Becoming an auditor: which course, and what it takes
Moving from QA to auditing, 1st, 2nd and 3rd party audits, which STC or BRCGS auditor course to choose, and who needs formal BRCGS training.
Auditing is a natural next step for many QA professionals. These are the questions we're asked most.
Q: Can I move from Quality Assurance into auditing?
Absolutely. Your QA career is exactly where you build the competence to audit. Add training and audit experience, and decide what level of auditing you want:
- 1st party: internal auditing
- 2nd party: supplier audits
- 3rd party: certification audits for a certification body
A mentor who has made the move can be invaluable.
Q: Which course do I need?
- For 1st and 2nd party auditing: our 1-day STC Level 3 Auditing and Inspection course (applicable to any industry) or the 2-day BRCGS Internal Auditor course.
- For 3rd party certification auditing: a 5-day lead auditor qualification, such as the BRCGS Food Safety Issue 9 Lead Auditor, plus training on the current version of each standard you'll audit. See BRCGS Food Safety Issue 9 Lead Auditor.
▶ Watch: Our auditor courses explained (STC & QTC Explains)
Read how to become a BRCGS auditor for the full process, or contact us to talk through your goals.
Q: Are there extra requirements for 3rd party auditors?
GFSI's Benchmarking Requirements (version 2024) say third-party auditors must hold a degree in a relevant discipline or have completed a related higher education course, with any equivalent qualification robustly justified by the certification body. BRCGS already asks for "a degree or equivalent in a field relevant to the Standard". The change met strong opposition in the industry, and with a serious shortage of auditors already, many expect certification bodies to lean on the "equivalent" route. Keep an eye on the GFSI benchmarking updates, and talk to us about your own route in.
Q: Who needs formal BRCGS training on a standard?
Taking BRCGS Packaging Issue 7 as an example (the same applies to all the standards), the BRCGS technical briefing states that certification decision makers and auditors need formal training on the latest version (3-day auditor course or 2-day conversion). A certification body Head of Technical clarified that technical reviewers don't need the official training but certification decision makers do, across all BRCGS standards. A decision maker who wasn't an approved Issue 6 auditor needs the full 3-day course, not the conversion. BRCGS Food Safety Issue 9 is still current; Issue 10 is in development, and auditors will need training on it once published.
Conversion courses are fine for site staff and consultants who just want to know what's new. And under the BRCGS Gluten-Free standard, the site's gluten-free management team leader must complete formal training, including passing the exam, on the current issue.
Q: What is a BRCGS Professional?
A BRCGS recognition programme for people working at BRCGS-certificated sites (Food, Packaging, Storage & Distribution, Agents & Brokers, Consumer Products). It shows professional-level knowledge through a set of qualifications assessed by exam or assignment. Product safety courses (HACCP, PCQI, HARA, etc.) can come from other providers; the rest must be BRCGS qualifications, including one for your industry's standard. See BRCGS Professional Recognition.
More short videos on our STC & QTC Explains channel: https://youtube.com/@stcandqtc
See the course calendar or talk to us about your journey to becoming a BRCGS Professional.
Reviewed by Cathy Gladwin, Director & BRCGS ATP Trainer, STC · November 2026
These Q&As share general best practice from our trainers and auditors. They aren't consultancy advice for your site. For support specific to your site and systems, we can refer you to our sister company QTC.