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      Training Common Questions

      Helpful tools for both food safety practitioners and professionals

      Whether you’re seeking food safety certification for the first time, working to maintain your site’s certification annually, or serving as an SQF Professional, we have training resources we encourage everyone to utilize to get the most out of the program, including:

      • Online, self-paced SQF implementation training, risk course collection & exams
        • Offered on the ZOSI learning platform
        • English & Spanish options
      • SQF Licensed Training Centers – offering virtual & in-classroom; see our calendar here
      • SQF Auditor Training
      • SQF Professional Updates

      Based on your food safety path, check out some of our most helpful educational resources and discover the tools that will give you the most support throughout your SQF Journey.

      What training courses and exams does SQFI offer?

      Please visit this link for a list of current SQF courses with descriptions.


      How do I register for an SQF training course?

      First, determine the type of training you would like to take. 

      If you are looking for self-paced, online courses for yourself or your team, SQF has courses on Implementing, risk, and other topics. The SQF online courses are listed here https://www.sqfi.com/online-training.

      The platform the SQF online courses are administered on is Zosi learning,  visit this link. If you need assistance registering, please get in touch with support@zosilearning.com or visit https://www.zosilearning.com/resources/support/.

      If you desire a classroom-style course offering, SQF has 32 licensed Training Centers around the globe. Please visit this calendar link. If you would like to register for a Training Center class, you can visit the training center link listed on the calendar. If you need assistance, please contact info@sqfi.com or contact the training center directly.

       

      SQF Auditing Courses

      Please visit this calendar link to see the current offering of SQF Auditing Courses.

      If you need assistance registering, please get in touch with info@sqfi.com. To register for a course on the SQFI website, follow the steps below.

      1. Go to the SQFI website and click Events & Training
      2. If the course is an SQF Auditing course, select the auditing course you would like to register for and click the orange "Register" button.
      3. Click "Register Now"
      4. Log in, or if you do not have an account, log in already, then sign up to create an account (on the right) 
      5. Add the attendees
      6. Confirm the fee and continue
      7. Make payment and proceed to the confirmation screen
      8. Save your confirmation and wait for the course to start!

      How do I get my training certificate?

      If you attended training before 2012

      BOTH EXAMS MUST BE COMPLETE: Core Requirements & Implementing SQF #000 

      • If you PRINTED your certificate, please request your certificate of attainment
      •  If you took the ONLINE COURSE, please request your certificate of attendance

      If you did not print your exam certificate, no certificate number was generated and we will need to issue you a replacement certificate. Please email info@sqfi.com for a replacement certificate. 


      If you attended training after 2012

      If you completed training online with Zosi/Alchemy please contact support@zosilearning.com for your certificate. 

      If you completed SQF Auditor training, please email info@sqfi.com with the year you were certified and the course title.

      If you completed training in person at an SQF training center, please contact your training center directly, as SQFI does not retain certificates issued by the SQF licensed training centers.

      Here is a list of our current licensed training centers.

       

      Does SQFI offer HACCP training?

      SQFI requires HACCP Training for its practitioners but does not offer HACCP training. 

      For more information on practitioner requirements, download the SQF Code.


      The SQF code requires HACCP training to meet the following requirements:

      The training shall be:

      1. Recognized as a HACCP training course used extensively in a country.
      2. Administered and delivered by a recognized institution.
      3. The acquired knowledge of the candidate shall be assessed as part of the training program.

       

      What are the requirements for being an SQF Practitioner?

      The requirements of the SQF practitioner are outlined in element 2.1.1.5 of the SQF Code and are listed below.

      The primary and substitute SQF practitioner shall:

      1. Be employed by the site;
      2. Hold a position of responsibility related to the management of the site's SQF System;
      3. Have completed a HACCP training course;
      4. Be competent to implement and maintain HACCP-based food safety plans; and
      5. Have an understanding of the SQF Food Safety Code: Food Manufacturing and the requirements to implement and maintain an SQF System relevant to the site's scope of certification.

      No one examination will qualify an individual to be an SQF Practitioner; however, SQFI has the following exams available:

      • Implementing SQF Systems, which addresses the SQF Food Safety Code
      • SQF Quality Systems exam, which addresses the SQF Quality Code.

      The SQF Exams available can be found at https://www.sqfi.com/online-training

      SQF Practitioners develop, implement, maintain, and improve SQF systems at their organizations.  For more information about SQF Practitioners, please check out the SQF Code or attend an Implementing SQF Systems course. 

       

      What are the requirements for being an SQF Auditor?

      The requirements to register as an SQF auditor are summarized below.

      Education

      Training

      Experience

      FSC Requirements

      University degree in food technology/food safety/food hygiene.

      Auditing the SQF Code Requirements course,

      HACCP training, and

      SQF Food Safety Auditor online exam

      5 years of work experience in a food-related technical or supervisory role

      AND

      160 audit hours in food safety

      2 years of work experience in the industry sector

      OR

      160 audit hours in the industry sector

      OR

      A combination of both

      SQF Auditors register with SQFI to conduct audits at facilities seeking SQF certification. 

      Licensed SQF certification bodies are required to use registered technical reviewers or registered SQF auditors to review or provide oversight of the review of all SQF audit reports created by that certification body.

      Please check out this page on our website for more information about SQF auditors.

      The SQFI Team is here to help; if you have any additional questions, please contact us at info@sqfi.com or 202-220-0635.

      Last Updated 02/08/2023