According to the China Certification and Accreditation Association, the revised version of the registration criteria for certification personnel, which has been brewing for a long time, was released on February 26th. The newly revised "Registration Criteria for Management System Auditors" and seven other revised registration criteria (attached in the original text) have responded positively to the opinions and suggestions widely reflected in the certification industry in recent years, such as supplementing and improving general knowledge, adjusting the requirements for applicants' work experience and professional work experience, unifying internship registration levels, optimizing examination subjects, and enhancing personnel capabilities. This revision of the guidelines is based on the current national strategy for high-quality development and the actual development of the industry, in line with the trends and laws of the certification industry, and provides corresponding guarantees for the supply of talents in the certification industry.

Adapt to the times and comprehensively enhance the level of personnel capabilities

This revision focuses on the comprehensive improvement of the certification personnel's ability level. In the introductory stage, starting from the general basic knowledge of certification disciplines, accumulating and developing, comprehensively improving the overall quality level of certification practitioners; In the stage of career development, guide practitioners to actively learn, strengthen the concept of lifelong learning, continuously accumulate experience, and meet the needs of personal career development and service recipients.

Currently, high-quality development has become a national strategy. As a high-tech service industry, certification and accreditation are based on the premise of high-quality development of the service itself. Certification personnel are the core resources of certification work, and there is an urgent need to enhance their abilities to meet the requirements of the current situation. The Opinions of the State Council on Strengthening the Construction of Quality Certification System and Promoting Total Quality Management (Guofa [2018] No. 3) put forward the requirements for strengthening the education of quality certification disciplines and the construction of professional talent teams. The Proposal of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Formulating the 14th Five Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development and the Long Range Objectives for 2035 proposes to deeply implement the strategy of building a strong country through talent, with the core being the construction of a talent team.

The registration criteria, as a benchmark document for the competency requirements of certification auditors, play an important role in ensuring the quality of the industry's talent pool. Based on the information collected from previous visits and daily work of the China Certification and Accreditation Association (CCAA), certification bodies and enterprises generally reflect that there are problems with certification personnel, such as a mismatch between their abilities and the growing needs of customers, insufficient mastery of basic knowledge and related skills in qualification assessment and certification, inability to understand and use certification basis in combination with reality, and lack of motivation for continuous learning, resulting in poor certification effectiveness and a lack of recognition of the value of certification by enterprises.

In the context of the era with high-quality development as the theme, the current registration standards for certification and audit personnel's ability requirements can no longer meet the needs of current social development. The China Certification and Accreditation Association has completed the revision of seven registration criteria, including the "Registration Criteria for Management System Auditors", after two years. It has supplemented and improved the shortcomings of personnel in the basic theory and methods of certification. In response to the problems of similar content and repeated assessments in exam subjects, improvements have been made by integrating some exam subjects and extracting common basic knowledge as public subjects to improve exam efficiency, reduce exam burden, and facilitate applicants' needs for expanding into multiple fields.

Adhering to integrity and innovation, the four highlights address the human resources core, including the "Registration Criteria for Management System Auditors" and seven other registration criteria. After two rounds of public solicitation of opinions and review by the Personnel Registration Technology and Complaints Committee, it basically responds to the practical needs of personnel registration and examination reflected by the certification industry, and reflects the basic requirements for the healthy development of the service industry. The experts involved in the revision and approval of the standards concluded that the four major highlights of the revised version of the seven registration standards provide a basic guarantee for solving the human resources issues that are widely concerned in the certification industry.

Highlight 1

Adjust knowledge and skill requirements

Supplement and improve general knowledge

The current registration standards focus on the specific knowledge and skills required for personnel in the certification field, while the requirements for general knowledge of certification disciplines such as basic theories, methods, and technologies required for certification work are relatively weak. Research and questionnaire surveys also reflect a lack of basic theoretical knowledge among personnel, who are unaware of the reasons behind it. In response to the shortcomings of the current registration standards and the practical problems of certification personnel's abilities, this revision mainly adds the requirements for basic knowledge of qualification assessment and various certification categories.

