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Course Descriptions

CALA Training Services currently offers courses aimed specifically at meeting member needs.

For Regulators, Researchers/Monitors, laboratory Customers, and Users of laboratory data:

1. The Value of Accreditation
2. Explaining Measurement Uncertainty to the Clients of Laboratories

Seminars

1. CALA Accreditation Seminar

Non-technical:

1. Understanding ISO/IEC 17025
2. Investigating Non-conformances through Root Cause Analysis
3. Designing a Laboratory QMS to ISO/IEC 17025
4. Care and Feeding of a Laboratory Quality System
5. Laboratory Training effectiveness

Auditor and Assessor Training:

1. CALA Lead Assessor Course (for CALA Assessors Only)
2. CALA Internal Auditor Course (for ISO/IEC 17025)

Technical:

1. Method Development and Validation
2. Proficiency Testing and the Analytical Laboratory
3. Measurement Uncertainty (Analytical Chemistry)
4. Measurement Uncertainty (Microbiology)
5. Laboratory Internal Calibration
6. Uncertainty in Sampling and Compliance Assessment

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Determining and Meeting Member Needs Would you like a course that is not currently offered? Request it! Do you want a specific course in a specific city that is not on our current schedule? Please email the CALA Training Assistant (training@cala.ca) with your name, contact information, the desired course and the desired location. As, and when, we receive sufficient interest, we will organize this specific training to meet your needs. Remember that you are our membership.  We work for you.

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For Regulators, Researchers/Monitors, laboratory Customers, and Users of laboratory data:

The Value of Accreditation – (One-half of One training day) Download the complete course description

1. Learn why accredited laboratories perform better than those not accredited.
2. Understanding how to select laboratories that demonstrate competence for specific tests.
3. Learn what accredited labs must provide to their customers and regulatory agencies.
4. Learn how customers, regulators and stakeholders ensure that accreditation meets their needs.

Explaining Measurement Uncertainty to the Clients of Laboratories -(One-half of One training day) Download the complete course description

1. Certainty about the science
2. Understanding of the uses of uncertainty
3. Some examples

Seminars

CALA Accreditation Seminar (One full training day) Download the complete course description

1. Learn what laboratory accreditation really is, and what it is not!!
2. Understand the principles behind the standard for laboratories.
3. Learn which tools are needed to face accreditation with confidence.
4. Learn about the people and the organisations responsible for accreditation.
5. Hear about the processes and costs from a laboratory already accredited.
6. Understand why the Canadian laboratory accreditation model is respected at home and abroad.
7. Learn how Canadian laboratories share the management of accreditation in Canada.
8. Step-by-step examination of the requirements of ISO/IEC 17025.

Non-technical

Understanding ISO/IEC 17025:2005 (Two full training days) Download the complete course description

1. Principles behind the standard.
2. Examination of basic management system requirements.
3. Interpretations used by accrediting bodies for specific requirements.
4. Development of continual improvement tools
5. How to measure a laboratory quality management system
6. Examination of uncertainty and traceability requirements

Investigation of Non-conformances through Root Cause Analysis (One full training day) Download the complete course description

1. Determine overriding criteria.
2. Avoid the blame game and make better use of the lab QMS.
3. Examine interpretations used by accrediting bodies worldwide.
4. Implement more effective continual improvement tools.
5. Use the QMS to better support the work of lab staff.
6. Prevent recurrences of non-conformances.

Designing a Laboratory QMS to ISO/IEC 17025 (one full day training) Download the complete course description

1. A strategic planning approach used to develop a laboratory Quality Manual
2. A Quality Manual that serves laboratory needs to demonstrate conformance to ISO/IEC 17025
3. Key Result Areas derived from the Principles and Requirements of ISO/IEC 17025
4. What information goes where.
5. Participants should already have purchased a copy of the CALA Quality Manual Template (See Publications Page - http://www.cala.ca/t_CALApubs.html)

Care and Feeding of a Laboratory Quality System (Two full training days) Download the complete course description

1. Understand the overall basis of your own laboratory quality system, “competence” and recognition of this competence.
2. Learn to manage the laboratory quality system with less effort and more impact.
3. Gain insight into the conduct of internal audits and management reviews. (Should not be confused with a formal Internal Auditor course.)
4. Develop understanding of how technical requirements can influence the maintenance of a laboratory quality system.

