Q2 Lead Auditor Training

Specialized Training for Q2 Audit Competence

Learn how to audit an API Q2 quality management system and strengthen your audit skills.
Gain a thorough understanding of how to audit against API Q2 requirements, while building the knowledge and skills you need to lead effective audits through a practical and interactive learning approach.
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Course Syllabus

Course Overview

This course is designed to prepare participants to conduct, lead, and manage management system audits in line with ISO 19011:2018 requirements, with a specialized focus on auditing against API Specification Q2, 2nd Edition. The training equips learners with the knowledge, skills, and techniques required to plan, execute, report, and follow up on audits effectively.

This course is ideal for those interested in internal auditing and/or lead auditing and for those who wish to perform third party auditing. For those pursuing an API auditor certification, this course fulfills the training requirement for all API auditor certification schemes, shown on API’s webpage for Individual Training Certification Programs: API | Individual Certification Programs.

We will also discuss other auditor certification schemes such as the American Society for Quality Certified Quality Auditor, Exemplar Global and IRCA Audit Certification Schemes.

Auditor Toolkit

The handouts in this course are designed to serve as a practical Auditor Tool Kit.  Each document is provided not only as a learning aid during class, but also as a ready reference for use in future audits.  By organizing the standards, methods, and checklists into a single resource, participants will have a reliable guide to support consistent and effective auditing. This ensures the training has long-term value beyond the classroom.

Course Objectives

This is an advanced three-day intensive training course that is be presented by an Exemplar Global Skill Examiner who has been working with the American Petroleum Institute since 1986.

During the course, you will gain a thorough understanding of how to audit an API Spec Q2 Quality Management System, at the same time enhancing your knowledge and skills through an interactive and practical approach to auditing. The course offers a hands-on approach that enables you to better understand the purpose and viewpoint of a first, second and third-party auditor and how to communicate during an audit.

Introduction to Auditing

  • Purpose, benefits, and principles of auditing.
  • Types of audits (first-party, second-party, third-party).
  • Roles and responsibilities of auditors and audit team leaders.

 

Auditor Competence & Evaluation

  • Competency requirements for auditors and lead auditors.
  • Personal behaviors, leadership, and ethical considerations.
  • Ongoing auditor evaluation and continual improvement

 

Audit Framework (ISO 19011:2018)

  • Audit program management: objectives, scope, resources, and risks.
  • Audit principles (integrity, fair presentation, due professional care, confidentiality, independence, evidence-based approach, risk-based thinking).
  • Risk and opportunity considerations in audit planning.

 

 

 Audit Planning

  • Developing an audit plan and audit objectives.
  • Establishing audit criteria, scope, and methods.
  • Preparing audit checklists and work documents.
  • Assigning roles and responsibilities to audit teams.

 

Conducting an Audit

  • Opening meetings: objectives and structure.
  • Collecting and verifying audit evidence.
  • Interviewing and communication techniques.
  • Sampling and process-based auditing.
  • Identifying and classifying nonconformities.

 

Reporting & Follow-Up

  • Closing meetings: presentation of audit findings.
  • Audit reporting structure, clarity, and accuracy.
  • Corrective actions, verification, and continual improvement.
  • Audit follow-up activities and closure of findings.

Open Discussion

During the training participants will have an opportunity to discuss any questions as they relate to auditing; some common topics discussed in past training classes include:

  • Why the words supply chain and modifications to criticality requirements were included in Spec Q1, 10th Edition, Errata1.
  • The new requirements related to how tier 1 suppliers ensure the type and extent of control of their suppliers.
  • Criticality of products, components and/or activities related to product designs.
  • Auditing technical requirements.
  • Differences of auditing ISO 9001 suppliers vs. suppliers that must conform to Q1.
  • Supplier evaluation methodologies.

Course Preparation

You will need the following documents for the course:

  • Each student will have to have their own copy of the following available during the class.
    • API Spec Q2, 2nd Edition (preferably electronic)
  • It will be helpful to perform a review of ISO 19011:2018, Guidelines for auditing management systems; the course is based upon this document.

Course Work

This course contains class exercises, discussions, and case studies that will help you to do the following:

  • Group discussion on understanding continual improvement.
  • Discussions of audit entrance and exit meeting content.
  • Complete Personal Objectives for Auditing.
  • Perform an exercise documenting how to audit using the process approach.
  • Record examples of objective evidence.
  • Complete Audit Nonconformance Reports to ensure an effective understanding of audit issues.
  • Understand corrective action effectiveness

Handouts will be available electronically for student during the course presentations.

Course Participation

Class participation is an important element of this training course. You will not be graded on class participation but doing so helps in your learning of the course material, as well as the other attendees in the course.  Where you may have insight, others may not, and vice versa. This training course is designed to be interactive and includes class exercises and discussions. Some of the teaching methods in this course may require you to work in groups, and this will allow you to analyze the topic at hand from different perspectives.

Integrity & Notice of Rights

The learning materials developed for this class are specifically created to enhance your understanding and applicability of the materials presented.  These learning materials are created by QSI and are protected by copyright.  As such, these materials are only to be used for your own education. It is illegal to copy these materials, distribute copies of these materials, and/or to prepare derivative works based on these materials without the expressed, written consent of QSI.

 

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