Should You Obtain Six Sigma Certification?

Six Sigma has been around for a long time and there is an argument over whether or not it was started in the US. The US became aware of the problems in manufacturing by working with Toyota and other corporations who had experienced a significant breakdown in quality and did take my Six Sigma certification course. It was apparent that the methods of Toyota’s quality management program were falling short of their goals and their reputation was on the line. There was pressure to bring the plan into line and the head of a company in Southern California decided to take my Six Sigma certification course, even though it was something he thought should be a no-brainer.

He knew that the business side of his company needed the quality assurance that only a Six Sigma program could bring. The quality of the product would obviously be vitally important but so would retain the customer base that kept the company in business. And so the first step in improving the quality of the company and its processes and procedures took my Six Sigma Green Belt certification. Then he made the decision to train his employees in the new methodologies. He also wanted to upgrade their hardware and software so that the entire company was properly aligned with this new approach.

My role as a Six Sigma Black Belt was to train the people who would implement these new improved Six Sigma tools into the workplace. This was the logical next step as the logical next step after the Six Sigma Green Belt certification was to take my Six Sigma certification course and actually implement it. My biggest fear at first was getting people to really embrace the methodology because of the language of Six Sigma that they used. It was difficult to break down and explain to them what Six Sigma really was.

However, once I understood the logic behind the Six Sigma framework and why it was relevant to the business environment, I found that once the employees understood that it was a process of change that required continuous improvement, they were more open to training and deploying the material into the workplace. This process of continuous improvement has brought about a lot of success for my organization. The employees who took the Six Sigma Green Belt certification course have gone on to become Black Belts in their companies and the managers who implemented these tools have reaped the benefits by improving the quality of the company and lowering the cost of operations.

There are several people who have gone on to become Black Belts in the areas of Six Sigma. While I was able to help them get started on the right foot, I believe that having six sigma certification is critical for any management team or department to make sure that the people who are being put in place to understand what is expected of them and what the consequences are if they do not meet those expectations. For example, one of the employees who came to me with the Six Sigma Green Belt certification asked me how we could get all of the employees trained in the Six Sigma methodologies? She was concerned that we could not afford the training time. I assured her that there are various ways that we could do that, which did not break the bank.

Another employee, who was certified in the fall of last year, wanted to know how six sigma certifications helped her increase her sales numbers. She understood that in order to make the most money possible she needed to have Six Sigma training, but she also wanted to feel as though her efforts were contributing to her company’s bottom line. She found that having the Six Sigma training, along with her other training materials, allowed her to develop a plan to improve the profitability of the company in order to retain and increase her current employees. Six Sigma training was definitely important to her. Now that she is out on her own, she feels confident that she can do as well or better than she ever thought possible.

Six Sigma certification is not for everyone. The requirements for Six Sigma training are very high and it can be a challenge to meet even the lowest standards. There are many people who will take an opportunity to obtain certification, but there will always be another group who will shy away from it due to the demands. However, anyone who does decide to pursue certification should definitely look at it as a way to improve themselves and their careers. It may not have the immediate impact that some of the other training opportunities that are available have, but over time it will certainly have a positive impact.

When you go for the six sigma certification, it should not be seen as a step towards being certified. Rather, it should be seen as a way to move forward in your career and a way to help you achieve success. When the right candidates take this course, they will see that the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages. They will feel as though they have taken an important step towards fulfilling their dreams and aspirations.