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Train under NAUI Course Director Brandon Wolters in Punta Gorda and move from divemaster to certified instructor with a flexible, mentor-led ITC. Small groups, real open-water teaching, and a schedule built around your life make this a practical path to professional diving.
Train under NAUI Course Director Brandon Wolters in Punta Gorda and move from divemaster to certified instructor with a flexible, mentor-led ITC. Small groups, real open-water teaching, and a schedule built around your life make this a practical path to professional diving.
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Operated by Depth Finders Scuba · Punta Gorda, Florida
On the Gulf coast of southwest Florida, in Punta Gorda, the NAUI Instructor Training Course (ITC) offered by depthfindersscuba turns experienced dive leaders into professional teachers. This is a rigorous, standards-driven path that combines classroom instruction, confined‑water pool work, and multiple open‑water teaching presentations to build the judgment and technique required to certify new divers. Under the guidance of Brandon Wolters, a NAUI Course Director and Technical Examiner, candidates work through two distinct phases: the Instructor Training Phase (ITP) and the Instructor Qualification Phase (IQP). The ITP focuses on standards and policies, risk management, teaching theory, curriculum design, graded briefings, and skill demonstrations in confined water. The IQP evaluates your performance with a final written exam, watermanship assessments, and graded open‑water teaching presentations across several days until demonstrations meet instructor quality. The schedule is flexible—organizational staff map the timeline around your availability rather than forcing a fixed block—so professionals and working divers can complete components as their calendars allow. Group size is intentionally small (maximum four people) to ensure individualized feedback and repeated practice opportunities. Expect detailed candidate assessment and a prequalification exam before training begins. Prerequisites are strict but clear: you must be at least 18, hold a NAUI Divemaster or equivalent recognition, maintain current DFA Pro and Oxygen Provider certifications, and carry physician medical clearance dated within the last 12 months. NAUI requires more than technique: certification is issued only after candidates log 100+ dives, demonstrating depth of experience as well as teaching competence. Logistics are straightforward: a $500 deposit reserves a spot and starts the scheduling conversation; NAUI fees are separate. Training includes classroom modules, confined water sessions in the pool for graded briefings and demonstrations, and multiple open‑water teaching presentations with instructor evaluation. The course develops decision‑making skills and the academic freedom NAUI grants certified instructors. Why book this in Punta Gorda? The region’s warm water, calm training sites, and proximity to diverse reef and wreck dives make it an efficient place to meet NAUI’s open water requirements and refine rescue and teaching techniques. For divers eyeing a career or leadership role, this ITC is a concentrated, mentor‑led path from divemaster to instructor, guided by a recognized examiner who knows how to raise standards while adapting training to your life. Bring personal gear or arrange rentals from the shop: mask, snorkel, boots, regulator set, and exposure suit as needed; always bring physician clearance and your dive log to each session. Certification time depends on your availability and open‑water conditions—plan for weeks or a few months. Punta Gorda has practical lodging and easy access to local training sites; staff will recommend specific reefs and wrecks. Use the booking link to discuss timing and reserve a slot today.
Duration varies—training and qualification phases are scheduled around candidate availability and local dive conditions; expect anywhere from several weeks to a few months.
You must be 18+, hold a NAUI Divemaster or equivalent rating, have current DFA Pro and Oxygen Provider certifications, and present physician medical clearance within 12 months.
NAUI issues certification only after candidates log 100+ dives, demonstrating sufficient experience in addition to passing ITC assessments.
You can bring personal gear or arrange rentals through the shop; discuss needs during scheduling so required items are available for pool and open-water sessions.
The $500 deposit reserves your place and starts the scheduling conversation; remaining balances and NAUI fees are invoiced separately.
Groups are intentionally small with a maximum of four people to ensure individualized coaching and repeated practice opportunities.
Depth Finders Scuba is a Punta Gorda, Florida dive center offering a broad range of scuba training, guided dives, and community events. The business provides NAUI courses—including Advanced Open Water, Rescue Diver, and a NAUI Dive Master course—alongside specialty training such as Enriched Air (Nitrox) classroom and eLearning sessions. Depth Finders Scuba runs Open Water classes in day and weekend formats at locations like Lake Denton and Florida’s East Coast, plus guided two-tank dives at Boynton Beach and Gulf dives with Florida Gulf Coast Scuba. For technical and rebreather divers, Depth Finders Scuba offers Intro to Technical Diving courses, CCR Crossover programs, and a CCR Cave Diver Crossover Course. Specific CCR training includes a CCR Crossover Course tailored to the Dive Rite O2ptima chest-mount unit, and multi-day cave crossover instruction focused on closed-circuit rebreather techniques and scenario-based training. Training formats vary by course: brief classroom and eLearning sessions for Nitrox certification, two-day CCR crossovers, 2–3 day technical introductions, and three-day cave or rescue courses. The shop also organizes a Dive Club social event with presentations, trip planning, and member networking opportunities, and seasonal experiences such as Underwater Pictures with Santa. All offerings emphasize hands-on dives, unit-specific skills, emergency protocols, and buoyancy management where applicable. Depth Finders Scuba operates from Punta Gorda, FL and coordinates dives across nearby springs, keys, coastlines, and Gulf locations. Interested divers can select entry-level certifications, advanced training, technical rebreather crossovers, guided reefs and wreck dives, or community events. Registration and scheduling information is available on-site directly.
Book with Depth Finders Scuba