Internal Auditor Training for the SQF system?
How does everyone manage internal auditor training for the SQF system? I see a $549 online course for a six hour training, but not many other options. What else is out there? How do internal auditors get trained? Thank you,
Kate
We sent all of our auditors to training through a registrar company. We were lucky to have a qualified registrar in house to perform the training. Some companies will also do in house training. If this is your companies first go around in SQF or other quality management systems, I recommend in class training instead of online.
Can you tell me which training your auditors attended? Thanks!
Looks like the company we used prior doesn't perform training anymore. You can google SQF internal auditor training and find plenty of companies that do this. How did you get your SQF practitioner trained?
I will be the SQF practitioner and I will be training in March through NSF. Does that course encompass the internal auditor training?
NSF offers a course on internal auditing, we had several employees take it last October. It was a full day & quite informative, I don't believe the SQF Practitioner training focuses much on IA.
Interestingly, I observed an audit report that a supplier provided. Their SQF Practitioner training was used as evidence of internal auditor training. Audit Roulette, though: I bet they'll get dinged on it at some point
If they had a copy of the content involved in their SQF training that demonstrates that it included IA training, then I would not see why they could get dinged for it. However just saying "Oh yes, I was trained on IA during Practitioner training" I would call bs.
If they had a copy of the content involved in their SQF training that demonstrates that it included IA training, then I would not see why they could get dinged for it. However just saying "Oh yes, I was trained on IA during Practitioner training" I would call bs.
I can do one better. I had it written in my SOP stating I was trained in internal audit of food safety systems at a previous company. That got past three auditors, as in they looked right at it, before the last one said, great...where's your training record? Off to training I went.
Kate,
SQF does not require formal training for internal auditing. If you review the guidance for 2.5.7, it specifically states that. It says that those personnel performing internal audits are trained. It goes on to state the focus of that training and the techniques that should be taught. It is the expectation of SQF that the practitioner is competent in internal auditing techniques, and can then train the entire staff internally.
As background, I was formally trained through BRC in internal auditing. However, I misplaced my certificate during relocation to another company. I was able to prove to our SQF auditor that I had knowledge of internal auditing and was competent to train my internal auditing team.
Auditors will be different in their expectations, but the Code and Guidance specifically say training is not required.
Chris
Kate,
SQF does not require formal training for internal auditing. If you review the guidance for 2.5.7, it specifically states that. It says that those personnel performing internal audits are trained. It goes on to state the focus of that training and the techniques that should be taught. It is the expectation of SQF that the practitioner is competent in internal auditing techniques, and can then train the entire staff internally.
As background, I was formally trained through BRC in internal auditing. However, I misplaced my certificate during relocation to another company. I was able to prove to our SQF auditor that I had knowledge of internal auditing and was competent to train my internal auditing team.
Auditors will be different in their expectations, but the Code and Guidance specifically say training is not required.
Chris
This was my situation, only instead of BRC I was trained to internal audit in ISO 22000, 9001, etc. I could demonstrate competence. I could not prove training. Got a minor - and technically, the auditor was right. If I were auditing I would have done the OIP thing.
But you're right, it requires training, but not "formal training." Just be ready to prove your training, though.
Some good answers in this thread. This would be my recommendation. If you've had prior auditing experience and comfortable with an audit plan, I would recommend going to a separate auditor training for yourself, independent of the practitioner training. After that, create a training program and train your respective team accordingly. Save the training materials and register to show proof of training. If you don't have prior auditing experience to any QMS, I recommend having external (or consultant) training for your team. However, I understand there could be cost restrictions, so perhaps you can have you and a few key auditors trained externally and your group creates internal training for the rest. If cost isn't an option, I say best to have everyone trained in the same course so it is consistent.
SQF does require training on internal auditing for the employees that will be conducting same and while you will be required to show proof of training you are not required to take formal training, thus, someone at your facility that is experienced in internal auditing could train the others and make a record of such training on your 2.9.1 matrix abd you would be all set.
Normally for the people that will be the SQF Practitioner (s) we train them as we go about our full on site developments.
If you are creating your system yourself you could literally train yourself via the standards manual and as you develope and implement your system.
After being involved with SQF first as an Auditor and now a Consultant for the past 7 years I actually see little value in the online practitioner course and exam, to us the best to get informed and become the SQF Practitioner is to be immersed into SQF development and implementation.
OF course, the social aspect of going to a class with others does have its advantage.
Glenn Oster