Western Sydney University and NATA recently marked 35 years of conducting mock assessments.
The public research university in the Greater Western region of Sydney, has hosted these mock assessments by NATA at its Hawkesbury campus on an annual basis.
The campus is home to the forensic science degree and the Crime Scene House training and research facility, which allows forensics majors to investigate realistic crime scenes and collect evidence.
The mock assessments are part of classes conducted during the semester and consist of developing and documenting the quality manual against the requirements of ISO/IEC 17025. It also includes designing and performing one test method.
“The mock assessments not only introduce forensics students to the documentation of a quality manual, including a test method,” said NATA Accreditation Team Leader, Lyndon Thomas, “but it also exposes them to NATA and the importance of its accreditation services.”
For NATA staff who participate in the annual activity, Thomas said it provides Assessors with an opportunity to do something different from the standard assessments of accredited facilities.
“There is the knowledge and pride that NATA is contributing to the expertise of the scientists of the future, particularly around the important aspects of ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation,” he said.
The mock assessment program takes place in the second half of each year and the disciplines that are part of the program are Microbiology, Chemistry and Forensic Science.
“No other university in the country offers this core subject to students and, as such, there is a distinct advantage that is afforded to the participants in this course,” Thomas said. “The inclusion of this course on the resumes of the students places them ahead of the rest of the field to be able to gain employment in a NATA-accredited laboratory.”
The course is comprehensive and all-encompassing, and mandatory for all Forensic Science students. It is currently an optional elective for the Microbiology and Chemistry streams.
If you would like to learn more about the timing and participation opportunities for an upcoming mock assessment at the university, contact NATA on 1 800 621 666.