Lead Auditor Training

A Practical, Interactive Approach to Auditing

Learn how to audit a quality management system and hone your audit technique.

Gain a thorough understanding of how to audit a quality management system, at the same time enhancing your knowledge and skills through an interactive and practical approach to auditing

Course Syllabus

Lead Auditor Course Overview

The course offers a hands-on approach that enables you to apply various auditing techniques through real-world scenarios and role-play.

This course uses ISO 19011:2011, “Guidelines for Auditing Management Systems,” as the basis for teaching the auditing techniques discussed throughout the course. To apply these auditing techniques, this course teaches how to audit an API Spec Q1 10th Edition quality management system using real-world case studies developed to hone your understanding and practical application of how to document audit notes and nonconformities.

The course will also discuss the differing elements of API Spec Q2 (for service-related activities) and ISO 9001:2015, including conformance to API Product Specifications and compliance with regulatory requirements; and the use of API SC 20, Supply Chain Specifications and Standards.

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 auditor certification schemes for API Idividual Training Certification Programs.

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

Course Objectives

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

During the course, you’ll gain a thorough understanding of how to audit an API Spec Q1 10th Edition 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 second/third-party auditor and how to communicate with them.

Upon completion of the training course, you’ll gain an understanding of the following:

ISO 19011
Process auditing and management system interfaces
The difference between auditing and consulting
The difference between an audit schedule and audit plan
How to manage an audit program
Competence and evaluation of auditors
Audit program objectives, extent, and implementation
Single auditor vs. audit teams
Auditing and interviewing techniques
Objective evidence and how to record it
Auditor behavior, audit traps, and what not to say
Performing and preparing the audit
Auditing processes that require validation (special processes)
Documenting audit nonconformances (concerns and observations)<
Approving and distributing the audit report
Conducting audit follow-up and corrective action effectiveness
Logging your audits
Attaining professional certification(s)

Open Discussion

During the training, participants will have an opportunity to discuss any questions as they relate to auditing, such as:

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 API Spec Q1 10th Edition
Supplier evaluation methodologies

Course Preparation

You’ll need the following documents for the course:

Your own copy of API Spec Q1. The latest edition is API Spec Q1 10th Edition, Errata 1.
It will be helpful to perform a review of ISO 19011:2018, Guidelines for auditing management systems; the course is based upon this document.

Coursework

This course contains class exercises, discussions, and case studies to help you:

Participate in group discussion on understanding continual improvement
Complete Personal Objectives for Auditing form
Perform an exercise documenting how to audit using the process approach
Record examples of objective evidence
Perform at least six hands-on case studies based upon real auditing experiences
Complete Audit Nonconformance Reports to ensure an effective understanding of audit issues
Conduct audit exit meetings

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.

Course Examination

At the end of the class, you’ll be given an examination consisting of 19 essay questions. Individuals will have different answers based upon how they would approach each situation.

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.