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Are you about to undergo Qualiopi certification? Do you know the steps involved in preparing for certification? Do you know what a coach and certifying body are, and how to choose them?
Contents
Preparation for Qualiopi certification will of course vary according to the size and specific features of the training organization, but certain key stages can be followed (and potentially adapted) by all structures.
First of all, we advise you to determine which team members will be responsible for managing the project. The project team can then take the following steps:
This step may seem obvious, but it’s nonetheless essential. It’s essential that you analyze and understand the repository so that you can adapt it to your structure. To do this, you can follow training courses or webinars, or enlist the help of a consultant.
The project team must then sensitize the rest of the teaching team to a number of topics, including how to welcome people with disabilities, how to use the quality reference system, and the evidence to be provided during the initial audit (such as a copy of the invitation to attend, the training certificate, training materials, signed certificates, etc.).
Indeed, it’s important that the entire educational team understands what’s at stake, so as to be able to implement useful, long-term measures.
Before focusing on the measures to be put in place and the elements to be created, it is useful to take stock of what you already have. It’s highly likely that you have a number of items of evidence at your disposal, such as attendance sheets or training completion certificates, for example.
Sorting these existing elements by criteria and/or indicators will give you an overview of what you already have and what you still need to do. It is also advisable to sort the elements by criteria before the initial audit, to facilitate the audit.
As with evidence, you’re bound to already have good practices and measures that you apply on a daily basis. In most training organizations, these practices are numerous, but you don’t necessarily realize it! Before creating new ones, it’s a good idea to formalize them. Indeed, an important element of Qualiopi certification is the systematization of procedures and practices.
Analyzing existing practices and formalizing them, for example by creating a procedure, will enable you to make progress in your preparations and facilitate the systematization of these measures. What’s more, it will help you avoid creating new measures thinking they’re necessary, when in fact you’re already doing a number of things!
Once you’re fully aware of the elements and practices you already possess, it’s time to create the non-existent elements.
For example, organizations often don’t conduct satisfaction surveys for funders.
Similarly, subcontracting is often not sufficiently taken into account, i.e.: declaration of activity, annual GMP, VAT exemption, etc.
Another point to watch out for is the accessibility of the premises: training organizations are most often considered as 5th category ERP (Etablissement Recevant du Public). In this case, once the premises have been brought up to standard, an affidavit from the person in charge of the organization will suffice to prove its accessibility to your certifier. You can generate it online on this government website: https: //www.demarches-simplifiees.fr/commencer/attestation-accessibilite-cat5
For this step, the repository analysis carried out in step 1 is crucial, as it enables you to create judicious elements adapted to your structure. If you’re not sure, you can also ask a consultant to help you and give you feedback on your evidence and procedures.
Once new measures have been created, they need to be implemented and systematized. If we take the example of the satisfaction survey aimed at funders, we need to send out the surveys at a regular, relevant frequency, remember to follow up if necessary, and set up a procedure for processing returns.
Once you’ve created all your elements and measures, and everything is systematized and organized by criteria, it may be useful to check the effectiveness of your system before requesting an audit. This will enable you to fine-tune the system if necessary, and possibly avoid non-compliance or refusal of certification.
To check your system, you can request an assessment visit or an internal audit. You can ask a consultant to carry it out, or your coach if you have chosen to be accompanied throughout your preparation for Qualiopi certification.
Once all these steps have been completed, it’s time to choose your certification body. Please note: the certification body is not your coach! It’s important to understand the difference between the two, so you don’t fall behind schedule.
When you ask for support, you are asking a professional to help you prepare for the initial audit. This professional will help you understand the quality standards, make them your own and adapt them to the specific needs of your training organization.
It can also carry out one or more mock audits: as with the real initial audit, it will look at your procedures and evidence to measure your level of compliance with requirements, help you make the National Quality Standards your own, and help you formalize existing best practices. As we cannot be “judge and jury”, the initial audit is carried out by a recognized certification body. For reasons of objectivity and fairness, you may not be audited by your coach, even if he or she is authorized to do so.
The certification body is a third-party organization, accredited or authorized to start certification activities on the basis of national quality certification standards by Cofrac (Comité français d’accréditation).
No, your only obligation is to pass the initial audit with fewer than 4 minor non-conformities (0 major). However, for the uninitiated, or to ensure that you fully understand the level of requirements, it may be a good idea to get support, follow a training course or carry out a diagnostic audit to build up a relevant quality management system over time.
As all training centers are different, it’s essential to take your specific needs into account, or risk setting up procedures that are impossible to implement or follow over the long term.
If you enlist the help of a partner, you’ll maximize your chances of avoiding the major non-conformities that would prevent you from obtaining Qualiopi, and you’ll also maximize your chances of implementing a relevant continuous improvement policy via appropriate, viable procedures.
It is also possible to choose a Qualiopi-certified coach-trainer, and thus finance your training-action via mutualized funds (your action plan). If you don’t yet have your own structure, you can also take advantage of the CPF training scheme to set up your own training or skills assessment organization. Some courses include training in the National Quality Standards.
Choosing the right certification body is important. In addition to the fees charged by each one, you need to choose an organization adapted to your specific needs.
For example, a driving school does not have the same specific features as a training organization specializing in management, and they may not choose the same certifier.
There is a list of 25 certifying bodies on the Ministry of Labour website, but they are not the only ones authorized to issue the certification!
Indeed, France Compétences, whose role is to improve/finance and regulate the training market, publishes a list of specialized labels, which includes, for example :
These labels allow you to obtain both specialized certification and Qualiopi. The requirements for these dual certifications are, of course, slightly different, with additional criteria compared to the Qualiopi quality reference framework, and costs are often revised upwards.
It may be a good idea to find out about the different labels, and see if dual certification is appropriate for you. However, you need to look into this from the outset of your preparation, as the requirements will differ. Here again, enlisting the help of a partner can help you see things more clearly and save you time.
As provided for in Article 7 of the Order of June 6, 2019 on the audit procedures associated with the national reference system referred to in Article D. 6316-1-1 of the French Labor Code, you can switch certifiers at any time.
This change is possible at the time of the renewal audit. This can be a solution if you are not satisfied with the organization that carried out your previous audits. Most certification bodies explain the certification transfer procedure on their website. It’s also a wise choice if, for example, you decide to specialize and obtain a double label such as FLE.
In fact, changing your certification body to obtain this double label would give you greater visibility and access to specialized markets. Finally, you should be aware that your certification body may no longer be accredited by COFRAC, in which case you’ll have to change your certification body.
This change is also possible during the cycle. However, you will have to carry out your surveillance audit with the same certification body as for the initial audit.
If you are refused certification during the initial audit, you can choose to change certification body. All you have to do is apply for a new initial audit with the body of your choice. Please note, however, that you still have to wait three months before you can carry out the new initial audit, whether with the same body or a different one.
What texts are these new regulations based on?
