Certification Agency Missing

[MSilvia]

In the dive history part of the User CP, NOAA is missing from the list of certification agencies.

 

[Walter]

NOAA isn't a true certification agency even though they do train and certify their own employees.

 

[MSilvia]

NOAA isn't a true certification agency even though they do train and certify their own employees.

I'm not sure what you mean by "true", but I have a NOAA certification and I'm not (and never have been) a NOAA employee. Getting it was a prerequisite for me to join them for dive missions as a volunteer.

 

[SubMariner]

I'm not sure what you mean by "true", but I have a NOAA certification and I'm not (and never have been) a NOAA employee. Getting it was a prerequisite for me to join them for dive missions as a volunteer.

Certification through their training program may have been a prerequisite for you to participate in their dive missions, but they are not a recognized training agency.

Ergo, NOAA is not listed as a certification agency in the pull-down in the UserCP.

 

[Ted S]

NOAA has been added, correct me if I am wrong but the full name is "National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration"?

 

[MSilvia]

they are not a recognized training agency.

Okay, if you're aware of it and don't want it there, that's fine. I'm curious who it is (other than ScubaBoard) that doesn't recognise them though. Is there some industry based coalition that lists it's own members and doesn't include non-commercial agencies, a list published in Rodales, or what?

If it's because they don't teach divers with no experience, why is GUE included? If it's because the basic observer certification is mostly paperwork and checkout dives with a minimum of classroom time, I'd submit it isn't very different in that respect from PADI AOW. The biggest difference I can see is that when I got a NOAA cert, no one got paid but the doctor who did the physical. If that's the deciding factor, that's just bizarre. I'm probably missing something though, huh?

 

[MSilvia]

NOAA has been added, correct me if I am wrong but the full name is "National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration"?

Yeah, that's them. Thanks.

 

[Ted S]

The list is of the agencies people often use and recognize, I am all for adding to it but if there is a credential issue I will defer to an appropriate discussion of the matter. For the time being this has been added but clearly more research is needed to see if it is included on any list in the same capacity.

 

[Walter]

Might as well at the US Navy to the list as well. They also train divers. They also aren't a true certification agency.

 

[MSilvia]

Might as well at the US Navy to the list as well.

Not a bad idea, but given the number of countries with navy dive programs, if these kinds of agencies are going to be on the list maybe they ought to be lumped together as "government/military".