As UK business braces itself for the update to the world’s most popular standard, IRCA - the leading registration body for auditors - updates its auditor course criteria. IRCA/2245 aligns itself to the requirements laid out in ISO 9001:2000. The new course is set to change the face of auditor training.

Last month, the IRCA Governing Board approved IRCA/2245, the new QMS auditor/lead auditor course criteria designed around ISO 9001:2000.

In recognition that the new standard requires auditors to possess enhanced skills and competencies, IRCA has taken an innovative new approach to ensure that IRCA certified courses deliver training that will better prepare delegates to function as effective auditors to ISO 9001:2000.

The new course criteria, IRCA/2245, emphasises seven overall learning objectives which incorporate the enhanced knowledge and skill areas required to audit effectively to ISO 9001:2000. A key feature of IRCA/2245 is a greater focus on participative skills-based activities and an increased emphasis on continuous assessment to measure and validate delegate progress and achievement.

IRCA/2245 sets high standards for training, but also allows training organisations the necessary scope and flexibility in course design and delivery. The benefits of enhanced levels of auditor training are clear: delegates will be better equipped to perform as effective auditors and will, therefore, be able to add greater value to the auditing profession, certification bodies and industry as a whole.

IRCA/2245 criteria are available in the news section on the IRCA website www.irca.org. It is worth noting that IRCA/2145 (the auditor/lead auditor course criteria based on the 1994 revision) will not be withdrawn until either the 1994 standard becomes obsolete, or demand for the 1994 based course ceases.