The accreditation of a laboratory is primarily dependent on the competence of the staff to maintain the required work standards. Competence arises through a combination of background knowledge, skills, planned training and continuous practice. The laboratories are expected to maintain staff files providing this information and future staff training plans.

The qualifications required of the staff members of a microbiology testing laboratory, and their job descriptions, are given in the table below.

Staff need to undergo regular training and have access to new literature if they are to keep up with developments in testing techniques, the modernization of test methods and changing concepts of laboratory quality management. Planning for future training and keeping evidence of training are a part of the improvement process that helps maintain high standards. Each laboratory is expected to document training plans to remove the weaknesses observed in staff performance. The training needs are discussed and finalized at management review meetings of laboratories accredited against the ISO 17025 international standard.

Performance in a laboratory is a process of continuous improvement. The engagement of analytical staff on regular intra-laboratory and inter-laboratory testing experiences, the examination of observations from internal audits and complaints, and the generation of preventive actions based on work experiences form an important part of in-house training. These activities also provide the opportunity for the technical and quality manager to identify the external training needs of their staff. Systematic implementation of the quality management system in the laboratory, and vigilance on the part of the quality manager do much to develop in-house training.