Question NAUI leaves WRSTC?

[NothingClever]

Our Mission

The Recreational Scuba Training Council (RSTC) is dedicated to the safety of the recreational diving public. As such, one of the RSTC's primary goals is the development of worldwide minimum training standards. The establishment of globally recognized and implemented standards is a valuable asset in addressing local and national regulatory issues.

The RSTC is the mechanism for world-wide cooperation in reaching interna-
tional consistency in minimum course training standards. The Recreational Scuba Training Council recognizes and
accepts responsibility for the promotion of worldwide safety of the recreational diving public, international consistencyof training standards and worldwide credibility of the RSTC.

The continued positive growth of the recreational diving industry requires a united effort by the certification associations. This places a great responsibility on the shoulders of those in the certification business to work together in the development of standards.

https://wrstc.com/downloads/13%20-%20RSTC%20Brochure.pdf

 

[cerich]

Isn't that like a two year apprentice telling a 40 year journeyman how to do their job?

NAUI was a founding member of the WRSTC and RSTC

 

[boulderjohn]

Isn't that like a two year apprentice telling a 40 year journeyman how to do their job?

Except it makes no sense in this context. NAUI and the RSTC are two entirely different organizations doing very different things.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Why is the WRSTC/RSTC even needed?
So NAUI's been around since 1959, PADI since 1966? am I right?
And many others.
How many tens of thousands of certifications happened before the WRSTC was formed?
According to the experts, everything was honky dory and training was/is better than ever. All the agencies did great, training was great, so why the need form this advisory counsel?
A little more historical perspective would go a long way here instead of little bits and pieces, secretive "I tell you when I die" stuff, information that will supposedly shake us to our core. Shake me to my core then, I'm ready!

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Except it makes no sense in this context. NAUI and the RSTC are two entirely different organizations doing very different things.

@cerich "NAUI was a founding member of the WRSTC and RSTC".
One organization certifies divers and the other organization is a counsel that advises and sets the rules for the individual agencies that certify divers.
So if NAUI founded the WRSTC, then how is it that the WRSTC advises NAUI about anything????
That's like telling your dad that he's FOS and needs counseling on life when he's the one responsible for you even being here and brought you up, and taught you everything you know.
Am I missing something??

 

[cerich]

@cerich "NAUI was a founding member of the WRSTC and RSTC".
One organization certifies divers and the other organization is a counsel that advises and sets the rules for the individual agencies that certify divers.
So if NAUI founded the WRSTC, then how is it that the WRSTC advises NAUI about anything????
That's like telling your dad that he's FOS and needs counseling on life when he's the one responsible for you even being here and brought you up, and taught you everything you know.
Am I missing something??

again, and I am not sure how to say it more clearly, NAUI was a founding member. Being a founding member doesn't mean they were the only one. PADI, SSI and I believe NASDS were also founding members if I recall (ACUC was in Canada only when Canada had own RSTC)

By being a member of the WRSTC/RSTC you get seats on the board of, the board votes on the standards , part of membership is when the (W)RSTC votes in a standard, you as a member are bound (by own violation) to meet or exceed those standards.

Basically, a couple folks from each agency sit on board, so training agencies make up the board that votes on standards. So, yeah, in theory they know standards for dive training... in theory. RSTC is not advising any agency, the agency is to the RSTC board if they have something to say, then they vote with the board on standards and other stuff.

 

[cerich]

Why is the WRSTC/RSTC even needed?
So NAUI's been around since 1959, PADI since 1966? am I right?
And many others.
How many tens of thousands of certifications happened before the WRSTC was formed?
According to the experts, everything was honky dory and training was/is better than ever. All the agencies did great, training was great, so why the need form this advisory counsel?
A little more historical perspective would go a long way here instead of little bits and pieces, secretive "I tell you when I die" stuff, information that will supposedly shake us to our core. Shake me to my core then, I'm ready!

there is nothing hidden regards history of the RSTC, when I was on the board we sign a confidentiality agreement on what we discuss and debate, I intend to keep my word, even if it does truly annoy me. MY views and stories are based on what happened while I was there, what I observed and was a witness to. Frankly, it made me angry and now, just deeply sad for dive training and safety.

To your pre RSTC, the "adults" then thought that it would provide more liability protection and certainly the optics was dive safety. There is unspoken reasons that you would have to find and ask one of the early folks regards what was in their minds.. Having sat at the table, that I can't talk about what we voted, saw, did, I did however see some of those very first folks in action. I would not dive with them in the same ocean on the same day if I knew they were going to be in the water, just saying, I also wouldn't trust them in..anything. Nothing, not one dang thing.

 

[lowwall]

The RSTC was created because the founding agencies wanted to lower or at least get some consistency in the pricing of their liability coverage, head off government attempts to regulate recreational diving, and simplify crossover licensing. Probably in descending order of importance. And, of course, gatekeeping.

Once they got established, it's easy to believe that keeping the gravy train going often won out over things like diver safety and fair dealing with non-members.

 

[Jai Bar]

There are dozens of certification agencies, some larger than others but essentially they all do the same thing: teach people how to dive. They provide one a plastic card that says so.

Now, many of mentioned agencies don't agrer with others on what is the "best" or "right" way to teach scuba, some are commercially oriented while others can be some non profit or whatever. Sometimes the differences or disagreements are minor, nuances, sometimes not.

But what is for sure, is that many of them have recognized a problem that we often see being questioned here: "I have a X certification, want to go diving vacation in country Y, will my X c-card be accepted even if the dive operation is affiliated with Z agency???"

Those are probably the majority of divers, the largest chunk of OW and AOW (or * and **, or whatever name the agency has invented) and I think of RSTC as some sort of council between various agencies to accept one the other's basic certifications so people won't be concerned with those when going diving in different places and finding some unfamiliar operators affiliated with some other agencies and not necessarily the ones with the logo on your card.

It probably makes the scuba business better for everyone involved, both the training agencies and us, customes/divers.

The minority of divers have more advanced training certifications, and many agencies think that the difference or gap is so large, that if you are you are, say, an instructor of agency X and want to work in a different location that certifies for Y, they may require some "cross over training".

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Fascinating