Frequently asked questions

Choosing a course

I need help to choose the right course for me. Can you help?

If you would like to speak to one of our experienced team or to a Tutor to help you decide which course is right for you then please contact us at enquiries@iqmslearning.co.uk

Do I need to attend the Foundation course before I attend the Lead auditor course?

No, it is not a course requirement that you need to take the Foundation course beforehand, but you should have a sound and equivalent level of knowledge of the standard.

Should I take an Internal Auditor course before taking a Lead Auditor course?

It’s not necessary to take the Internal auditor course before the Lead Auditor course. However, if you have never audited before or have no knowledge of auditing then some delegates feel more comfortable taking this course first. If you would like to talk to someone before booking please contact us at enquries@iqmslearning.co.uk.

Is there an exam?

If you are taking a certified course then some of the courses do have formal examinations. If your course has an examination your Trainer will have made sure that you have been well prepared to sit the examination. We have very experienced tutors whose delegates all have good pass rates.

If I pass a Lead Auditor course do I get a professionally recognised qualification?

Yes, all of our Lead Auditor Courses are recognised and registered by the Chartered Quality Institute and the International Register of Certificated Auditors or other equally recognised body.

Booking a course

The course I would like to book is virtual. What does this mean for me?

Virtual courses are instructor-led courses, so your Trainer will be the same trainer you would meet on a face to face course. You will need to find somewhere at home or in your place of work which is quiet and has a good internet connection and of course have access to a computer or laptop. We have now run many courses using virtual technology and delegates are very positive and complimentary about the whole experience. Our experienced team will guide you through the process if this is all new to you. Best of all we come to you!

Will the course be virtual or classroom-based?

Our online course timetable will show if the course will be run in a classroom or will be run as a virtual instructor-led training event. If we are unable to run classroom-based events in your area then the course may be changed from a classroom-based course to a virtual course. We will give you the opportunity to change the dates if this is a problem for you, but if you haven’t tried virtual instructor-led learning give it a go, we have extremely good feedback for all of our virtual training events.

We are a charity. Do you give discounts for charities?

Our courses are already very keenly priced, and whilst we appreciate the work charities do we are a commercial business with many costs and overheads, so we do not give discounts to your sector. We do sometimes have special offers on courses, so keep looking at our website for these offers.

I have made a booking. What happens next?

Our experienced course team will guide you through the process. You will receive comprehensive joining instructions and if you are on a virtual course, we will give you more specific step-by-step instructions to help you feel fully confident. If you have any questions or concerns please email us at enquiries@iqmslearning.co.uk

Attending the course

How long is the course?

All of our course start and finish times are available on our website, but if you need a course timetable please contact us at enquiries@iqmslearning.co.uk.

Is there any homework?

Some courses may expect students to review some of the course learning at home. Any homework will be guided and relevant to reinforcing your learning.

Do I have to attend the full course?

For all the certified courses it is a requirement to attend for the full course duration as you are likely to put yourself at a disadvantage in meeting the learning outcomes of the course and may not meet the course criteria to pass the course successfully.

Is the course residential?

None of out courses are residential. We like to go home at night when we can, and I’m sure you do too. If we made the courses residential, then we would have to add the cost of the stay onto everyone attending. If you need to stay over, we have a list of different accommodation options to help you find somewhere suitable for you.

Is there a dress code?

We find that people are more relaxed, have more fun and learn better if they are dressed comfortably, so dress is casual or whatever you feel most comfortable in.

Do you provide refreshments and lunch?

On our public classroom-based courses we provide refreshments throughout the course and lunch. All of our venues provide a range of vegetarian options and with some notice can provide other dietary choices for example for vegan, halal and gluten-free diets. Please get in touch with us at enquiries@iqmlearning.co.uk if you have any specific dietary concerns.

Is there any parking?

All of our public classroom-based training courses have parking available. Information parking at our venues will be sent to you in our Joining Instructions. Parking at all our venues is free to students and your Trainer should be able to explain any specific parking arrangements for your venue.

About payment

I have made a booking when do I need to pay?

You need to make your payment at least 3 weeks before your course is due to run as we only hold your place provisionally until payment is made. If the course has been filled and we are only holding your place as a provisional booking then you may have to wait until the next course is due to be run. If your course is due to be run in less than 3 weeks immediate payment is required.

How do I pay for a course?

You can pay for you course by BACS or by cheque. Please contact iqms Learning at enquiries@qmslearning.co.uk for the Account Number you need to pay your course fee into.

Making changes to existing bookings

Can I substitute a delegate?

Yes, its not a problem to substitute a delegate, you will need to contact us with the information on the name of the new delegate before the course starts.

I can’t make the course date. Can I transfer to another course at a later date?

Sometimes things happen. Our terms and conditions allow you to transfer to a different course provided you inform us 21 days beforehand and we can transfer you to a different course or a different location.

I would like to cancel my booking. Can I have a refund?

We do refund courses as sometimes circumstances change; however you will not receive a refund if you cancel within 21 days of the course date. Please read our Terms and Conditions.

After the course

Will I receive a certificate for my course?

You will receive a certificate of attendance for all of our courses provided you attended for the entire course. If you have taken an exam and passed then you will receive a certificate which states this and you will not receive another certificate.

When will I receive my course certificate?

Once all payments have been cleared we will send you or email your certificate within 1 month of the end of the course.

I’ve lost my course certificate. How can I replace it?

Please get in touch with us at enquiries@iqmslearning.co.uk and we can reissue a new certificate. An administrative charge will apply.

If I attend an Internal Auditor course or a Lead Auditor course am I a competent Auditor?

If you attend one of our courses then you will know competency is not the same as training. You will be a well-trained auditor. To achieve competency in anything you must practice and learn from your experience. We can help you to improve and gain competency by running tutor-led audits in your workplace. If you are interested in developing competency please get in touch with us at enquries@iqmslearning.co.uk

I’ve completed the course. How do I register as an Auditor?

You will need to perform audits in your chosen discipline after you have attended your course. CQI and IRCA have a professional auditor registration scheme for many management systems disciplines and for different auditor grades. Information is available at https://www.quality.org/schemes. For more specific advice then contact the CQI and IRCA on Tel: +44 (0)207 245 8603 or email them at applications@quality.org with any specific questions.

I have some additional comments on the course. How can I pass these comments on?

In the spirit of continual improvement, we welcome comments from students as they help us to change and improve our courses. Please do make the effort to contact us at enquiries@iqmslearning.co.uk with any comments on your learning experience.

I’ve attended the course, but I would like some additional support for my audits?

We know you have been trained well, but experience leads to competence. We can support you by coming to your place of work and leading an audit with yourself and your team. We can work with you to identify where your audit programme could be improved, provide coaching and additional supportive training to brush up on specific skills. We can conduct internal and supply chain audits on your behalf if you are having resourcing issues. We can work with you to provide tailored support, please contact us at enquiries@iqmslearning.co.uk