PADI® Master Scuba Diver Trainer Pakinai Watayakorn is recognized as a PADI Elite Instructor 2018 – an award that honors PADI’s top performing instructors around the world.
We spoke with Watayakorn to learn about his challenges, achievements, and how it’s not about the number of certifications, but the experiences, that he loves the most about his job as a PADI Pro.
What inspired you to become a PADI Pro?
After doing my PADI Open Water Diver course while on holiday, I caught the diving bug and decided this lifestyle my instructors had was one that I wanted too. The more I went diving the more I wanted to learn. When I started my professional career as a PADI Divemaster, I already knew I wanted to teach and that led me to becoming an instructor.
I had the great opportunity to learn and work at Ban’s Diving Resort in Koh Tao, Thailand, where I was able to develop my diving and teaching skills under the mentorship of those very same instructors I dreamed of being like. The thrill of having the superpower of breathing underwater, learning about our oceans and the delicate ecosystems, and being able to share my passion with others is why I am now a proud PADI Pro!
What do you consider the greatest achievement in your diving career?
Teaching people to dive is a lot of fun, but what gives me the most pleasure is sharing my passion with them.
Many students want simply to have learned, but some want to continue learning. Doing Deep Diver skills at 30 metres/100 feet, teaching dive site navigation, and getting students to improve their inwater skills such as breathing techniques and proper trim is not only fun for me, but I can also watch as their position, air and passion improves too!
I’d say my greatest achievements are helping my students progress, especially those who want to go on to a professional level. Diving and teaching alongside divemasters and fellow instructors whom I’ve seen grow from their first, nervous time completing confined water skills, to eventually teaching their own nervous first-time students in the pool, gives me great satisfaction.
Did you have to overcome any fears, challenges or obstacles to get where you are now in your diving career?
I would say my biggest challenge was public speaking. It’s something you don’t need to do much in most other careers where you don’t have a group, just some colleagues. I discovered that I’m far from being the only one with that difficulty.
During my PADI Pro training, this was one skill we practiced a lot – the experienced Course Directors knew exactly how and what to teach their candidates.
As a PADI Elite Instructor, how does it feel to be recognized as one of PADI’s top performing instructors in 2018?
Being able to teach as much as I did in 2018 was amazing and so much fun. I knew I taught a lot last year, but I never counted or looked at a number of certifications; being surprised by the news of having made it into the PADI Elite Instructor list is something I am really proud of.
I think it’s great to have this recognition, because it shows that you’re valued as a PADI Pro.
What advice do you have for your fellow PADI Pros to join the Elite?
Teach for the passion of teaching and don’t just do it for the number of certifications. If you start counting it takes the fun out of teaching. Just teach as much as you want to and can handle, and one day maybe you’ll get a nice surprise from your PADI Regional Headquarters, too!
Will you be a PADI Elite Instructor? Visit the “My Account” tab and then “Awards” tab at the PADI Pros’ Site to see how many certifications you garnered.
For more information about the Elite Instructor Award program, please visit the PADI Pros’ Site, or contact your regional customer relations team.
