New Certification Agency

[Paladin]

I was just sitting around today, watching TV and twiddling my thumbs and a thought came to me: I wonder, how would one create and promote a new diver certification agency and get it recognized as legit?

 

[Blue982]

I'm not sure about any specifics, but the WRSTC or World Recreational Scuba Training Council recognizes agencies (new and old). You could try doing some research on that.

WRSTC :: World Recreational Scuba Training Council

 

[amascuba]

There are no governing bodies within recreational scuba diving. It boils down to quality and marketing to start one at this point in the game. It's definitely doable though. Unified Team Diving is only a couple years old and is going strong.

 

[BarrelRoll]

I was just sitting around today, watching TV and twiddling my thumbs and a thought came to me: I wonder, how would one create and promote a new diver certification agency and get it recognized as legit?

Heresy will not be tolerated! GIMME YOUR C-CARD!

 

[AndyNZ]

The more pertinent question is...... why would you want to?

 

[Hoomi]

If you use the name, "Cheap Ass Diving Instruction," I expect royalties! That was my idea!

 

[Thalassamania]

You just go start it. Decide profit or non-profit, incorporate, go for it. That's really the point, all the training agencies are, at the root, just self appointed experts with no credentialing.

 

[Firefyter]

I'm not sure about any specifics, but the WRSTC or World Recreational Scuba Training Council recognizes agencies (new and old). You could try doing some research on that.

WRSTC :: World Recreational Scuba Training Council

Have you noticed that there are several notables that do not belong to the RSTC? LA County, NAUI, and SEI (formerly YMCA) are all missing from that list. These are the oldest agencies around, yet none belong to the RSTC. Kinda makes ya go hhhmmmmmm.

 

[mongodives]

Thal nailed it, if you start a company or non profit as a scuba training agency you've done it. I could issue c-cards under my company name, but I don't because I don't want the liability nightmare that any certifying agency in the USA has.

 

[Thalassamania]

As far as the RSTC is concerned, it is nothing more than a group that exists to fool you into the idea that there is some standards setting overseer ... the RSTC stds are, in actuality, nothing more that a collection of the lowest standards in each area of all the members, it's a blatant fraud, and it was created for the sole purpose of lowering the required training hours from 36 hours (under the old ANSI standards regime) to about half that (under the current ANSI/RSTC) regime). It was this drop in standards that alienated those old agencies.