ITDA Diving Agency: Instructor Guide V8.8

• ITDA® International Technical Diving Agency (ITDA®-IHMP™ International) is a worldwide agency with an Instructor Guide, V8.8 2025 written by Stephen J. Craig-Murray.

International Technical Diving Agency

• The website for ITDA is https://itda-ihmp.agency.
• ITDA is celebrating 25 years having been established in 1998.
• One instructor program trains Scuba Instructor + Nitrox + First Aid BLS, creating 3 Pro Levels.

Contents Overview

• The manual includes a welcome/introduction, training standards, teaching principles, and entry-level scuba and club courses.
• Specialist courses include scuba, dry suit, and club options.
• ITDA-IHMP standards cover scuba, sports, rescue, and advanced diving, plus specialist and master sports diver ratings.
• Leadership certifications include Scuba Dive Leader, Sports Dive Leader, Assistant Instructor, Resort Instructor and Occupational Diving Supervisor.
• IHMP programs offer training in basic life support, oxygen first aid, AED, dive medic, advanced dive medic, hyperbaric operations, CPR instruction, sports injuries, dive medic instruction/training, and assesses medical directors.
• ITDA Higher Education includes ITDA Academy programs, qualifications, and teaching/training.
• Technical diving covers technical entry-level and instructor training, instruction in Ntech Nitrox, and levels for students and instructors.
• Technical teaching fundamentals cover higher-level technical diving & academic theory.

Certification and Training

• This instructor training program is designed for certification in recreational/sports diving instruction, technical entry-level instruction, and diving first aid.
• The manual can train and certify Sports Scuba Open Water Diving Instructors, Entry Level Technical (Nitrox) Instructors, and IHMP Medical and First Aid Instructors.
• The manual should not be separated or have sections removed.
• Web site shows updates to standards and admin systems.
• ITDA Professional Fees are lowered for renewal up to 2024/25.

Covid-19 Considerations

• Sports activities should be alone, in pairs, or in small numbers while maintaining social distance to prevent bacteria transmission diving related injuries while teaching.
• Respiratory equipment should not be shared in the event of an underwater out-of-air incident.
• The use of rental equipment may also pose a risk for transmission of bacteria.

ITDA Formation and Restructuring

• The organization was founded by Steve Craig-Murray in 1998 as the ETDA European Technical Diving Agency.
• In 2006, the SDA Sports Diving Agency was formed.
• In 2010, these were restructured into ITDA-IHMP International Co. Ltd., operating in over 60 countries and targeting 70+ by 2021.
• From 2012 four diverse trading divisions of the Corporation have been developed.
• Diver Training, Education, Support & Higher Education (ITDA / IHMP/Services)
• Oil & Gas Industry Support Services (ITDA-ESS “Energy Sector Services")
• Investment & Property Development (ITDA-IG “Investment Group")
• International Publishing & Web Services ITDA-Pub

ITDA Divisions

• ITDA-IHMP International is the only international agency covering sports, recreational, technical, occupational, professional, and medical diving training.
• Training & Certification Divisions include; Sports Diving Agency, Technical Diving Agency, IHMP First Aid & Medical, and Occupational Diving (ITDA).

ITDA Administration and Standards

• Formed in 2010 by restructuring ITDA, including ETDA (established in 1998) and SDA (established in 2006), along with IHMP (since 1998).
• Registered offices are in Kowloon, Hong Kong, with offices in Malaysia, Singapore, Europe (Spain), and the United Kingdom.
• Aims to simplify administration with effective communications, electronic mail, and a support website.
• Offers web registration, email application, instructor registration, and student self-registration.
• International HQ admin email: [email protected]

Training Policies and Instructor Considerations

• Sets strict academic goals for theory teaching and requires students demonstrate skills for certification.
• Instructors can restrict certifications based on students' safe diving abilities.
• Training agency process to certify students involves timescales, reading materials/videos/quizzes, and skills performance.
• Instructors must decide if students get certified just because they paid for the course.
• ITDA certifications are based on dive theory, skills development, and assessment for a three-part final assessment.
• Instructors base certifications on students' abilities, performance, and skill levels, assessed using Comfort, Confidence, and Competence standards.
• Students who fail an assessment can be offered a "Supervised Certification Level" or a lower grade for upgrade later.
• A "Competent” Diver is defined as someone able to dive without supervision and complete a self-rescue and a buddy rescue on the surface and at depth.

ITDA Diver Training

• A "Program" approach sees training and certification as an ongoing experience.
• Unique ITDA Group Process involves Theory & Knowledge, Safe Theory, Training Experience, Safe Diver, Final Assessment & Certification, and Competent.
• Entry-level programs are experience-only levels to build from little or no experience to a “Competent Scuba Diver Level” at the “Open Water Diver” Level.
• ITDA Sports Diving Agency Entry Level Core Certifications: entry-level programs, open water scuba, and sports diver/rescue & advanced scuba.
• After this all ITDA certification levels are considered higher level experience programs.
• Minimum and maximum dive-depth limit depends on the Core Program.
• The pass grades are calculated on a scale from 1 - 5 from instructor assessment
• The instructor can take a maximum of 6 students with an assistant and available surface support.
• Adventure Diver is a Step-Up program, to try specialist diving without needing the advanced level of experience and offers our instructors and dive centres the opportunity to offer an Introduction to specialist diving.

