What You Need To Study To Become A Quality Auditor

Quality audits are a vital part of the project lifecycle, as well as effective quality control management. Whether conducted internally or by an external party, audits help to maintain compliance and quality standards, as well as identify areas for improvement in quality management systems.

Roles in auditing are projected to increase by around 9.4% over the next five years, so it presents plenty of opportunities for people who want to pursue quality auditing.

If you want to make a career transition into quality auditing or you want to advance your current career, one of the most important steps is to become qualified in quality auditing. Not only will this teach you valuable and practical skills for the role, it also helps with employability and puts you ahead of the competition.

Finding the right auditing courses is important for starting your career on the right foot and ensuring you have the tools to thrive in your career. Read on for more information about the role of a quality auditor and why auditing is important, as well as the best course to study to become a professional auditor.

What do quality auditors do?

The role of a quality auditor is varied and diverse, from internal and external positions, to vast types of projects and operations that are required to be audited. The tasks and duties involved can depend on the industry and business regulations that you are working within, as well as the regulations and compliance requirements involved.

In general, quality auditors need to be well-organised, thorough, and impartial in their analysis and reporting. They also need to have a strong understanding of best practices and project goals to be able to make recommendations and identify opportunities to improve.

Some of the tasks and responsibilities include:

Working with large amounts of information, and working to project deadlines during busy audit times in the year or through multiple projects.
Provide advice and recommendations to company management of compliance issues and any regulation changes regarding business practices.
Audit, scrutinise and create reports on compliance and performance, and provide this analysis to project management, company directors or shareholders.
Collect and analyse necessary information on operating systems, efficiency, and cost effectiveness of any relevant internal activities.
Plan, conduct and report on risk management assessments for a range of projects and business processes.
Create and implement audit procedures and strategies, as well as produce guidelines for documentation like reports and audit plans.
Outline audit objectives and maintain the focus and management of the audit to achieve these objectives.
Ensure organisations are meeting WHS, sustainability, and industry regulations, as well as company quality standards.

Why is auditing important?

Audits are important for providing insight and improvements to companies and organisations for everything from their day to day processes to new projects and procedures. Quality auditors help to identify areas that are not performing as desired, and things that are not meeting the standards of the business. Without audits, these issues might go unidentified and could cause inefficiencies, increased costs, and fines from industry regulators.

Having systematic and regular audits of internal operations is particularly important in industries like manufacturing, food production, and pharmaceuticals. Quality control is essential for maintaining employee safety and the safety of consumers and the public.

Audits can also provide impartial evidence that systems are performing effectively. This can give credibility to new system rollouts, and inform important business decisions. The most effective and beneficial quality audits will highlight areas or examples of good practice. Not only will this provide helpful reference for analysis, it also provides examples to other departments or future projects on best practice and steps for improvement.

The best course for quality auditing

BSB50920 Diploma of Quality Auditing

The Diploma of Quality Auditing is the perfect course for people who want to study quality auditing, and those who want to formalise their existing auditing skills. This qualification reflects the role of individuals who possess a theoretical knowledge base in quality auditing and use a range of specialised, technical or managerial competencies to plan, carry out and evaluate their own work or the work of an audit team.

The career outcomes from this qualification include Lead Auditor, Quality Assurance Manager, Compliance Manager, and Auditor.

As part of the course, you will learn skills and practical knowledge through units of study, such as:

Participating in quality audits
Initiating quality audits
Leading quality audits
Reporting on quality audits
Working within compliance frameworks
Evaluating and reviewing compliance
Communicating with key individual with influence
Analysing and assessing data
Implementing information and knowledge management systems
Managing business risk
Managing personal and professional development
Facilitating continuous improvement

(Short Course) BSBSS00128 Lead Auditor

This Skill Set Short Course is perfect for those looking to gain the essential units of competence required to act as an auditor. The course addresses the skills, knowledge and performance requirements that you will need to lead quality audits, providing the best foundational knowledge to apply in a range of environments.

The benefit of the short course is that you can gain the essential skills to become a quality auditor while saving time and money. The course is available by Recognition of Prior Learning, which can also speed up the time it takes to receive your qualification.

The career outcomes from this course include Quality Auditors, Lead Auditor, and Audit Team Member.

As part of the course, you will learn and gain practical skills in the following: