PADI Instructor Training Sri Lanka
Our Course Director.
PADI Platinum Course director Mark Soworka is one of the most experienced and distinguished course directors in the world. Since learning to dive aged 12 he has enjoyed an incredible diving career, becoming a course director in 1997 and training over 4000 instructor level certificatations.
Mark has established IDCs in many Asian countries and has a vast network of diving connections. His courses include special modules on marine environment and resources and offers huge support in employment and careers.
With a 99% success rate over nearly 20 years Mark’s track record shows he is the best choice of course director for your IDC.
Mark’s qualifications include:
- Awarded ‘Outstanding Contribution to the Dive Industry’ by PADI on several occasions
- PADI Platinum Course Director. One of Asia’s first to be awarded the Platinum Course Director, PADI’s highest Course Director recognition
- Sidemount Instructor Trainer
- Gas Blender Instructor Trainer
- DAN Oxygen Provider Instructor Trainer
- DAN Hazardous Marine Life Injuries Instructor Trainer
- Marine Resource Management Instructor Trainer
- PADI Instructor Specialty Trainer Wreck, Enriched Air, Rebreather, Naturalist, Deep, Night, Photography, Videography, Navigator, DPV, Drift
- PADI Equipment Specialty Instructor trainer
- Aqualung, Scubapro, Mares workshop certificates
- PADI Emergency First Response and Care for Children Instructor Trainer
Mark continues to attend courses in Diving medicine, physiology, dive equipment, plus environment and ecology. Experience, knowledge and a passion for instructor level education is what you should look for choosing a Course Director.
Our dive centre.
Poseidon Diving Station is Sri Lanka’s longest established PADI dive centre. Since 1973 we have been discovering shipwrecks and dive sites around the island, taking divers to these spots and establishing Sri Lanka as a diving destination on the world map.
In 1998 we became a PADI centre and have trained thousands of students from almost every country, becoming the first PADI five star centre in 2004 Working with PADI to increase the quality of training and standards throughout Sri Lanka.
In 2012 we became Sri Lanka’s first IDC centre and have conducted the first ever IDC here in 2013.
Diving in Sri Lanka gives you a great opportunity to see our historic shipwrecks and colourful reefs, all in warm, clear water and easy to dive. Hikkaduwa’s home reef gives you a chance to do shallow water training in a marine environment renowned for its resident turtle population.
The island has a thriving dive industry with nearly 50 dive centres around the island, diving in the southwest from November until April and the northeast April until October. Our blue whale and sperm whale population are world famous.
The island also offers a large choice of fascinating temples, historic sites, rainforests and national parks and an incredibly friendly, welcoming local population. Travelling here is simple and living costs low, making it an enjoyable and economic choice.
Our IDC.
Poseidon Diving Station runs a small group, strongly supported IDC over 2 weeks. These two weeks include a special IDC preparation module, the IDC itself, marine resource management, EFR instructor and O2 provider training.
Since our first IDC we have had a 100% pass rate, due to the small group structure, individual attention from the course director and knowledgeable IDC staff. The course is friendly and open, encouraging students to become confident, able instructors.
To encourage a strong group atmosphere and truly experience life in a dive centre we offer free accommodation in the dive centre for candidates during the IDC and IE.
As the students stay in the dive centre they have constant access to the water and tanks, and are support by the staff instructors to spend as much extra time in the water as they wish.