what makes a diving agency a diving agency?

[FM1520]

Is there a regulatory something that oversees the diving agencies (NAUI, PADI, UTD,...)? I assume no, which means that we rely on the boat operators, equipment renters and tank fillers to recognize the agency on the c-card, correct? Could anyone (individual, shop, dive club...) shop stand up an agency and certify divers based on training they deem appropriate?

 

[Hickdive]

I suppose in the US it would be the RSTC that oversees recognition and CMAS in much of the rest of the world.

 

[Wookie]

Is there a regulatory something that oversees the diving agencies (NAUI, PADI, UTD,...)? I assume no, which means that we rely on the boat operators, equipment renters and tank fillers to recognize the agency on the c-card, correct? Could anyone (individual, shop, dive club...) shop stand up an agency and certify divers based on training they deem appropriate?

Short answer, yes.

Long answer, there is some guy in (Arizona, I think) who has done exactly that. Unfortunately, no one will accept his card. That doesn't stop folks from being duped by him. If you want to set up a training agency, it would be best if you follow some verifiable standard both for your training as well as your instructor trainers. Adopting RSTC standards is a good place to start. Many folks have started their own training agencies, like, all of them. LA county was the only government sponsored recreational training agency, the rest were started by someone who saw a need and filled that need.

 

[CT-Rich]

Training agencies, like money, have a value because everyone accepts that they have value. You could set up your own little mini-agency and distribute c-cards, but you would have to convince others that your certifications represented something of value. For example if you were advocating some particular type of diver training that had unique characteristics, like golfball diving. You could set up an agency for the training of golf ball divers. Eventually once you were established with that, you could expand into other areas, like pool scrubbing or cesspool polishing. Ultimately you have to compete in the market place. If no one accepts your card it is worthless. Much like currency, you can't buy beer in CT with Canadian money, simply because we don't use it in these parts

 

[FM1520]

Short answer, yes.

Long answer, there is some guy in (Arizona, I think) who has done exactly that. Unfortunately, no one will accept his card. That doesn't stop folks from being duped by him. If you want to set up a training agency, it would be best if you follow some verifiable standard both for your training as well as your instructor trainers. Adopting RSTC standards is a good place to start. Many folks have started their own training agencies, like, all of them. LA county was the only government sponsored recreational training agency, the rest were started by someone who saw a need and filled that need.

Not interested in standing anything up, just trying to understand the training organization. I checked the RSCT web-site and did not find a list of agencies. I know there are many - some now desolved (YMCA) so is there a list of agencies that are "approved" or uses these standards?

So maybe the better question is: What criteria does the LDS/boat operator use to determine that the agency on the c-card is legit?

 

[Wookie]

Not interested in standing anything up, just trying to understand the training organization. I checked the RSCT web-site and did not find a list of agencies. I know there are many - some now desolved (YMCA) so is there a list of agencies that are "approved" or uses these standards?

So maybe the better question is: What criteria does the LDS/boat operator use to determine that the agency on the c-card is legit?

As a boat operator, I will look at the card to see if it is one I recognize. I don't know them all, especially the eastern block countries, but the folks in the Eastern block countries know this and get PADI cards. If I can't figure out who issued the card, I will look the agency up on the web. If the agency doesn't have a website, I probably won't pursue much further. I may quiz the diver to see what their knowledge level is. I've had Royal Navy divers without c-cards show up who could dive the pants off of me.

My uncle was a self taught diver 50 years ago. Would I let him dive? Probably. Would I issue him a new c-card? Probably. Without knowing your exact circumstances, the best I could say is maybe.

 

[divad]

Agencyism.

 

[TSandM]

You can start your own agency, but one of the hurdles is finding someone who will insure you. Andrew Georgitsis started UTD about four or five years ago -- as far as I know, he is not a member of the RSTC, but he does have insurance, so somebody vetted his standards and found them acceptable to insure. Whether you would find a dive operator in the Maldives willing to honor a UTD certification card is a good question, but I also think that, the further you get from litigation, the less people worry about the legitimacy of cards.

 

[ScottUgly]

FM1520,
WRSTC :: World Recreational Scuba Training Council On this page there is a small pull-down window at the bottom of the page that says, "Select a WRSTC Agency...". Using that window will provide you a list of their agencies.

 

[tye1138]

FM1520,
WRSTC :: World Recreational Scuba Training Council On this page there is a small pull-down window at the bottom of the page that says, "Select a WRSTC Agency...". Using that window will provide you a list of their agencies.

Huh, NAUI and IANTD aren't mentioned. Kinda makes me wonder if WRSTC is again, all about money.