SQF Advanced Practitioner Test
Hi
I'm gearing up for my advanced practitioner test and I was wondering if anyone had any practice tests...it's very hard to google because search treats practitioner and practice as the same root word. I found some for implementing SQF systems but I've got that under my belt.
Basically I took an SQF Implementing systems course and the instructor told me I was crazy for paying for it and that I didn't have to attend the second day because I was well ahead of the class and already familiar with FSSC 22000, so I took the implementing systems course from SQFI and that was *ridiculously* easy. Re. Dic. I could have passed it never having read the code with ctrl f & the 7.2 pdf open. It looked like a "Which Gilmore Girls are you" quiz from cosmo. So I decided I could probably pass the advanced test without an advanced course, and then cut my plant manager's purse strings and signed up.
Of course now that I'm planning to take it over the weekend I'm feeling like hubris may get the better of me and I wanna try my hand / give it a few goes before I pull the trigger. Anyone else have experience with the advanced test? It's super easy, right?
Watching this thread....I need to do this in 2015, also a Advanced HACCP training. <blech>
I dont know much about SQF but I just wanted to say "GOOD LUCK!"
Edit** Not that you need it.
I did the audit and implementing without even studying and I'm not that bright. Am planning to take the Advanced shortly, as soon as I can get some time, most likely end of the month. I would be stunned if you had a problem taking it cold turkey.
I tried signing up for Advanced SQF Practitioner class but it had gotten cancelled due to the unpopularity of the class. Will try again this year. Magenta are you going to do the SQFi Advanced SQF Practitioner test? Maybe you can copy paste all the questions on a Blog :spoton:
Would you think it's all Verification/Validation based? You're a smart cookie, I'm sure you'll do fine. :rock:
Would you think it's all Verification/Validation based?
You mean so as to ensure everyone passes ?
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I didn't know there was an Advanced SQF Practitioner Course... I took the... regular one... I guess.
Good luck!
This is starting to sound like MCSE courses to me... anyone else?
This is starting to sound like MCSE courses to me... anyone else?
Anyone else !?! :roflmao: I had to good what MCSE stood for.
I dont know much about SQF but I just wanted to say "GOOD LUCK!"
Edit** Not that you need it.
I didn't know there was an Advanced SQF Practitioner Course... I took the... regular one... I guess.
Good luck!
This is starting to sound like MCSE courses to me... anyone else?
Thanks!
I did the audit and implementing without even studying and I'm not that bright. Am planning to take the Advanced shortly, as soon as I can get some time, most likely end of the month. I would be stunned if you had a problem taking it cold turkey.
Okay, this makes me feel a lot better. You're way more familiar with higher risk and SQF though
I tried signing up for Advanced SQF Practitioner class but it had gotten cancelled due to the unpopularity of the class. Will try again this year. Magenta are you going to do the SQFi Advanced SQF Practitioner test? Maybe you can copy paste all the questions on a Blog :spoton:
Would you think it's all Verification/Validation based? You're a smart cookie, I'm sure you'll do fine. :rock:
Imagine that. People didn't want to pay a grand to sit in a room and have people read the SQF code to them for three days?
The questions from the implementing test were roughly : "How many days do you have to fix a corrective action", ""<words quoted directly from code> are from which of these four numbers in the code", "Which of these four sections of the code are required/major/minor", "What score do you get if you have X majors/minors?" . I hung my certificate from the first one in the bathroom and I'm not fired yet, but the boss uses a different bathroom than I do. One nugget of wisdom from the training was "SQF randomly generates 50 questions from a pool" ,so they won't be the same, but I will def keep track of the format of the questions.
For validation and verification... they aren't even defined in the SQF glossary, it just says to look at CODEX. Srsly. I don't anticipate a ton of questions on CODEX material, but ya never know.
I'll take it tomorrow and let y'all know how it goes. You get three tries so maybe for the first one I'll be drunk with one hand tied behind my back. Because hubirs.
I did the audit and implementing without even studying and I'm not that bright. Am planning to take the Advanced shortly, as soon as I can get some time, most likely end of the month. I would be stunned if you had a problem taking it cold turkey.
Okay, this makes me feel a lot better. You're way more familiar with higher risk and SQF though
I wasn't at the time. SQF was new at the time I took it. But I needed certifications. Was working 15 hour days 6-7 days a week with young kids. Took test at about midnight when I had to be to work at 6 am. Was so tired don't know how I even read the questions. Got implementation first go and missed one question too many on auditing and had to take it a second time. I should mention I am not very good at tests either. You'll do fine. You know your stuff.
Dear magenta_m,
For validation and verification... they aren't even defined in the SQF glossary, it just says to look at CODEX
Ahem, pg 202, start from Essentially ......
I don't disagree with yr opinion but AFAI can see, the above text is essentially (!!) the SQF's working definition for their auditors and that's why so much hassle has followed for (a) their quest for validation and, interactively, (b) their need for verification. Not exactly recommended Exam answers though. :smile:
Rgds / Charles.C
Dear magenta_m,
Ahem, pg 202, start from Essentially ......
