In perfect timing, and in a phase where the world is getting hopeful for the arrival of a long awaited Covid vaccine, and finally travel activities around the globe are starting to increase again, Pro Dive International is welcoming PADI Course Director Leo Saldunbides, as the new leader of their prestigious IDC, GoPro & TecRec Academy.
Leo, originally from Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, started freediving and scuba diving at a very young age, and has been working in the diving industry as a professional since almost 20 years.
Throughout those years, Leo has been diving, teaching and working in many locations such as Brazil, The Bahamas, Mexico, The Dominican Republic, Portugal, The Netherlands, Malaysia and finally in Cape Verde Islands, where he spent the past several years of this professional career.
Leo has been a very successful Course Director for many years now, and during his career has certified more than 2000 Students, while completing upwards of 7500 dives. He is also qualified to teach technical diving such as Sidemount, Tec Deep and many other areas.
One major achievement of Leo was him being the very first person to introduce PADI Instructor Training in a regular and structured way to the islands of Cape Verde, where his implemented training system remains until today. He also filled roles as GoPro Coordinator and in Quality Assurance, something he will also be encharged with at Pro Dive International.
Being fluent in English, Spanish and also in Portuguese, and with an imminent restructuring of Pro Dive’s Academy, additional languages,such as German, French and Italian being added to the portfolio, Leo will be able to offer GoPro Packages and Instructor Development in more different languages than any other IDC center on the globe.
Please take note. Leo’s vision is to completely revamp and further improve what Pro Dive’s Academy has to offer. This includes not only adding more technical dive training options on top of the more “mainstream” possibilities, but also the creation of entirely new programs that will be unique and second-to-none in the entire diving industry.
An ambitious plan, but Pro Dive International’s GoPro and Instructor Academy has been one of the leading facilities in the Caribbean and Latin America since many years. Leo aims to continue and further improve this trend, always keeping the bar up highest, as Pro Dive International did so successfully in the past years as well.
