Experiences good or bad with the RAB certification process

[tom]

I am looking for feed back from other quality professionals about their experiences good or bad with the RAB certification process.
My personal experiences have been nothing less then disasters. I am looking for another US professional group to belong to. Any suggestions?

 

[Roger Eastin]

What kind of problems have you had? Other than some bureaucratic problems (and some philosophical differences I have with some of their requirements), I haven't noticed any other problems. I may be wrong, but I think you have to go outside of the US to join another registration body.

 

[Marc]

Nope - you can join the IRCA. Their office is in England (tele: +44 (0)171-245 6833). They will send you a packet for application. The IRCA is as well accepted, if not more so world wide, as the RAB.

You need lead auditor class with a pass (as with the RAB) and 10 audits (5 as lead) in the last 3 years for Lead Auditor. Auditor is 5 audits. They also have sdomething like a provisional but I can't remember the details.

If you do go IRCA I have a Filemaker Pro database which you can input your audits into (it's an audit log database I wrote) and it prints out the IRCA form with the data (and even the IRCA logo.

 

[barb butrym]

Whats this I hear RAB is pulling out of the international agreement? They will no longer recognize IRCA auditors or courses....guess they are meeting one more time (tomorrow) to finalize one way or another....anyone else hear that? My IRCA course owner had me announce that the course I am running this week may well be the last RAB/IRCA......

 

[Marc]

Had not heard that. What a bunch of bull.

 

[Don Winton]

Whats this I hear RAB is pulling out of the international agreement? They will no longer recognize IRCA auditors or courses....

Does not surprise me at all. As Marc stated. Bull it is.

Regards,
Don

 

[barb butrym]

Apparently there is some sort of "war' going on and RAB is being childish (big surpirise)trying to make a point when they didn't get their way. It obviously is not in thier best interest to pullout. The meeting was to take place in California on Wednesday, and it has been real quiet since. The feelings were that they would stay in ...in the end, but wanted to make a loud point. All IRCA course owners were notified to alert potential candidates that RAB may not recognize future classes, and to prepare to pull such advertisements immediately.

 

[Marc]

Any idea what the feud is over? What 'point' is the RAB trying to make?

 

[tom]

I remember when I first became a lead auditor for a Registrar they wanted me to discontinue my RAB certification and pick up IRCA because the RAB was not recognized anywhere. Obviously now, the RAB feels they have a "single source" product with their relationship in the automotive industry. They probably think they have the muscle to say come to me and me only. The RAB should concentrate on company accreditation and get out of auditor accreditation.

I would like to see a new US accreditation body, to create a more competitive market and not just a "good old boys club' environment.

In the environmental arena we have a much more creditable organization called the BEAC.


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