Preventive Controls For
Human Food Course
Become a PCQI
FSMA regulations require that key personnel in charge of developing and implementing the Food Safety Plan at a company must be a Preventive Controls Qualified Individual, PCQI. The Preventive Controls for Human Food (PCHF) Course is offered either as a 20-hour (4 days x 5 hours per day) instructor-led course or in a 2-part Blended course, part 1 being on-line and part 2 being instructor led.
Rachel Montgomery of Simple Compliance Solutions has provided the 20-hour course since mid-2016 and the part 2 since early 2017 when she pioneered with offering the 8-hour instructor led part 2 of the Human Food course, live, virtually and interactively in 2 4-hour sessions to enable the training without the time, expense, and hassles of travel, and being away from the work site for a full day. The Simple Compliance Solutions course fee includes the $60 FSPCA official certificate (participants will not have to pay the fees directly to FSPCA).
Simple Compliance Solutions also has years of experience in actual food processing on two continents and helping clients on five continents. Participants rave about the meaningful examples Montgomery can share, and we have received excellent feedback about how the participants feel very engaged with the instructor and other participants.
Note#1: The Current Good Manufacturing Practice, Hazard Analysis, and Risk-based Preventive Controls for Human Food regulation requires that certain activities must be completed by a “preventive controls qualified individual.” This course, developed by FSPCA, is the “standardized curriculum” recognized by FDA; successfully completing this course is one way to meet the requirements for a “preventive controls qualified individual.”
Note#2: The courses provide a certificate. FSPCA states the following related to advertising requirements for the courses: "FSPCA participant courses are NOT certification courses. Do not use the terms certification or or Preventive Controls Qualified Individual (PCQI) certification. The certificates that are issued by the FSPCA for the participant course are certificates of successful completion. FSPCA does not provide or manage certification."
Benefits
Who Should Attend/Participate
The 20-hour Preventive Controls for Human Food Course (16 Modules)
FSPCA Virtual Online Course
Live interactive virtual instructor-led sessions
The live interactive instructor-led virtual online course is identical to the site-based course with the exception of it being conducted over the ZOOM platform over more days with fewer hours each day. You will need webcam and audio (headset is ideal) to join the live but virtual conference training. The 20-hour course, normally 2.5 days on a site, is conducted in 4 live virtual sessions, 5 hours each, directed by an FSPCA lead instructor.
Once you register, you will receive additional information, including how to download the Zoom software. Participants must be ‘present’ virtually during the entire course, and actually, you will enjoy participating face-to-face and voice-to-voice virtually with the instructor and other participants over the full hours of the course, aside from the breaks that will be provided. Note: If you are not already internet savvy or have any concerns that your internet is not fast enough for full audio/visual communication over the Zoom platform, contact the instructor before the course for a ‘practice session’ just with you to try things out.
*We are creating classes outside the U.S., so if you don’t see your time zone, please contact us and let us know your time zone needs.
Virtual Online Course
Participants Ratings:
20 hours total
4 live virtual sessions
(5 hours each)
$700 USD
FSPCA Certificate Included
Upcoming Schedules:
2024
Aug 26-29
Sep 23-26
Nov 18-21
Dec 3-6
2025
Jan 27-30
Feb 24-27
Time:
11:00am - 4:30pm Eastern each day
FSPCA Lead Instructor
Rachel Montgomery
Mrs. Montgomery is an FSPCA Lead Instructor (Human Foods Certificate # 32c592bd, Animal Foods Certificate # 1bd2c691, Foreign Supplier Verification Programs Certificate # f3830814) with over 30 years experience as a food safety executive in large-scale manufacturing. Montgomery is the Principal of Simple Compliance Solutions, LLC and a Registered Microbiologist (National Registry of Certified Microbiologists). She can deliver the Preventive Controls or FSVP courses at your in-house or preferred location. Montgomery also provides consulting (See details on the Consulting Services page).
Mrs. Montgomery has received the 2023 FSPCA 1000 Club certificate in recognition of training 1000 or more participants, cumulatively in the four FSPCA training curricula, with FSPCA certificates issued.
Very impressed and I would recommend the instructor to anyone needing these certificates.
Alesia M. Knott, Cargill
Great course! Skeptical of webex course at first because it’s not my favorite route. However, Rachel did an excellent job. Warm welcoming environment, knowledgeable and personable. I like how the virtual break-out rooms were used. Had a great group to work with and good conversations. I also liked how it was spread over 4 days (Virtual Online Course – Preventive Controls for Animal Food). It can be a lot of information to take it, so felt this was good. This was the best webex training I’ve attended!