Laboratory Training effectiveness (Two full training days) Download the complete course description

1. Understanding training needs
2. Setting training or coaching objectives
3. Planning and developing a training or coaching session
4. Conducting a training session
5. Handling difficult people
6. Engaging participants through asking questions
7. Presentation skills in the classroom
8. Monitoring progress
9. Providing effective feedback
10. Evaluating the transfer of learning – when can you sign off that the student has learned essential skills

Auditor and Assessor Training 

CALA Lead Assessor Course (Five full training days for CALA Assessors Only) Download the complete course description

1. Learn CALA assessment techniques and acquire CALA assessor tools
2. Based on ISO 19011 (Auditor requirements, qualifications and programs)
3. Training that requires concentration and commitment
4. CALA appoints successful candidates as Assessors in the CALA Accreditation Program.

 CALA Internal Auditor Course for ISO/IEC 17025:2005 (Three full training days) Download the complete course description

1. Standard approaches used in developing and implementing laboratory internal audit programs
2. Based on ISO 19011 (Auditor requirements, qualifications and programs)
3. Specifically designed for laboratories with quality systems conformant to ISO/IEC 17025:2005
4. Guidance from APLAC and ILAC on Internal Audit Requirements

Four workshops and three questionnaires.

Technical

Method Development and Validation (One full training day) Download the complete course description

1. Learn how to select appropriate methods
2. Understand, implement and confirm operation of standard methods
3. Develop in-house methods
4. Validate methods
5. Manage the processes involved

Proficiency Testing and the Analytical Laboratory (One full training day)
Download the complete course description

1. Understand the real benefits and costs of PT
2. Understand PT processes
3. How to select a PT provider that meets your needs
4. What the PT report is really telling you
5. Using your PT results to improve data quality
6. Improve efficiency and effectiveness of testing processes

Measurement Uncertainty - Chemistry (One full training day) Download the complete course description

1. Understanding the requirement
2. Simple approaches to developing uncertainty statements
3. Some examples

Measurement Uncertainty - Microbiology (One full training day) Download the complete course description

1. Understanding the requirement
2. Simple approaches to developing uncertainty statements
3. Some examples
4. Training can be tailored for organic/inorganic chemistry or toxicology or microbiology

Laboratory Internal Calibration and the Competent Propagation of Associated Uncertainties (One full training day) Download the complete course description

1. Theory and principles of calibration regarding the parameter under discussion (Mass or Volume or Temperature)
2. Uncertainty contributions during the calibration process
3. Calibration procedures for the types of instrument under discussion
4. Calculation of the uncertainty propagated through the calibration
5. Determination of the uncertainty contribution of the calibrated device within laboratory testing work.
6. Real examples to work through and develop solutions to common calibration situations
7. A listing of supporting information available from public agencies that support the science of measurement for that parameter.

Uncertainty in Sampling and Compliance Assessment (One full training day) Download the complete course description

Please note that in order to be able to take this course it is highly recommended to have taken the Measurement Uncertainty Chemistry course.

1. Measurement Objectives – terms, definitions and concepts
2. Systematic and Random Effects
3. Describing Uncertainty – Modeling Approach
4. Useful Statistics for Sampling Uncertainty
5. Describing Uncertainty – Empirical Approach
6. Collaborative Trials in Sampling and Sampling Proficiency Tests
7. Management Issues
8. Uncertainty Against Limits
9. Cost Lesson 10 – Conclusions

Prices for CALA Training Services

• CALA Training Services recovers all costs by charging for delivered training.
• Courses are delivered at reduced rates as a CALA member benefit.
• Only CALA Training Service Partners deliver the Technical Training sessions

Classroom and Online Training Fee Schedule (pdf)

 Classroom Courses:

*GST/HST are not included in these prices.*CALA Training Services will deliver training at member sites only when the training is open to all members or the public, in order to prevent conflicts of interest with the delivery of other CALA services provided to members. If a particular training session is for selected members only, then the training will occur off of the member site. Click here for more details.

Member-site prices also require the hosting organisation to supply the following:

1. Coffee prior to the start of each training day
2. Morning and afternoon refreshment breaks
3. Soup and sandwich lunch for all participants (during full-day training only).

Cancellation Policy

• Courses that do not have the minimum number of participants registered at least one month prior to the planned deilvery date will be merged with the next available course in their region.
• Registered participants may cancel, in writing, no later than two weeks prior to the commencement of training in order to receive a full refund.

REDUCE THE COST OF MEMBER TRAINING(.pdf)