Who is your Course Director?
Alex van Welderen started diving in 1985. 
This was in a Dutch lake where the water temperature was a pleasant 12ºC. After toying with the idea of becoming a commercial diver he started underwater welding and general duties at a small dive company. Soon he found diving in 30cm visibility or diving under ice was not as attractive as coral or looking at fish.
In 1989 he completed the PADI instructor course and as luck would have it he was instructed by Ralf Erickson (founder of PADI) himself. “Learn best from the best”. After working in the Caribbean he moved to Australia and commenced work at Pro Dive Cairns in 1990. His main role was teaching courses as a multilingual Instructor (English, German and Dutch). With a passion for higher education courses he soon was teaching specialties and dive master courses with his favourite being the underwater photo specialty.
“A lens, a reef and I am happy” – Alex.
In 1995 Alex completed the Course Director Training Program and has conveyed his teaching passion on to many candidates so far, with no stopping in sight.
“After certifying over 4500 people in all aspects of diving I have only just started”.
In 1996, 2000 and in 2003 Alex won PADI’s prestigious Award for Outstanding Contribution to Instructor Training. In 2005 he flew to ADEX in Bangkok for a nomination. In 2006 he was again awarded by PADI as the Best Instructor Trainer for the Asia Pacific Region.
“These awards are great and recognition is always fantastic but I will just keep focusing on the job at hand. That‘s how I got the awards in the first place” – Alex.
With a high success rate and pleasant teaching style the candidates enjoy their program and usually continue in their new career path.
“The IDC Team needs to have fun, as this is what their own classes should be like. I know that to be successful in this industry you need to be very customer orientated and business driven. My real world experience helps my candidates enormously”
– Alex.
As it is at this point in your diving career that you make your most important decision, invest wisely and do not just book on any IDC but book onto a new ‘lifestyle’ with Alex. Make use of his experience and gain valuable information that you will use for many years to come.
