Many dive instructors tell us it was harder to get their NSS-CDS Cave Diver rating than it was to get their Open Water Instructor card. This should give you an idea of what it is like to get your NSS-CDS Cave Instructor rating. However, it is an achievable goal if you want it badly enough.
The process of becoming a fully certified NSS-CDS Cave Instructor involves three steps. These are:
- Apprentice Cave Instructor
- Cave Instructor
Each step may involve training, internship, and evaluation depending on the level.
Apprentice Cave Instructor
Registration as a Cave Divemaster also qualifies candidates with Open Water Instructor certification as instructor interns. This is someone who is working with at least one Instructor Trainer toward becoming an Apprentice Cave Instructor.
- The key element in this process is observing, assisting with or co-teaching several Apprentice Cave Diver courses.
- We also encourage candidates to work with more than one single instructor. Candidates who do so seem to perform markedly better at their instructor evaluation.
- Periodically, the Section will hold a two-day Instructor Development Course (IDC). This is analogous to an IDC or ITC in the open-water world. It counts as one of the required internships. Candidates who attend these programs also tend to perform better at their evaluations.
Once candidates meet the internship requirements and gain the approval of their sponsor, they are ready for their final evaluation. Our preferred method for doing this is to have them teach an entire Apprentice Cave Diver course under the direct supervision of two qualified evaluators.
Cave Instructor
To achieve this level, candidates must:
- Teach a total of at least three Apprentice Cave Diver courses.
- Intern with a total of at least three full NSS-CDS Cave Diver courses.
Once you complete these requirements, there are at least two possibilities.
- One possibility is to attend another two-day Instructor Evaluation Institute. We like to avoid these, as they don’t provide a realistic picture of a candidate’s actual teaching abilities.
- What we prefer is to have two of our instructor evaluators watch candidates teach a complete full NSS-CDS Cave Diver course with real students. This provides us with the best picture of their actual abilities.
Prerequisites for all leadership levels
- Be at least 21
- Current membership in the CDS
- Be certified to the full Cave Diver level or equivalent by a widely recognized training organization
- Have at least 100 non-training-related cave dives past initial Cave Diver certification to begin the process; 200 is required for Instructor levels
- Be a current Open Water Instructor or equivalent in Active status by a widely recognized training organization (Divemaster or higher for Cave Divemaster certification)
- For Apprentice Cave Diver Instructor, have been teaching scuba for at least one year and have certified a minimum of 40 divers to the Open Water Diver level or higher
Duration
There is no specified minimum number of days, dives or minutes of bottom time. However, completing the entire process leading to full Cave Diver Instructor certification generally spreads across several months.