ISO 9000 QMS Lead Auditor Certification Question - RAB, IRCA

Hello everyone <newbie here>

My job was recently eliminated due to downsizing at a Tier 2/3 automotive facility. Has anyone here gotten the lead auditor cert. (through RAB, IRCA, etc.) on their own or do most work for registrars? I am interested in pursuing certification and am in the process of applying to IRCA for the provisional auditor status.

I will be able to get the required 3rd party audits based on arrangements with contacts in the industry. Also, I just completed the ISO9k Lead Auditor training.

Thanks.

[Randy]

Hi Marilyn'

I obtained EMS-LA certification ON MY OWN!!!!

Believe me it can be done, but it's uphill all the way.

Randy - that is great! I figured as much and it is also expensive. I saw your posts on another thread about your discussions with PJI...I would love to talk to you via e-mail about that experience.

[Steven Truchon]

Hello Marilyn!
Sorry to have heard about the "downsizing". That explains why you could not reply to my emails (sheesh, I sure hope I have the right Marilyn here!)

Regarding your post. I am also seeking my provisional and the biggest challenge I am up against is getting audit hours which as you know cannot be accumulated at my place of employment(pr-fl). There are many ISO registered companies down this way, but few that are QS.
The way I see it, anyone can become a Lead Auditor on their own with the right network in place for audit time requirements. The rest is pretty cut & dried unless I missed something along the way.

You mentioned in your reply to Randy that it is expensive. Please explain.

Great to see you here Marilyn!

Steve Truchon

[Randy]

Expensive? Yep, to me it was. I actually did some work for free to get audit time. I was rather lucky though be cause a majority of my experience was obtained from doing internal corporate work (I was employed by ITT Industries as an ESH professional). Then you have the cost of the credentials, the annual renewal costs and offering up your 1st born male child in the bargain (joking here).

I know you guys are looking at the quality side of auditing and I can tell you there is no difference between it an environmental when scratching for audit days. Unless you can get audits that are verified by a "Verifying Auditor" you may be SOL. I've sent Emails out to provisionals and auditors here in So. Cal. offering my services as a Verifying Auditor if they need one for their advancement.

Forget getting Registrar time, look at consulting time instead (only actual audit time like doing a gap analysis counts). Remember your audit time cannot include providing answers to corrective actions or any involvement in the development / implementation of an organizations system.

On another issue..my involvement with PJ was strictly phone and Email.....Apparently like UL the fact that I actually know a little about environmental management was grounds for not needing my services. Both companies struck me as being a little snotty with the opinion that the ISO world revolves around them..They can both bite my 5th point of contact.

Randy - thanks for the good info.

Steve - Hi! Yep I'm "that" Marilyn lol. The expense comes from paying your own way - the Lead Auditor course alone runs about $1600 plus there may be travel/hotel expenses involved. Bottom line, it cost me about $2300. And that is just the start, certifications don't come free!

I will e-mail you - don't want to tie up this board with sour grapes lol!

Marilyn,

If you are looking to getting some audit hours under you belt send me an e-mail. Within the next 2-3 months we are looking to bring in someone to review our systems with a new set of eyes.

ASD...

Al - thanks! CYE please.