RABQSA International : Personnel and Training Certification

The below frequently asked questions should provide you with information to assist in meeting your certification goals:

General Personnel Certification
What is the difference between competency and qualification based personnel certification schemes?
RABQSA International is accredited to ISO/IEC 17024:2003, a management systems standard for personnel certification bodies (PCBs). ISO/IEC 17024 requires accredited PCBs to adopt a competency-based approach to certification. It also requires the PCB to include direct consultation with key stakeholders in industry to define the competencies to be examined in each certification scheme, thus ensuring a more relevant certification for industry.

Competency-based certification means that RABQSA will be required to examine your knowledge, skills, personal attributes and qualifications, using the following methods:

Knowledge Examination - examination of knowledge competencies by RABQSA-certified Training Providers
Skill Examination - In the traditional terms a 'witnessed audit' by an Approved Skill Examiner to provide confidence that applicants can demonstrate the required skills
Personal Attribute Assessment - PAAS Master® is an on-line assessment tool used to examine an applicant’s personal attributes
Qualifications - Evidence of formal education, training and/or work experience

Qualification-based certification relies on documentation of your current experience and qualifications, using the following methods:

Knowledge – completion of a training course and/or examination of knowledge competencies by RABQSA-certified Training Providers
Qualifications - Evidence of formal education and work experience
Audit Experience – the amount of experience required varies by scheme and by grade
Personal Attributes – verified through contacting auditees

How do I transition to the competency-based scheme?
You can apply for transition at any time by submitting a transition application. You will be required to demonstrate that you have met the requirement of the competency-based scheme, including:

Evidence of knowledge examination (most commonly demonstrated by completion of a RABQSA certified training course plus the applicable gap examinations)
PAAS Master®
Skill Examination conducted by an RABQSA-certified Skill Examiner

There is no initial fee for applying for transition, however, the Skill Examination and PAAS Master® fees are required, in addition to any annual fees that may be due.

What post nominal can I put after my name?
The approved post nominal and identification statements are:

RABQSA Provisional XXX Auditor
RABQSA Certified XXX Auditor
RABQSA Certified Principal XXX Auditor
RABQSA Certified Lead XXX Auditor
RABQSA Certified Business Improvement XXX Auditor

What are the requirements for re-certification?
Please go to the Maintaining Your Certification page, which provides detailed information on the surveillance and re-certification requirements for both competency and qualiification based certification schemes.

To maintain certification, all certified personnel are required to demonstrate continuing competence against the current certification criteria for the type and grade of certification awarded. RABQSA will provide reminders with the annual invoice to all certified personnel when the dates for surveillance and re-certification are due and the information required.

What does RABQSA accept as professional development?Professional development records are required for re-certification to qualification based personnel certification schemes. The below list provides examples of activities that can be recognized:

University or TAFE courses
Training courses provided either in-house or externally
Attendance at conferences, seminars or workshops
Association meetings
Organized site visits/study tours
Participation in relevant committees and working groups
Presentations at conferences, seminars or workshops
Published articles
Training course instructor
Developing training course material
Documented research

What are the current RABQSA fees?
RABQSA International aims to ensure that certification is easily available to all competent personnel across the world, at a resonable price. A fee structure has been adopted that is adjusted to take into account the economic conditions of different regions, so that all personnel and organizations can realize the benefits of certification.

Please go to the Fees & Admin page to download the appropriate fee structure and payment options.

Competency Based Personnel Certification (ISO 17024)
What is a Skill Examination?
A skill examination is an observation of your ability to demonstrate skills required for certification in each scheme, conducted by an RABQSA-certified Skill Examiner in actual audit conditions.

In terms of auditor certification, this is similar to the traditional witnessed audit. To be certified, RABQSA Skill Examiners are required to demonstrate their competence to conduct skill examinations in the scheme relevant to the qualifications and experience. Skill Examiners are required to complete a Skill Examination Report for each applicant witnessed.

What if I can't get a Skill Examination?
In situations where an applicant has applied for certification to a competency based scheme and RABQSA is unable to examine skill, the applicant will be certified for a limited time in the qualification-based scheme at the Auditor grade, pending the skill examination.

What is a Skill Examiner?
A Skill Examiner is a person who has been certified by RABQSA as competent to conduct skill examinations (traditionally witnessed audits) for personnel certification schemes on behalf of RABQSA.

RABQSA Lead Auditor Certification or Lead Auditor certification issued by a Personnel Certification Body that is accredited to ISO 17024
Completion of the RABQSA-SE examination
Completion of the RABQSA-AS examination or Australian Certificate IV in Assessment and Workplace Training, or equivalent.

What is PAAS Master®?
PAAS Master® is the Personal Attribute Assessment that RABQSA has designed for objective assessment of personal attributes for its competency-based schemes.

PAAS Master® is an online assessment, accessed through the RABQSA website, with password access. There is a 35-minute time limit for completion.

There are 85 statements presented in pairs. An applicant indicates the statement that more accurately describes him/her and how much more it describes him/her compared to the other statement, using a range of points between the two statements. The statements do not directly relate to each other, and are randomized to ensure accuracy of testing. There are no right or wrong answers.