IAQG Frequently Asked Questions

Do you know what we'll need to do to begin instructing the 9104/3 Standard Auditor Course to the C Revision?
At this time we are not working on a sanctioned standard auditor course. Any training provider wanting to provide a standard auditor course will need to develop their own standard auditor course. A standard auditor course would not replace the requirement for auditors to complete the Aerospace Auditor Transition Training for authentication as Aerospace Auditors (AA and AEA) for the 2009 verision of AQMS standards. Nor does the AATT replace the Standard Auditor Course.

Also, I assume the costs are per person?
Yes

Also, it says 2 instructors? For all class sizes? Is there a min/max?
Yes, the 2 instructor requirement may be published as an IAQG OPMT resolution but it will also be part of the agreement a TP will need to sign with Plexus. The class size requirements are min=9 max=12.

Clarifications:

• The two instructors are required to be present for the entire class
• The min class size is a recommendation the max class size is mandatory. This is in alignment with the IAQG Supplemental Rule 001 - Rules for 9100/9110/9120:2009 Transition available on the OASIS website.

I'm a little confused on the Lead Auditor training. Most people who take this have not had a Lead Auditor course before. They're Quality Managers, Engineers, etc. Most never intend to get certified (Although some will). The course is RABQSA Certified.
Our understanding is that the current lead auditor class is a combined ISO lead auditor class and in essence the foundation course requirements. This was able to provide a one week (40 hour course) Given that the Aerospace Auditor Transition Training (AATT) course now replaces the foundation course and given that this is a four day course it doesn't seem possible to have a one week lead auditor course even if it ran Monday thru Saturday. Therefore, we think most people would take the ISO lead auditor course separate from the AATT course. However, if there is a demand there is not any problem in training providers having a combined offering as long as it is clear, the entire AATT process must be followed with no changes to content, timing, exams, etc.

Is that a per student cost for taking the courses or is that the cost Plexus is leveling on the training providers to license the materials to deliver the courses?
The cost for the on-line training and for the exam is the costs the student would pay to Plexus for the Online modules and exam. Students will pay this when they register. For the actual instructor led course the costs shown are the costs the training provider would pay for the course materials to Plexus. All costs are per student.

Who will be issuing the certificates for the AATT, the contracted TP or Plexus?
The Online Examinations are scored automatically within the Plexus Platform. The continual evaluation data and interview data (not scores but raw data) are provided by the TP to the Testing Admin System (TAS). The TAS will merge all the data to determine final grades and will issue the results in a formal notice to each individual that comes from the IAQG. TAS will provide an electronic format for the continual evaluation and the interview data collection to be used by each approved TP. Plexus will act as the service provider of this TAS service on behalf of IAQG.

Is the intent that for the eExams the TP will provide the access via computer or are students expected to bring a laptop? Does the TP need to ensure internet access?
The decision to provide a computer or ask the participants to bring computers will be a decision left up to each TP. The Plexus Platform can support either option; however, the TP must insure that the training facility has internet access that can handle the number of participants.

Will the student get a certificate after completing the eLearning to demonstrate successful completion? If not how will the TP know the student has completed the course?
Yes, a certificate of completion or successful "test out" will be provided to the student after completion of the on-line portion. The participant will need to submit this certificate or successful "test out" to the TP or print this certificate and bring it to the training session.

For training providers we are assuming they will need to have some type of agreement with Plexus regarding the purchase and use of training materials. How will that process be handled and when will the process be available?
Yes, each TP and each trainer will need to sign an agreement with Plexus.

The agreements with each TP are to make sure the roles are clear for both parties, identify the utilization requirements for approved trainers and a proctor for the examinations, and how they can order materials at what price and some specific details of how they can us the materials and so on. The agreements for each trainer are to make sure that they follow the process and will not use some other materials or inject their own materials during these sessions. Again both are to make sure that the roles are clears so that no one will later say, "I did not know that."

I teach for three Training Providers, for the AATT will I still be able to teach for different Training Providers?
Yes, trainers are qualified as individuals and can work for multiple TPs. It is important to note that each training provider would need to approve an individual as a trainer for their organization according their approval process and utilizing the feedback report the trainer candidate received from the ASD Evaluator Course.

It is clear that the trainer needs to successfully complete AATT and IAQG ASD evaluator course to qualify as trainer. Are there any other requirements the trainer need to fulfill? Specially:

• Is there any requirement related to non conduct of Aerospace audits?
  Approved trainers of the AATT course can also complete audits for certification purposes provided they are properly authenticated by an IAQG Sector approved Auditor Authentication Body.


• Or any specific aerospace work experience?
  Trainers must meet the work experience requirements outlined in the 9104/3 standard.


• Is it a requirement that out of two instructors, one needs to be authenticated AEA/AIEA?
  No, 9104/3 Sections 6.4.3 and 6.4.4 describe the requirements for trainers.

Concerning retaking of exams, are there any limitations to the number of times a trainee can retake the exam?
Outlined below is the overall exam re-take process. The 9100:2009 auditors competence scorecard will assess two dimensions: knowledge and application of 9100 and 9101.

What is the time between course score and notification and Oasis update?
Scores and notifications will be done with in 10 business days from when TAS receives the compete information from each TP for a session.

Oasis is updated by the Auditor Authentication Body (AAB) authenticating the auditor. This is not a training provider function. Auditors should consult their AAB for an answer to this question.

Can AA (Aerospace Auditor) become AEA (Aerospace Experienced Auditor) thru the AATT?
The AATT course fulfills the requirements for the 9104/3 foundation course. Successful completion of the foundation course is only one of the requirements for being authenticated as an AA or AEA. Auditors should consult 9104/3 and their AAB to determine all requirements for authentication.

I have taken a lead auditor course more than 3 years ago and now that certificate is expired, do I need to take another Lead Auditor course before attending the AATT?
There is not a requirement to complete a Lead Auditor course prior to attending an AATT course. If an auditor is seeking authentication as an AA or AEA and are currently authenticated as an AA or AEA the only training requirement for authentication for the 2009 versions of the AQMS standards is the completion of the AATT including passing the exam. If an auditor is not currently authenticated as an AA or AEA all requirements of 9104/3 must be met for authentication with the AATT course fulfilling the requirements of the 9104/3 foundation course. Auditors should consult their AAB for further clarification.

We are a training provider currently approved to deliver the 9104/3 Foundation course and Standard Auditor course. What are the requirements for being approved to deliver the AATT?
Training providers should contact their TPAB to determine specific TPAB approval requirements. The TP will also need to contact the IAQG sanctioned training developer (Plexus) for obtaining and coordination of the agreement a TP will need to sign in order to teach the AATT course.

We are trying to figure out the subject training requirements established by the IAQG. We understand that you only have to take the initial online test and if you pass it, you don’t have to take the online modules or second test in order to take the 4 day instructor led class. Is this correct?
There are really three elements to the ATT course; Online Modules, Instructor Led Training, Final Exam. Outlined below is how you progress from one to the other.

The ASD Evaluator course will be provided by IAQG approved developer (Plexus). Does IAQG approved developer (Plexus) issue the certificate or the approval after completion of the ASD Evaluator Course?
Plexus will provide the trainer a certificate of completion and a feedback report at the end of the training. TPs are required to use the feedback report from Plexus as part of its approval process.

If a person passes the ASD Evaluator course, then the person can present AATT course as trainer. Does the person need to pass another AATT course by different TP (or presented by other instructor) to obtain 91XX: 2009 auditor qualification?
Completion of the AATT course is a pre-requisite of attending the ASD Evaluator course. Successful completion of the AATT course in this case would also fulfill the AATT training course requirement for subsequent auditor authentication by an AAB.

At the completion of the AATT coursework, auditors are required to take an applicable online exam through Plexus. Will the $50 per person exam fee be collected by Plexus at the time of the exam or does this fee need to be collected by the training provider (as part of the training provider's AATT course registration fee), then forwarded on to Plexus.
The Exam Fee is a fee due from the Training Provider to Plexus. The Training Provider is responsible for paying Plexus this fee for each participant. This fee is submitted along with the classroom documentation that is sent to Plexus following each AATT session. This is similar to the Participant Materials for each AATT session; the fee for each set of participant materials for the AATT is also the responsibility of the Training Provider. The Training Provider must purchase one set of Participant Materials from Plexus for each participant in the AATT session.

How the Training Provider prices the AATT session they are offering is entirely up to the Training Provider. In other words, if the Training Provider builds these costs into their price or adds these on to the participant is solely up to the Training Provider. In every case, the Training Provider must purchase Participant Materials from Plexus and pay the exam processing fee to Plexus. Plexus does not collect these from the Training Provider's Participants.

We are still not clear on the requirements to be an approved trainer for the AATT course. It is clear there needs to be two trainers and the trainers must meet the requirements of 9104/3 but it is not clear what requirements apply to each trainer.
First, as part of the agreement with the IAQG, Plexus is required to include in its sales agreement with training providers the requirements for trainers who deliver the AATT through an approved training provider. Only an approved training provider can purchase the required training materials.

Second, the requirements for trainers are a combination of the 9104/3 requirements, the IAQG Supplemental Rule 001 - Rules for 9100/9110/9120:2009 Transition available on the OASIS website, and additional requirements to ensure effective training delivery. This combination of requirements is outlined below.

I don't fully understand the exam process for the AATT. It appears that I will take the exam as part of the AATT course but it isn't clear to me how I will be graded.
The AATT examination and scoring process is a combination of two online exams (Knowledge and Application), the student's case study package developed during the AATT course and the student's interview with the AATT instructors. The IAQGTraining.com Platform consolidates all scoring into a final grade made up of the knowledge exam results and the combination of the online application exam and the instructors' rating of the student's case study package and interview. At no time does the instructor or training provider know a students exam results, only the instructors' rating of the student's case study package and interview. The flow chart below shows this process graphically.

The intent of this process is to ensure that an individual instructor or training provider cannot manipulate exam results.



The operation of this process is overseen by the IAQG training administration function. The role of the administration function is:

• Initially develop programming logic (Rubrics*) to process exam scores from the knowledge exam, application exam and instructor evaluation. Once developed this software is run in an automated environment, no interaction from the administrator is required beyond inputting the instructor evaluations.
• Input trainer evaluations into the exam scoring software.
• Provide data to the IAQG training team on key metrics. The IAQG training team in conjunction with the administration function monitors the process to determine if any adjustment to the programming logic is needed.
• Responsible for the retention of scoring records. All records are retained for 10 years.

AAST FAQs are updated periodically. If you have a question that isn't answered please feel free to contact Rick Downs at rjdowns@cessna.textron.com.