Introduction

Enhance your Audit skills!! This is an advanced Auditor training course designed to improve auditor competence and enhance the practical audit management and team leadership skills of those required to plan, manage and undertake audits in the aviation industry. It is an industry leading course developed in support of EU aviation regulations requiring industry and Competent Authorities to develop formalized management systems and associated compliance monitoring or oversight processes.

Both Industry and the Competent Authorities require highly competent auditors equipped with the necessary skills to undertake meaningful and effective audits across a wide range of activities and involving a variety of specialisms. Auditors are required therefore to not only possess the appropriate technical competence but also to have the necessary interpersonal qualities and the ability to plan and execute audits within a range of domains, to lead teams of auditors and to undertake searching and in-depth audits in challenging environments and situations. Additionally, management will have often embraced the need to implement more cost effective process management and improvement techniques in pursuit of organizational excellence additional to regulatory compliance and hence auditors will also need to be able to operate in the domain of management systems improvement and business excellence.

Course Content

This course is designed to supplement the standard range of auditor training courses, including ISO 9001 based Lead Auditor training, and sets out to enhance the skills of those managing and undertaking audits in the aviation industry, in particular focusing on team leadership skills. It is provided in support of the Management Systems and Compliance Monitoring requirements of current and future European Legislation relating to the aviation industry, and the desire of organizations to obtain the maximum benefit from auditing in the pro-active pursuit of safety & organizational improvement.

The course is both practical and highly participative and promotes auditing practices that have become the benchmark in the industry. Attendees who sit and pass the formal examination will be issued with a certificate in recognition of their achievement. An examination is offered on day 5.

This five day training programme, specifically designed to enhance the competence of aviation industry auditors and audit managers, addresses the following key subjects:

• EU regulatory Management System & compliance monitoring principles
  - The requirements for management systems & compliance monitoring
  - Key principles of process design, management & improvement
• Improving Audit Programme Management
  - Auditing in relation to process based management systems
  - Developing Audit programmes utilising a Risk based audit strategy
  - Auditing as an integral part of supplier management
  - Key principles of supplier capability evaluation & safety oversight
• Improving Team Leadership skills
  - Effective Assessment and Audit Planning
  - Audit team selection
  - Audit management skills
  - Relative roles & responsibilities of Auditors & Lead Auditors
  - Managing Audit Entry & Exit meetings
  - Ensuring effective Auditor Team Meetings
  - Evaluating and quantifying audit results
  - Audit report writing
• Improving the audit process and avoiding superficial auditing
  - Developing and improving auditor competence
  - Advanced audit planning, the development and use of Audit Check Lists
  - Handling the complexities of SMS audits
  - Advanced techniques for verification of compliance
  - Auditing for process effectiveness
  - Auditing in relation to prescriptive & non prescriptive requirements
  - Objective recording and reporting of audit results
• Improving the pro-active response to audit findings
  - Managing the Remedial & Corrective Action processes
  - Tools & techniques for Root Cause Analysis
  - Improving the effectiveness of Audit close out, follow up and on-going surveillance

Learning Objectives

The need of this couse comes from the fact that aviation organizations are required to develop and implement robust management systems to constantly ensure and enhance safety. They are also required to monitor their compliance with these systems in relation to, not only their own operations, but also activities undertaken by suppliers and contracted agents, and hence require comprehensive and in-depth audits to be undertaken throughout all areas of their operational and support activities. In addition, Competent Authorities are under pressure to implement effective safety regulatory oversight of organizations whilst reducing the cost burden on both industry and the taxpayer.

After attending this course participants should have a better understanding of the overall principles of auditing and audit application in support of the achievement of safety and corporate objectives together with the improved knowledge & skills that will facilitate their ability to develop risk based audit programmes and plan, conduct & report audits of organisations against regulatory management system requirements, working alone or leading multi-disciplined audit teams.

Participants will be well placed to support their organisation and enhance their career prospects through the use of a range of audit support tools and methodologies.

 

Who should take this course

This course is designed to be of particular benefit to Senior Audit staff and those required to manage and work in audit teams in the conduct of internal audits, audits of suppliers, subcontractors or franchisees/codeshares etc. and also for those who work for Competent Authorities / regulatory organizations. It is suited to those who undertake Compliance Monitoring audits in relation to Flight and Ground Operations, Airport Operations, Maintenance and maintenance management (Part M), Training Organizations, Air Traffic Management, and Design & Production (Part 21) Organizations and Defence organisations involved in aviation-related activities.

Pre-requisites

Designed as an advanced auditor training course for those who have had some practical experience of auditing in an aviation environment. It is also a suitable aviation industry alternative, or follow-on course, for those who have previously attended auditor training courses, including ISO 9001 based Lead Auditor training.

Participants are kindly requested to bring a laptop to the course to access course material which will only be provided in electronic format. 

Duration

5 days - each day will commence at 09.00 and finish at 17.00, with appropriate refreshment breaks.
An examination is offered on day 5 (the examination fee is included in the course fee).