Internal Auditor Competency | How to train Internal Auditors?

Internal auditor do organizational audit therefore their competency is more important to comply with QMS standards.

Audit is nothing but a review method to verify our system runs effectively or not. It checks our existing process compliance with QMS, customer or legal standards.

Such crucial step done by the internal auditors, so every organization have a dedicated procedure to evaluate Internal auditor competency.

Let’s dive into the topic in details.

7.2.3 IATF Internal Auditors Competency Requirement

International Automotive Quality Management Standard IATF 16949:2016 state the requirement for competency of internal auditor as follows,

The organization must have a procedure to check internal auditors are competent, also consider customer-specific requirement. In addition, organization must have a qualified auditor list.

There are three type of internal auditors,

1. Quality Management System Auditor
2. Manufacturing Process Auditor
3. Product Auditor

The above auditor should have minimum competency as below,

• They must know automotive process approach of auditing. Risk based thinking is the key while auditing.
• Must have knowledge of customer specific requirement.
• Auditor should have understanding of automotive QMS standards IATF 16949:2016 or ISO 9001:2015. Should know the scope of audit according to QMS standards.
• They must have good knowledge of Quality core tools.
• Auditors should expert in auditing process by understanding how to conduct an audit. They must know how to plan, How to fill audit report or findings, How to close the audit?

Apart from this auditor must be expert in technical topics related to manufacturing technology and risk management methods.

Also as a part of auditor community they must conduct a minimum number of audits in an year, as per organization defined frequency.

Hope you understand the requirement from standard for auditors. Let’s understand the procedure in detail.

What is Procedure for competency of internal auditor

1.0 Purpose:

To established a procedure to verify internal auditors are competent enough to perform a audit.

[It is the statement shows actual purpose of this procedure]

2.0 Scope:

Applicable to all qualified internal auditors.

[It is the scope of our procedure]

3.0 Users or Responsibility:

QMS coordinator / Human Resource / HOD (QA): Responsible to maintain competency mapping and skill matrix.

4.0 Procedure for Training need, Awareness and Competency:

Internal Auditor Competency

QMS coordinator identify the persons or quality engineers qualified to become a internal auditor.

As per the procedure of training need identification and competency, raise a training request form to HR.

The minimum competency requirement should be consider while submitting training request as below,

HR has to plan a Internal Auditor Certification training for all identified employee.

Conduct a training session according to Training need and competency procedure.

Update the skill matrix of all auditors respectively.

QMS coordinator is maintaining the list of qualified internal auditors.

SECOND-PARTY AUDITOR COMPETENCY

The organization must show competence of auditors who perform second-party audits. Second party

auditors should meet customer specific requirements for auditor knowledge and demonstrate the minimum

following competencies and understanding of:

1. The automotive manufacturing process approach of auditing, such as risk based approach;
2. Necessary customer and company specific requirements;
3. Applicable ISO 9001 and IATF 16949 QMS standard requirements based on scope of audit;
4. Applicable core tool knowledge and requirements related to audit scope.
5. Must understand the know-how of Auditing process.

5.0 Reference documents

• IATF 16949:2016 Standard
• ISO 9001:2015
• Identify training needs, awareness and competency procedure
• Quality Manual
• Training Manuals

6.0 Records

7.0 Change History

Download Internal Auditor competency template