Marketing Entry Level Programs

• ITDA Introduction to Scuba Diving is different from PADI Programs.
• Materials are free for ITDA instructors to download and students can be registered with ITDA HQ for a $25 USD e-cert.
• All ITDA Introduction to Diving programs marketed as “Step Up" Programs require you to meet a minimum experience or certification to upgrade to the next level.
• The ITDA Introduction to Scuba Diving includes low cost E-Materials & E-Certification (Card from just $25 USD).
• The student gets great value for money, an e-Certification for FREE included in their day course, Free ITDA Membership for the first year and has an easy and a low-cost upgrade path to higher levels.

Rescue and Diving Standards

• The ITDA Sports Diving Certification programs have higher training and experience standards than any other training agency for the same or equal levels.
• ITDA has adopted a PADI equal table and RSTC / CMAS Equal tables for PADI certifications comparison and also for Industry Crossover purposes.
• Must have of 8 Open Water Training Dives, 2 Dry Certifications (Equipment Specialist & Decompression Theory) ITMP Oxygen First Aid as optional

Diver Levels

• For the scuba open water, dry suit/club, rescue diver, advanced diver, the levels that are comparable to the PADI are listed next to them.
• ITDA offer three levels to their specialist diver program; Entry Level/Introduction, Intermediate Level and Advance Level.
• The two-part process apply to any ITDA-IHMP Training & Certification Programs that have a high degree of academic study associated with them. and have a timescale limitation with the two-part program is Three Months / 90 Days.
• Introduction of new e-certifications and training materials could be downloadable.
• The highest non-Professional rating / certification level is Masters Scuba Diver.
• It offer Dive Leader with minimum of 60+ Experience Dives

ITDA Dive Leaders

• ITDA Dive Leaders may train "Introduction to Scuba” divers (Under Direct Supervision) and obtain joint credit with the Instructor for all certifications.
• The ITDA Dive Leader should be the first choice for a dive centre needing a professional buddy or professional dive guide. Dive Leaders may also become IHMP First-Aid Instructions.

Instructor Training

• There are Entry Level Instructors for Sports and Technical Diving
• It is a "Step Approach;" - to move away from "fast-track."
• The instructor is to really learn more from doing and gaining valuable experience.
• It does not have an exam on the training program

Instructor Programs

• ITDA Open Water Scuba Instructor can train and certify from Entry Level to Scuba Rescue Diver.
• They may attend an “Instructor Upgrade Program I.U.P." to qualify as an " Sports instructor” after teaching Scuba programs for a 3 month period at the *Open Water Scuba Club Instructor the same level.
• Dry Suit Instructor who want to train and certify in Cold Water environments may want to also apply for the Instructor Training Program as Sports Nitrox Instructor and IHMP CPR

Instructor Levels

• Instructor Levels from ITDA IHMP Internationals are; scuba, dry suit and sports instructors.
• Also, advanced and specialist instructors trainers, course director, and assessor examiner.
• The Ntech Nitrox instructor, advanced Nrech Instructor, and Mixed gas instructor.

Instructor Liabilities

• Instructors need to ensure that Students are physically fit and healthy for training
• Students have completed all medical and legal forms as required with adequate supervision to standards
• Instructors are assessed and evaluated based on their actual abilities and are accepting full legal responsibility as Instructors
• Instructor’s primary responsibility is not to expose students to unnecessary risk to teaching in general.
• Risks could include Environment , students’ abilities, Skills Level, Local Hazards and adequately supervised control.

Fundamentals and Principles in Teaching

• During the instructor program, there will be a presentation on "Risks Assessment".
• Teachers will use lesson plans to facilitate student learning and provide a course of study, also called curriculum.
• Risk assessment mean looking at and assessing the levels of risk in various activities.
• All in water training must be in low and shallow enough the student can stand.
• Good teachers mean good training which gives them responsibility and care by performing safety procedures.

Lesson Planning

• The first step is planning which is vital for any teaching to plan your lesson
• Objective: What information do you want to get across to the students? or Why is it important that they should learn about it? How will the information be applied? When will they need to use the information?

Methods Of Learning

• Self-Discovery, Teacher led, and a audio use of CD or internet online, and or distance learning
• When using “A/V” you should avoid adding additional video materials and use only those designed for the course program level are training.

Learning Material

• All training materials are now downloadable to support instruction and aid clearer materials and there will quizzes and assignments

Academic Theory Teaching Summary

• You will be assessed based on whether you presentation skills, control, met objectives will the theory be used and if there was further education. Yourself & qualifications, what are they going to learn? Why are they learning it? Subject matter Summary and how will they use it Each person will be rated whether they Poorly, ok or good a and the top 50% An entry-level student will have a lower grading and the level must increase with the students level. When selecting someone consider how knowledgeable the individual is about:
• Equipment,Navagation, & Environment.
• A solid love and passion for diving

Technology

• Benefits are that the students decide how and when to study to be in control of their education based on budget
• All students can download all materials or presentation to have a better understand of why -The student has a tutor through email

Unique points about certain courses

• Unique two part is the student does half online and then for certification The cost is from 0 to 9. The student can decided that how do they like to study to be in great company Instructors should have to be able give people positive energy. Dive instructor should be capable to have a good presentation skill.

Club and Scuba

• Club systems learn theories while at your home town to find all diving information.
• Club members to help maintain life support systems
• Save money the time because it is to suit and help you find new divers

Dive training

• Dive training begins with a academic studies and move more information to be used to educate the instructor. The three real valuable the 1st study on 2.
• Ease of use the internet the can see as a great part for support . i.e. a resort diver and also if support.