CQE or Sigma Training?

[livingston]

I am considering getting additional training to move into quality engineering. I have seen certifications for a certified quality engineer or Sigma Training at various levels. Which one is more in line with current manufacturing trends?

 

[PSE]

Look at the industry you are in for "trends". Where I work (instruments), six sigma is being bandied about and we have had some initial exposure training. We also have a few CQEs who obtained their certifications more because they wanted them rather than corporate expectations. Off hand I would anticipate that six sigma development would mesh quite nicely with the ongoing professional development requirements for CQEs.

Regards,

 

[jpankask]

Both actually will round you out quite well. A lot of manufacturing companies are jumping on six sigma but are not fully behind the process. Becoming a six sigma certified black belt may help open some doors for you but I would bet that you will see come curtailment of six sigma programs in the next 5-10 years because of lack of upper management drive for it. Six sigma has a lot of great qualities and you can apply the concepts/methods to other areas of professional life (besides just improving the bottom line) when you can fully understand it.

The CQE will be easier to obtain, you just need to study for and pass the 5 hour exam. Six sigma certification will take you several months to complete and you will need to complete 1 or 2 six sigma projects to earn your certification. Also, you should have a company that will sponsor your certification. My certification cost $7,000 in 2002, plus travel and expenses for 5 weeks over a 6 month period. The CQE is much cheaper. Also, have you considered the P.E. license? The P.E. is as likely as the CQE to open doors for you but is more transferrable to other employment opportunities besides quality. When I changed professions in 2004, my P.E. helped me get the job, six sigma didn't mean anything.

 

[livingston]

I thought about getting my PE (already passed the EIT) but the PE references I would need are so far back in my work history that I am not sure they would remember me well enough for this purpose. Even with my degree and work experience, I still need 4.

 

[pso311]

The company I'm at is pushing towards six-sigma, with greenbelt training on deck. The CQA, (auditor)CQE, and CRE are all pushed to get more acronyms in house. I'm thinking of taking the CRE. (reliability engineer)
Do they use these in auto or aero?

 

[GregLocock]

We're in auto, we use Six Sigma, I have not heard of the others. All our engineers will have green belts, and most will have had some (say 3 days) reliability and robustness training, within a year or so. We have black belts coming out of our ears, time to get them back to work methinks.

Cheers

Greg Locock

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