Six
Sigma training is a proven technique in maximizing the abilities of a
company to improve their bottom line through the elimination of defects.
Although the program has proven wildly successful in many different cases,
other companies have tried to implement the Six Sigma system with results
that can best be described as mixed. A large part of the "mixed" (and you
can read that as 'negative'!) results can be attributed to an improper
implementation of the
Six
Sigma process.
One
way in which to avoid mixed results stemming from improper implementation is
Six Sigma certification.
What is Six Sigma Certification?
Simply put, Six Sigma certification is an indication that an individual has
received training in Six Sigma programs. It is usually issued after the
successful completion of a training course at a certain level of the Six
Sigma program (Black
Belts, Green
Belts, master black belts, and so on).
As
with certification in many different areas, such as obtaining a driver's
license, the certification comes not just after training, but after a
student has demonstrated an understanding about that training. This
understanding can be demonstrated both through class participation and the
oral and written test portions of the program. It should be understood that
this certification does not necessarily denote skill level within the area;
there are different levels of proficiency across any classroom and Six Sigma
is no exception.
In
addition, many aspects of the training are not
standardized, therefore some aspects demonstrated by employees with
Six Sigma
certification in one company will be different from those in another
company.
Obtaining Six Sigma
Certification
As
you might have guessed from the last line above, there are several different
ways in which an individual can gain Six Sigma certification. There are
several Six Sigma training companies which provide the training necessary
for companies wishing to implement the Six Sigma concept to eliminate
defects within their processes. In addition, employees at companies with a
long standing record of using the Six Sigma approach will probably receive
some Six Sigma training of
their own. Motorola and General Electric, for example, have developed their
own in house training for Six Sigma principles which achieve the same
results as the training companies.
You
can probably infer from that that Six Sigma certification will not transfer
as well from one company to another, generally speaking. Usually the
companies wherein the Six Sigma concept originated (GE and Motorola as
mentioned above) will have the most transferable value, with second tier
training (training companies) coming in second and recent Six Sigma
companies bringing up the rear as far as rock solid reliability in their
training.
In
short, it's important to understand that certification will not guarantee
that an individual will be able to flawlessly perform the Six Sigma ideas.
What it will do, however, is guarantee that assist in the proper
implementation of the Six Sigma process, which will guarantee profit both to
the individual (it's a good thing to have on a) and for the company that
chooses to implement the process.