The basic knowledge of qualification assessment is applicable to all registered personnel. Mainly including: the concept of qualification assessment, general technology, application of qualification assessment, national quality infrastructure, etc. The basic knowledge of qualification assessment is the embodiment of the basic principles and methodology of the certification industry, and it is also the fundamental theory that personnel entering the certification and accreditation industry should master.

The basic knowledge of each certification category is divided into three categories according to the certification category: management system certification basic knowledge, product certification basic knowledge, and service certification basic knowledge.

Basic knowledge of management system certification, applicable to management system auditors. Mainly including: management science and management system foundation, management system standard high-level structure, management system special certification technology and application, commonly used methods and tools for management system audit, etc.

Basic knowledge of product certification, applicable to product certification inspectors. Mainly including: product quality and compliance evaluation, product certification scheme, product certification process and key technologies for factory inspection, commonly used management methods and tools for product inspection, etc.

Basic knowledge of service certification, applicable to service certification examiners. Mainly including: the concept and classification of services, service quality and its management, service certification foundation and key technologies, commonly used management methods and tools for service certification, etc.

The basic knowledge of each certification category covers the specific basic theories, key technology application knowledge, and corresponding management methods and tools of the corresponding certification category. It is a common theory, technology, and method that personnel engaged in the audit, inspection, and review of the corresponding certification category should master.

Increase requirements for the use of information technology tools

In the information age, using tools such as computers and mobile phones to collect information and communicate has become a basic skill for modern people. The traditional method of obtaining audit information can no longer meet the needs of modern authentication activities. This revision also adds requirements for the information technology and tool application capabilities of certification personnel, which is an important means to ensure the effectiveness of audits.

Highlight 2

Integrate exam subjects

Due to the addition of new knowledge and skill requirements in the guidelines, the current examination subjects are no longer able to scientifically and effectively assess the newly added ability requirements. At the same time, in order to improve exam efficiency, the newly revised registration criteria have optimized and integrated some exam subjects, extracted common basic knowledge as public subjects, and facilitated the needs of applicants to expand in multiple fields. The unified examination subjects for certification personnel have been adjusted to three categories: certification general foundation, certification general category foundation, and certification field foundation.

Extracting common foundational knowledge as a common subject

Improve exam efficiency and facilitate applicants to expand their needs in multiple fields

The certification universal basis applies to all registered personnel. The assessment criteria include knowledge, standards, and techniques related to qualification assessment, knowledge, techniques, and management related to auditing, as well as knowledge of relevant laws and regulations. The basic certification categories include three subjects: "Management System Certification Fundamentals", "Product Certification Fundamentals", and "Service Certification Fundamentals", which are respectively applicable to registered management system auditors, product certification inspectors, and service certification auditors. The assessment points include the basic knowledge of the corresponding certification categories, the application of key technologies, and common management methods and tools. The certification field will maintain the current practices and be set according to the corresponding registration fields, applicable to personnel registered in the corresponding certification fields. The assessment points include standard knowledge, technical specifications, professional knowledge, and legal and regulatory knowledge in the corresponding fields.

The adjusted exam subjects cover the basic theories, methods, and techniques of certification and accreditation, which is not only more scientific but also effectively improves exam efficiency.

Highlight Three

Adjust qualification and experience requirements

Adjust the work experience of college degree applicants

Requirements for years of professional work experience

Based on the feedback collected through research, most institutions believe that the registration criteria for management system auditors require applicants with a college degree to have too much work experience and professional experience, which to some extent hinders the introduction of talent. In this revision, the requirement will be adjusted to: at least 8 years of work experience and at least 6 years of professional work experience.

Unified Internship Registration Level

To ensure consistency in knowledge and skills among certification personnel who are new to the industry, product certification inspectors and service certification inspectors are set up at the internship level, consistent with management system auditors.

