Internal auditor competence in IATF 16949

Answer:

Requirements for internal auditor in IATF 16949 have been increased compared to the previous version of the standard. The standard now directly refer to ISO 19011 regarding competences of the internal auditor, the rest of the requirements regarding internal auditor competence are located in clause 7.2.3. There is a explicit requirement for internal auditor training to be provided by the competent trainer and the records about trainer's competency need to be retained.

If the internal auditors meet requirements of the standard in terms of competency, no further certification is necessary, unless it is explicitly required by the company's customer.