I have just found out that, as expected, I passed the Lead Auditor training course with MfQ. The training should not be underestimated, the case studies and challenges in the course require careful thought from experienced heads as well as newcomers. That said, I have enough experience it would have been embarrassing had I not passed.
It does raise an interesting point, although my training is certified, and the training is accredited by IRCA, I am not a certified IRCA lead auditor. There is a separate, detailed programme of audit evidence to provide before I can be certified by IRCA as a lead auditor. I am certified as having passed a training course that complies with the requirements of IRCA as lead auditor training.
The next step on this journey is to look for opportunities to practice audit skills with the aim of achieving IRCA lead auditor status. This is the continuous improvement life. Learning is not an activity that you do for a time then stop, learning is a lifelong obsession when you are totally committed to continuous improvement.