ISO/IEC 17021-1:2015 clause 7.2.7 states that the certification body shall identify training needs and shall offer or provide access to special training to ensure its auditors, technical experts and other personnel involved in certification activities are competent for the functions they perform.
In the case of transition to new certification standard CAB shall identify and demonstrate appropriate skills and knowledge, based on the requirements of new certification standard, including evaluation of achieved competence.
Previously CAB asked auditors to complete an IRCA registered or accredited training course, in the case of the transition to a new version of certification standard. Nowadays CABs introduced competence assessment and even small CABs have begun to organize internal training on new version of the standard, using materials available and internal GAP analysis. Accordingly, the quality of training varies. In some cases, acceptance is done as a calibration interview. Even if the examination is completed at the end of the training, the questions of examination need to be verified.
1) What is the situation in other countries?
2) Whether any training on the application of requirements of the certification standard should end with an examination in the form of a test or there could be other form of evaluation of achieved competence?
September 2019
Please note that the primary focus within ISO/IEC 17021-1 is competence, not training. Whatever form of training has been provided the CB needs to demonstrate that its auditors meet the competence requirements, training alone is not likely to acheive this.
1) This is variable but largely the same expereince as described. For transition to a revised certification standard, but also for completely new standards, CBs may have relied on external training or developed internal training. This is indicated in all IAF transition documents.
2) There is no such requirement in ISO/IEC 17021-1 for all training to end with an examination, competence needs to be evaluated demonstrated (i.e. when the result is positive) but this can be done in a number of ways.
Requirements regarding the demonstration by the CB that it is using competent auditors can be found in ISO/IEC 17021-1 §7.2.5, 7.2.6 ,7.2.7, that it has checked and evaluated the performance is in § 7.2.9 and 7.11 and that it has monotired its auditors in § 7.2.10.