Building the Attitudes, Skills and Knowledge for Social Audits

The online course, to be completed first, serves as a refresher for the Basic Course and as an assessment of participants' readiness to take the 3-day classroom course.

"The goal is to promote a stimulating, value-added learning environment," said SAI Senior Manager of Corporate Programs and Training Jane Hwang. "This will help to create a space where all participants enter the classroom well-prepared and are ready to engage with trainers and peers in the advanced exercises and discussions."      It takes an estimated 2 hours to complete the online course, which may be accessed on-demand at the participant's convenience. On-screen slides, recorded audio, and non-scored quizzes review key topics from the Basic SA8000^® Auditor Training course and introduces the agenda for the Advanced classroom course. The online course concludes with a scored on-screen exam, to help participants to gauge whether they are ready for the 3-day classroom course or need more preparation. There are 2 exam attempts; any participants scoring below 75% on both attempts are strongly encouraged to postpone their participation in the classroom course.     The 3-day classroom course reinforces and develops advanced knowledge, skills and attitudes for experienced social auditors. The class builds on the collective experiences of the participants, offering insight into fundamental issues that arise on a regular basis in field assessments. Exercises and case studies brought by attendees help to provide a deeper understanding of industry and regional issues. The course includes a full-day simulated audit in the classroom including document review, worker interviews, writing non-conformance requests and conducting opening and closing meetings.    “Social auditors should feel proud of the essential role they play in maintaining the integrity of SA8000^® certification and other labor audits," said Ms. Hwang. "Our Advanced course is geared toward auditors’ professional development, integrating the latest research in adult learning techniques as well as labor standards. Blending online and classroom training allows participants to maximize and sustain their learning. The online component increases opportunities for self-study, through on-demand resources and practice problems. It prepares students for a more dynamic classroom experience, which builds on peer-to-peer discussions and hands-on, interactive exercises as well as expert lectures.”   Both online and classroom components are required for all participants - neither component is available as a standalone and one cannot be substituted for the other. Anyone who does not complete the online course or scores below 75% on both exam attempts will have 10 points deducted from the final classroom exam.   This article originally appeared in SAI's February 2012 newsletter >>>