program is unique and had never been done anywhere else in the world,

What type of diving do you like the best?

I love deep wrecks, being able to research the history of a ship, what it did, how it sank, what were the people like who were on the ship, being able to look back in time.

Quote from a previous Student (including photo if possible)

“I recently successfully completed my IDC with Brisbane Dive Academy and then went on to Successfully complete my Instructor Exams with PADI.”

Without the expert guidance and real life experience provided by Brisbane Dive Academy the course would have been very stressful, instead the staff made it enjoyable and provided me with some real world experiences that have guided me into my Instructing career. I would highly recommend Mick and his team for any courses that he provides, as their professional attitude, friendly approach and willingness to work with you towards your goals set them apart from other providers.”

Brett Muller
OWSI-262376

What else do you like (non diving)

With a young family it is difficult to find time for other things once I get home from diving but when we can we head into the national parks and do a spot of bushwalking, rock climbing or just hanging out at home playing with lego.

Why do you love being a PADI Course Director ?

I get to be a part of a life changing experience, teaching people how to dive is amazing and the PADI instructor creed is so accurate in what you can achieve as an Instructor but as a Course Director you get to experience that and you can make it a reality for others to experience what you do as an Instructor.

Over and above that I get to work with some amazing people and make lifelong friendships.

What does the future hold for you?

The future is bright, I am looking to be teaching IDC’s here in Australia and overseas for various 5 Star IDC’s, I already have IDC’s lined up in PNG.

For more info, Please visit http://brisbanediveacademy.com.au/

His passions include rust chasing (wreck diving) and travelling to far flung destinations on the world.

Craig is the director and resident PADI Course Director of Remote Area Dive (RAD has one of the highest continuing education ratios in Queensland). A PADI professional for 9 years, Craig became a Course Director in early 2007. Since then, he has run 4 Instructor Development Courses in a year at Remote Area Dive. As a next generation Course Director, he is at the cutting edge of technology and goes out of his way to ensure that his candidates are more than adequately prepared for the Instructor Examinations and life as an Instructor. Craig is also willing to travel to do IDCs at other dive centres

“A spur of the moment decision to do a scuba course in 1999 whilst on holidays changed my life. Within months, I had become a Divemaster and was working in the industry. Upon my return to Australia and my job as a registered nurse, life as I knew it just wasn’t the same so I became a scuba instructor and opened a dive shop.

The adventure provided since then through scuba diving stay as great memories for the rest of my days. I have dived throughout the world and taught many people from all walks of life. Each and every experience has been unique in its own way.

The lifestyle is one your friends will envy…now you can embark on the same journey….” – Craig Randall

“Remote Area Dive is a 5 star Instructor Development Centre located in Townsville, North Queensland. We combine personalized dive training (Open Water to MSDT) and fun diving with camping safaris on remote secluded islands on the Great Barrier Reef.”

For more info please visit www.remoteareadive.com.au

Des Paroz has been diving for 15 years, and has been a PADI Instructor for 12.

In 1998, Des became a PADI Master Instructor, and in 2008, he finally took the plunge to become a PADI Course Director.  Des is also an EFR Instructor Trainer, a DAN Oxygen Instructor and a TDI Instructor.  Des is also a DSAT Tec Rec Gas Blender Instructor Trainer, and an Instructor Trainer in 12 PADI Specialty Programs.

Since his very first course, Des has taught with United Divers Wollongong, and is proud to now be setting up PADI and EFR Instructor Courses at that fine facility.

Des has a Bachelors in Economics, a Master of Commerce in Marketing and a Certificate IV in Training and Assessment.  With these qualifications, and Des’ well rounded knowledge and experience as a diver and instructor, Des will be able to prepare you to be not only a great dive instructor, but for a great career in the dive industry.

Des and his wife Belinda have a separate diving website at BlueBeyond.com.au. Here you’ll find information about diving techniques, the marine environment, underwater photography and about dive sites in NSW, especially the Illawarra, Sydney and Jervis Bay regions.