A new wave of Mermaid Instructor Trainers!

PADI Mermaid Instructor Trainer Course

Many months ago, I was selected out of small group of PADI Mermaid Instructors to attend the first every PADI Mermaid Instructor Course at PADI Headquarters at the end of October. I was thrilled, as this aligned with goals I set for myself when the PADI Mermaid Program was first introduced at the end of 2020. I had been a mermaid for many years, a diver since childhood, and at the time I was working as a Divemaster and Underwater Photography Instructor at Dive Utah. I knew when the program was released that I wanted to complete it, and ultimately become a Mermaid Instructor Trainer. 
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I had a long way to go to make this goal come true. The only instructor that was certifying PADI Mermaid Instructors that was accessible to me was Julie Ferrara of Freedive Cozumel  in Cozumel, Mexico. After working out the schedule, I realized I had to make two separate trips to Mexico to complete the Mermaid and Advanced Mermaid Courses, then return for the Mermaid Instructor Course. I was delighted to attend the first Mermaid Instructor Course that Julie had conducted, and felt that I was keeping track with the timeline of my goals.

I completed the Mermaid Instructor Training with Mermaid Q and then headed back to make plans for Mermaid Courses at Dive Utah. We have since certified so many mermaids through our dive shop, and I have expanded to teach Mermaid through the University of Utah. My course, "Mermaid Swimming and Diving" is catered to adult learners who are interested in deeper learning about specific topics and creating community as they learn. This course has been blast and fulfills my dreams to reach out to a wider audience to bring even more people to be able to experience and love the ocean and our waters.

As I prepared to travel for the Instructor Trainer Course, I could not prepare myself for the experience I was about to have. I shared a room with the best mermaid roommate I could have, Jen Downey. Although we joked that we were at Mermaid Camp for the week, it was definitely intense and not a vacation! Our trainers set the expectations for excellence on the first day and conducted professional, exceptional trainings, workshops and skill assessments throughout the week. Eric Albinsson and Alan Jan are true professionals of PADI Training and I was consistently impressed with their fluidity of instruction and commanding presence in the classroom. As an educator myself, I am consistently impressed with the investment in educational training and materials that PADI produces to be the top training agency in the industry. After experiencing their training at all levels, I can say I feel the most informed and prepared having learned through the PADI system. 

This level of professionalism is what sets Aqua Native apart from other Mermaid Instructor schools. Like the PADI Professionals I learned from in California, I am a dedicated Educator and Teaching professional who brings this level of exceptionalism into the classroom. Had it not been for the many PADI Instructors I have been able to work with over the years, I would not have the background and tools necessary to be successful as a Mermaid Instructor. My first PADI Mermaid Instructor Training is scheduled for the end of March at Dive Utah, and I hope to see you there to start your journey as a PADI Mermaid Instructor!