I don't disagree with yr opinion but AFAI can see, the above text is essentially (!!) the SQF's working definition for their auditors and that's why so much hassle has followed for (a) their quest for validation and, interactively, (b) their need for verification. Not exactly recommended Exam answers though. :smile:
Rgds / Charles.C
As usual you are so right.
Hey just trying to be helpful, we are a community after all :cool:
Just a little 'devils advocate' from a nerd who enjoys a break from the plant to sit in a classroom. Auditors do tend to ask about continuous improvement and management support and are basically looking for some evidence of money thrown at the SQF system. An Advanced Practitioner course looks like a nice tidbit on a list of things the plant did in support of SQF. I like to call it auditor eye candy...
I didn't take it last weekend, because stuff. But I swear I'll take it this weekend. It's true, auditors do like to see classes, and that one looks better than a free web course. And I like not being at work to take them! My last auditor totally mocked my FDA food defense certs.
Auditor: "Did you have proof of food defense training?"
Me: "Yes"
Auditor: "Did you go to the FDA website and click through the pages and print it out and sign it and put it in a binder and everything?"
Me: "Yes" <pulls out binder, flips to FDA print-a-cert>
Auditor:"Good, I see you are qualified to train people to react to an emergency situation. Let's move on."
Just curious if anyone has taken this test and what did you think of it?
Oh man, my registration confirmation is still sitting in my inbox since I posted this....I should really get on that
SQF Advanced exam peed me off! The questions are very badly phrased IMO.
Only one question related to SQF.
Only one question related to SQF.
What were the rest of the questions about?
If train A is going 60 mph and train B leaves 1 hour later and is going 70 mph and the wind is blowing north at 20 mph at 500ft above sea level with a high pressure system coming in from the southeast with 15% humidity, what is the air speed velocity of an unladen swallow?
What were the rest of the questions about?
If train A is going 60 mph and train B leaves 1 hour later and is going 70 mph and the wind is blowing north at 20 mph at 500ft above sea level with a high pressure system coming in from the southeast with 15% humidity, what is the air speed velocity of an unladen swallow?
Pretty close. Am truly disappointed in SQFI.
While it is more about quality tools, between the misspellings, and the potential for more than one answer to be correct, and it is clear that they are looking for a very specific answer, for a very specific situation, I think this test is a disaster. While I passed it as well, am so sorry I spent the money on it.
Okay, I took it. It took roughly 15 min from start to finish. I did not pass on the first round.
But I did do a video screen capture for the length of the test, meaning I have all of the questions, possible answers, and I know if my answer was correct. I missed capturing 8 of the questions
They are using very specific definitions from one source. I'm kind of afraid to take it again without knowing what the source material is! They throw around LEAN manufacturing/ Six Sigma terms, and a lot of attention is paid to what steps are called, but there's no way to know which program they're referencing. Certainly not the standard accepted terms - Wikipedia won't help you here.
Here's the best example of how they're quoting a specific, unnamed source material (typos left in)-
Which of the following is a step inconducting a Root Cause Analysis (RCA) ?
Possible Answers - Eliminate, Rephrase, Define, Dispense
So there's clearly a set of steps someone somewhere defined as the RCA steps, but good luck finding it (Ed note: Seriously, good luck! Let me know if you find it). It's not the generally accepted DMAIC method, because I chose "Define" and that was incorrect. Not that "DMAIC' is listed anywhere in SQF code.
There were also a lot of KPI questions like this: "What is a KPI?'
I also got that question wrong, so I can't tell you what SQF thinks a KPI is. I think a KPI is a Key Performance Indicator, which measures a manufacturing output, which wasn't one of the answers.
Similarly, one question was simply the words "Key Performance Indicators" . That was the question. I couldn't believe it, so I took a screen shot and attached it for you.
There's clearly one place they're going to for information, because they list SMART objectives but use "Attainable' instead of the conventional 'Achievable".
So if I can find the source material that use "Attainable" for a SMART objective and has Eliminate, Rephrase, or Dispense as one of the RCA steps, I'll feel comfortable taking the test. Any leads?
Oh also for, "What step of the CAPA system would verification of effectiveness be completed?"
The answer isn't "Verification" even though they list that as an option and Verification is a step in the FDA's CAPA guidelines, so I have no idea what set of steps they're using for that one. But not the FDA.
Of the 52 questions I captured, # of questions by topic, then # of times they are mentioned in the code via a search of that term in the 7.2 pdf-
CAPA - 12 (0)
Parteo - 9 (0)
SMART - 6 (0)
KPI - 5 (0)
RCA- 5 (0)
Fishbone - 3 (0)
Plan Do Check Act -3 (0)
SQF Code - 2 (Staff conducting internal audits shall be, An internal audit schedule should include) (2)
5 Whys - 2 (0)
Risk Matrix - 1 (0)
?? - 4
Wow... I wonder if SQF has lost it's way. Have they had a major change in management?
Have you contacted them to complain? I think I would.