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5 minute read
About your course.
We look forward to welcoming you to Parklands Country House, Newton Mearns, when you develop your skills as a Lead Auditor of ISO 9001 Quality Management Systems. This is the highest level of auditor training, and is independently accredited by the International Register of Certificated Auditors (IRCA).
It's a five-day programme, and each day the training begins at 9.00 am, closing by 5.00 pm (except for Friday, which typically finishes mid-afternoon). There are two 15-minute refreshment breaks (mid-morning and mid-afternoon), and a 45-minute lunch break in the middle of the day. Your tutor may also give you exercises to take home, if beneficial.
Please note that all participants’ mobile phones must be switched off when in the training suite (a requirement of IRCA).
Attendance of all sessions is a requirement of the course. You will be assessed during a series of practical and written exercises throughout. Thereafter, IRCA will require you to score a ‘PASS’ in their open-book, online exam (see below).
Successful participants will be awarded a digital Certificate of Achievement from the Scottish Quality Management Centre, accredited by IRCA and the Chartered Quality Institute (CQI). This will be sent electronically – normally within 14 days after your final exam results are received – and is easy to print, upload to your LinkedIn page, etc.
Additionally, attending this course is worth 40 CPD points from the CQI.
Going Digital (No Printed Notes)
Your learning materials are provided online. SQMC is now a 95% paper-less organisation — part of our commitment to reducing waste, supporting environmental sustainability, and aligning with the ISO 14001 standard.
We will, however, provide you with your own, licensed, paper copy of ISO 9001. This will be yours to keep, write on, highlight, and refer to during your final exam.
Why this is better for you:
- No heavy folders to carry — and no outdated printed notes floating around the office.
- Materials are searchable, zoomable, and easy to revisit whenever you need them — even on your mobile phone.
What to Bring
To access your digital materials during the course, please bring either a:
- Laptop (preferred), or a
- Tablet (minimum 10 inch screen)
If you don’t have either, please let us know ASAP.
About the venue
Located 11 miles from Glasgow city centre, 15 miles from the Glasgow airport, and just 24 miles from Prestwick airport, Parklands Country Club has a free, on-site car park for your convenience. Sat Nav users should point their device to:
Parklands Hotel & Country Club
Crookfur Park, Ayr Road
Newton Mearns
Glasgow G77 6DT
If you require overnight accommodation, Parklands offers 4 star B&B, and guests have access to the gym and spa facilities.
Your training will take place in the Boardroom.
Lunch
A hot, sit-down lunch is provided in the restuarant each day. If you have any food allergies, we probably already know about this. If you’d like to make sure, please call our training department as soon as possible on 0333 939 0045.
Dress code.
The dress code is Casual or business casual.
Pre-course reading.
Here is some suggested reading for you, as preparation for your training. It should take no longer than 25 minutes to read all the articles.
Assignment 1: "A Short Overview of Quality" (Foundational level).
Assignment 2: "Quality Management Systems in Focus" (Intermediate level).
Assignment 3: "You can make a difference!". (Advanced level. And if you're feeling adventurous, there are 3 further articles linked at the bottom of this one that you may enjoy).
Optional viewing.
Additionally, here is a useful, short video (4 mins), if you would like to refresh your memory of the Seven Management Principles, central to ISO 9001.
About IRCA's online exam.
All CQI and IRCA Lead Auditor exams are attended through an online assessment system called SARAS. During the course, IRCA will give you access to two SARAS portals – one for your practice questions and the other for your exam.
Near the end of your course, SQMC will demo the portal, and you'll have the opportunity to practice questions in the classroom as a group, under the guidance of your tutor.
The duration of the exam is now 1 hour 45 minutes, and will consist of:
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Multiple choice (choose one correct answer)
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Multiple response (choose several correct answers)
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Fill in the blanks (drag and drop the correct words into the sentence)
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Matching (drag and drop responses to correctly match items)
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Sequencing (drag and drop responses to form the correct order).
Open-book!
Unlike the old, paper exams, IRCA's E-exam (which is computer-marked) is now open-book - meaning you can refer to all your notes from the course, while you sit it. However, you are not permitted to use the internet to search for answers to questions! You'll also have access to your copy of ISO 9001 (which SQMC provide as part of your training pack).
Timeframe.
Whereas the old exam had to be taken immediately after the course, you now have 30 days from the last day of your course to take your exam, allowing for more preparation and self-study, if desired. The practice questions will be available to use multiple times.
Sit the exam at home or in the office.
IRCA's online exams are invigilated remotely, using software called Easy Proctor, giving learners the freedom to sit the exam where they're most comfortable. The system will:
(a) Take an image of your photo identification (photo ID) and your face
(b) Record you for the duration of your exam using your webcam and microphone
(c) Record your computer screen for the duration of your exam
Once you have completed the exam, Easy Proctor will compare your photo ID with your facial image to verify you are the same person and will analyse the recording of your exam session for any anomalies such as unexpected sounds, movements, objects, or people. If there were any issues, it would then flag these incidents to IRCA for a human to review. (Please let SQMC know in advance if you'd require a female IRCA officer, for religious reasons, to do the review.)
Adjustments IRCA allows.
If you need extra support or time to take the exam due to a physical or learning disability, please let SQMC know as soon as possible and well in advance of taking your exam, and our team will support you to submit a reasonable adjustment request to IRCA.
Likewise, if English is not your first language, we can request extra time on your behalf.
If you are unable to take your exam within the scheduled 30-day period e.g. due to illness, you can request an extension to your exam schedule.
What do I require to sit the exam?
A computer or laptop with a working webcam and microphone (Please note, smart phones, iPads/tablets, touchscreens, and 2-in-1/hybrid laptops with front and rear cameras are not permitted).
- You may use a second screen if you need to access a digital version of the standards and/or your course notes
- If using a laptop, we recommend you connect to an external monitor to optimise your online exam experience
System requirements:
You'll require a reliable internet connection with a reasonably fast bandwidth/speed of 15 Mbps, and a computer meeting the following specifications:
