2. Maintaining Training Records and Demonstrating Competency During an IATF 16949 Audit

MW, IATF Auditor: In a thorough audit, nonconformances related to training could be written nearly 80% of the time. The difficulty of this requirement centers around being able to provide evidence of both the training provided, and more importantly the effectiveness of the training provided. This is an area of weakness for companies and it is a common point of stress.

I typically see this tracked in an Excel document or some kind of manually updated training matrix. The problem with these manually updated documents is their reliance on human memory and/or a consistent “checking in” on a periodic basis. Additionally, when a production work instruction is revised, there is no automatic pathway to these manually updated documents alerting the need for updated training. Again, reliance upon human memory or communication.

AM, Connected Worker App: Automatic updates and notifications are definitely something that software can do that helps ease the burden of training administration. It can also create a closed loop between standard work and training. Going back to your example, an operator has their own personal training matrix that they can refer to, while a supervisor or HR can check the status of an entire team. Everyone knows what trainings they need to do to perform their role and they can see their real-time status.

When any work instructions or training is updated, a virtual alarm bell goes off telling operators they need to refresh their training or read the revised standard. And for auditing purposes, you have an incredibly detailed record of all your staff’s learning and development activities for the past year. You can see what the workers were trained on, who watched the training content and when, and all their assessment details.

To prove understanding and knowledge retention, there are a number of assessment options including written exams and hands-on assessments that are backed by a qualified endorser.

MW, IATF Auditor: I can definitely see how Poka’s exam and endorsement features can be powerful tools because it gives trainers the opportunity to review the exam or assessment results and decide if the training was effective or additional training is needed.

Proving competency can be difficult as it is up to the interpretation of each individual auditor. Some are satisfied with reviewing a short exam as it demonstrates to them that the operator attended the training, listened, and had some understanding of the content. Other auditors want to see stronger evidence since a simple quiz may not translate into applicational competence. The reason I like Poka’s concept of an endorsement feature is that it puts the onus on another person to say, “I’m willing to stake my name on the trainee’s applicational performance of the task they were trained to”. The endorsement provides evidence that an independent person signed off on the fact that the trainee is doing the task repeatedly and well, and they fully understand it.” This is much stronger evidence than a quick 5 question true/false test taken immediately following a training.

AM, Connected Worker App: Another step in demonstrating competency that we’ll get more into later is digital forms. Let’s say the operator is being trained on performing a CIL. First, he watches a work instruction video. Then he fills out a digital checklist to ensure he’s following the 10 steps consistently every time. Any wrong answers or deviations are going to be automatically flagged for his supervisor in a centralized dashboard.

MW, IATF Auditor: That’s another potential way to help prove competency. If you can associate staffing to repetitive mistakes, you can see performance trends associated with specific production lines or operators. This could be a leading indicator that the training program is inadequate. There are other factors that would need to be considered however at least this can provide a link to the evaluation of training effectiveness.

How to Soar Through Your Next IATF 16949 Audit: Advice from an Auditor