Highlight Four

Reinforcement of Continuous Learning Requirements

Continuously improving professional competence

Internship level personnel, as "new recruits" in the certification industry, need to put in effort in learning certification theory and honing audit techniques. Only through continuous learning can we deepen our understanding and improve our practical abilities. The revised registration guidelines aim to create a learning oriented industry atmosphere by strengthening the continuous learning requirements for internship level personnel, urging industry practitioners to actively learn and enhance their abilities. At the same time, we advocate the concept of lifelong learning and continuously improve our professional abilities to adapt to the constantly changing demands of the times.

To strengthen services and ensure the smooth and orderly "boarding" of certification personnel, CCAA has formulated detailed and comprehensive transitional arrangements to ensure the smooth and orderly implementation of the registration criteria before and after the revision. The transitional period arrangement takes into account the actual situation of personnel who have passed the current unified examination subjects to the greatest extent possible, and provides scientific, reasonable, and favorable transitional period arrangements.

Taking into full consideration the actual needs of the applicant, multiple registration paths are provided, and the applicant can freely choose the appropriate registration method according to their own situation. The exam results obtained will be recognized during the transition period. When it registers according to the transition period plan, it can waive the corresponding requirements for the new version of the exam. The transition period is set from the date of implementation of the guidelines to June 30, 2022.

In order to facilitate applicants to have a clear and accurate understanding of the revised registration standards and the transitional period arrangements, CCAA has recorded a series of lecture materials titled "Interpretation and Implementation of the Revised Registration Standards", which will be broadcasted on the training platform via online video. The content includes an overview of the revised registration standards, reform and examination arrangements for certification personnel registration exams, special interpretations of the seven revised registration standards, and interpretations of issues related to transitional period arrangements. The materials systematically, comprehensively, and meticulously explain the hot topics and key content that applicants are concerned about. At the same time, CCAA will continue to monitor and collect feedback and issues from all parties, and adopt other methods to further promote and answer them according to actual needs.

Notice on the Release of 7 Registration Standards, including the Revised Registration Standards for Management System Auditors

All relevant institutions and personnel:

In order to promote the high-quality development of the certification industry, strengthen the construction of professional talent teams, and further enhance the ability level of certification auditors, the China Certification and Accreditation Association (CCAA) has revised the "Registration Guidelines for Management System Auditors", "Registration Guidelines for Compulsory Product Certification Inspectors", "Registration Guidelines for Voluntary Product Certification Inspectors", "Registration Guidelines for Organic Product Certification Inspectors", "Registration Guidelines for Good Agricultural Practice Certification Inspectors", "Registration Guidelines for Green Product Certification Inspectors", and "Registration Guidelines for Service Certification Inspectors". Compared with the current registration standards, the revised registration standards have supplemented and improved the general knowledge and skills of certification auditors, optimized and integrated examination subjects, adjusted some qualification experience requirements, and strengthened the requirement for continuous learning. It is hereby released (see Annex 1-7) and will be implemented from April 1, 2021.

The transitional period from the implementation date of the revised registration guidelines to June 30, 2022. During the transition period, applicants who took the exam before 2021, passed the exam, and are within the validity period can register according to the requirements of the current registration criteria; Registration can also be arranged according to the transition period (see Annex 8).

The CCAA online training platform has also launched a series of promotional videos on the "Interpretation and Implementation of the Revised Registration Standards". Applicants can log in to the CCAA official website（ http://www.ccaa.org.cn/ ）Click on 'Online Training Platform' to watch.

This is to inform you.

enclosure:

1. Registration Criteria for Management System Auditors (1st Edition, 3rd Revision)

2. Registration Criteria for Compulsory Product Certification Inspectors (3rd Edition, 1st Revision)

3. Registration Criteria for Voluntary Product Certification Inspectors (3rd Edition, 2nd Revision)

4. Registration Criteria for Organic Product Certification Inspectors (3rd Edition, 1st Revision)

5. Registration Criteria for Good Agricultural Practice Certification Inspectors (2nd Edition, 1st Revision)

6. Registration Criteria for Green Product Certification Inspectors (1st Edition, 1st Revision)

7. Registration Criteria for Service Certification Reviewers (1st Edition, 2nd Revision)

8. Transitional arrangements

China Certification and Accreditation Association

February 25th, 2021