Lorie Hannappel
FSPCA Blended eLearning Course
16 modules self-paced eLearning + 8 hrs virtual instructor-led session
Part 1 is the official 16 modules FSPCA curriculum online that you can complete at on your own pace, in one or multiple sessions. Individuals have completed in as few as 6 hours. The Blended part 1 is $208 payable directly to FSPCA.
Live virtual interactive instructor-led part 2 of blended course. The course follows the Blended Part 2 course exactly but is live, interactive, instructor-led over Zoom or a similar platform. Usually the course is split over two days, which benefits those in manufacturing who cannot be away from operations for a full day. Personnel won’t have to leave the the plant or office AND won’t have to be tied up all day in training. This is the perfect solution for busy manufacturing managers and for executives alike! Include additional team members without disrupting the workplace!
Simple Compliance Solutions offers Part 2 as virtual instructor-led sessions (in two 4-hour sessions) so that you can complete the entire training online – saves time and money! During this session you will take a closer look at a Food Safety Plan to ensure you’re prepared to write or update your own plan to satisfy the Preventive Controls for Human Food requirements. The virtual session is directed by an FSPCA lead instructor. You must complete Part 1 prior to taking Part 2 to receive your certificate.
Private virtual training is also available. Include your whole team to enhance implementation and have back-ups to handle the duties of a PCQI, including the 7-day requirement for review of records.
*We are creating classes outside the U.S., so if you don’t see your time zone, please contact us and let us know your time zone needs.
Blended eLearning Course (Part 2)
Participants Ratings:
Self-paced eLearning
Plus 8 hrs virtual instructor-led session
$350 USD
FSPCA Certificate Included
Upcoming Schedules:
No public course are scheduled at this time
Time:
11:00am - 3:30pm EST each day
FSPCA 2.5 Day In-Person Classroom Course
Upcoming dates for site based courses:
No public courses are scheduled at this time. Please contact the instructor to express interest in a site-based public course or to request a private course.
Being in the class room that overlooks the beautiful ocean and beaches of Kiawah Island is a huge bonus to the class. It sets a very beautiful and relaxing atmosphere to learn in
Randy Franklin, Great Eastern Sun
Beautiful Kiawah Island (near Charleston), South Carolina, 249455, at The Sandcastle, an Oceanside Conference & Event Center, One Shipwatch Road.
Kiawah Island is a world renowned conference and vacation locale, for families and special events, and voted # 1 island in North America by Conde Nast Traveler. Kiawah is the home of the Ocean Course: “Proud Host of the 2021 PGA Championship” and host of the 1991 Ryder Cup, 2007 Senior PGA Championship and the 2012 and 2021 PGA Championships and 4 other beautiful public courses, among numerous other awards such as # 1 Family Resort and # 1 Tennis Resort.
Note: the conference room has windows overlooking the beach and a deck to gather during breaks or access the beach for a walk.
In Historic Charleston, SC
A vast assortment of hotels are nearby in Historic Charleston, voted America’s # 1 Small City, 5 years & counting: www.charlestoncvb.com
(Note: Charleston hotels closest to Kiawah that have been recommended by other course attendees are the Residence Inn Charleston, and the Holiday Inn Riverview, both with views of the Ashley River.)
On Kiawah
The Andell Inn(AndellInn.com, Tel: 843-793-6050), is a Boutique Village Resort Hotel, voted a Top 10 Hotel, 2015 by Southern Living Magazine and located in Freshfields Village, a unique town-center mix of shopping and dining, in a stylish atmosphere.
1,2 & 3 bedroom villas & also houses are available on Kiawah:
Refund Policy:
Cancellations with refund up to 2 weeks prior. The $19.95 processing fee is not refunded.
In-Person Classroom
Participants Ratings:
2.5 Day
The Sandcastle
One Shipwatch Rd,
South Carolina, 29455
$795 USD
FSPCA Certificate,
lunch and snacks Included
Upcoming Schedules:
No public course are scheduled at this time
This course can also be delivered as private training in-house or at your preferred location for your company or organization. Please contact the Lead Instructor, Rachel Montgomery, to request a quote.
Facility and corporate executives: bring your entire or key members of your food safety team to this public course (or as a private option) and take advantage of time to confer and to plan your compliance with this far-reaching rule. Bringing in key leaders and cross-functional team members can be instrumental in building or strengthening your food safety culture. It is also an opportunity to bring family members and combine business with meaningful family time at a resort location.
Phone: (843) 319-1377
[email protected]