RAB 17024 & New Coke! RABQSA Suspends 17024 Transition Deadline

[QualityBob]

Ok, Who can tell me what the highly touted RAB/QSA Competency based certification has in common with New Coke?
Read Below:

Bob

RABQSA Suspends 17024 Transition Deadline
Today, RABQSA announced the suspension of the Certification Transition Plan requiring auditors to transition to the competency-based certification schemes for QMS, EMS, Food Safety and OH&S.

http://www.rabqsa.com/news.shtml

[Marc]

I wonder where from here... What's the new plan....?

[Randy]

1st they need to be able to quantify competence before they can determine if it is achieved.

[Sidney Vianna]

Originally Posted by Marc

I wonder where from here... What's the new plan....?

No new plan, I guess. They will keep certifying people using the "traditional" qualification scheme. Looks like the COSTS associated with the competence-based scheme were prohibitive for most people. My question is: is the cat out of the bag? Now that many people realize that you do not need a RABQSA/IRCA certificate to work for many registrars will the auditors renew their certs? It is $300/year in your pocket instead of RABQSA's pocket. What does the cert give you in return?

[Randy]

There you go Sidney

I also have a suspicion that the "competency wizards" were going to have a tough time being allowed to follow an auditor around on an assessment by either some registrars or by some clients. Most likely the clients. This is a guess of course.

[Hershal]

One other point not yet brought up.....

Can RAB successfully an accreditation assessment? And which group will perform the assessment? The only ones in the U.S. doing ISO/IEC 17024 assessments is ANSI.

Hershal

[BSMITH]

Originally Posted by Sidney Vianna

No new plan, I guess. They will keep certifying people using the "traditional" qualification scheme. Looks like the COSTS associated with the competence-based scheme were prohibitive for most people. My question is: is the cat out of the bag? Now that many people realize that you do not need a RABQSA/IRCA certificate to work for many registrars will the auditors renew their certs? It is $300/year in your pocket instead of RABQSA's pocket. What does the cert give you in return?

Although many registrars don't require RABQSA/IRCA certification (in fact their in-house qualification systems for lead auditors may be much tougher), others do require certification to initially be hired and may solicit those who are listed on RABQSA's website (at least that is my own experience). Because I am a RABQSA lead auditor, I have been solicited over the years by multiple registrars, including at least one outside of the U.S, and multiple consulting firms. The certification has also been helpful in initially acquiring work as a trainer and part-time college faculty member.

The competence-based scheme is more expensive, but made auditor certification attainable for internal auditors and others who couldn't easily qualify because of audit days, particularly audit days as a lead auditor being witnessed by a RABQSA certified lead auditor. For those of us already certified, of course, cheaper is better (until we have to transition to the new system).

[Randy]

I'm sure it's a combination realted to everything we've mentioned. A lingering question is why isn't IRCA getting all wrapped around the axel with this "competence" gibberish? (Or at least it doesn't seem to be)