What is a professional?  Sounds like a silly question, technically it is someone that gets paid for their services.  It is a surprising important concept that is taught in some of our IDW classes.  Since the SEIC is a voluntary organization and many of our instructors do this work pro-bono, it probably makes more sense to concentrate on the characteristics of a professional.

The above link is short, less than a page and well worth reading.  I will shorten considerably here:

• Organization & aligning with a corporate vision - Definitely applies
• Collaboration/Sharing - The SEIC enables this in numerous ways
• Innovation & creativity - We encourage (actually specify this) in the curriculum
• Continuous learning - Mandated  as part of the update process and co-teaching requirements
• Self-discipline and self-study
• Teamwork

Another way to look at this is lawyers/doctors doing pro-bono work (ignoring the fact they are not being paid); I suspect most would label them as professionals.  Let's face it, the ACA is the leading Paddlesports training body and standards organization in the US and recognized worldwide.  We have stringent and well defined standards for all of our Instructors and Trainers to ensure we are a consistent and quality service provider.