Meet the Staff
WHO is
your Course Director ????
ALEX VAN WELDEREN,
your Course Director started diving in 1985. This
was in a Dutch lake where the water temperature was
a pleasant 12ºC. After toying with the idea to
become 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
under water photo specialty. “A lens, a reef
and I am happy”.
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 the prestigious PADI
awards 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”
With a high success
rate and pleasant teaching style the Candidates enjoy
their program and continue their 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”.
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 on a “life style” with Alex,
make use of his experience and gain valuable information
that you will use for many years to come. |
