Checks & records
What is a qualification check?
A qualification check verifies that a candidate holds the certifications a role requires and that they remain current — professional registration, tickets, cards and mandatory training.
Use this diagram+
Free to use on your own site, in training material or in a handout, as long as the credit link stays on it. Paste this where you want the diagram to appear.
<figure>
<img src="https://agencyoptix.co.uk/glossary/qualification/diagram.svg" alt="qualification check — diagram from AgencyOptix" width="880" height="620" loading="lazy">
<figcaption>
<a href="https://agencyoptix.co.uk/glossary/qualification">What is a qualification check?</a> — diagram by
<a href="https://agencyoptix.co.uk">AgencyOptix</a>
</figcaption>
</figure>Verification means checking with the issuing body or an official register rather than accepting a certificate. Forged and altered certificates are a persistent problem in several sectors.
Currency matters as much as possession. Tickets and registrations expire, and a candidate placed on an expired qualification is a compliance failure and usually a contractual breach.
Mandatory training requirements vary by client as well as by sector, so what is required is a property of the assignment rather than of the candidate.
What goes wrong in practice
- Certificates accepted without verification against the issuing body.
- Expiry dates held on the document rather than in a system that raises them.
- Client-specific training requirements discovered at audit.