Obtaining Six Sigma certification

Six Sigma certification provides employees with documented proof that they truly understand how to standardize capabilities that work towards the elimination of defects. Once an individual is Six Sigma certified, they can teach others how to use Six Sigma to reduce their product defects. Depending upon where you are Six Sigma certified, you may or may not be able to learn the skills needed to properly implement Six Sigma. Usually you are only certified on particular subject matter like Master Black Belts, Green Belts, Champions, etc.

To obtain Six Sigma certification, you must review a series of subject matter and then be able to pass an exam. A Six Sigma trainer is normally brought in to provide the training and tests however some companies will create their own exams. The test will look for the employee's knowledge on the Six Sigma process to see if they understand it. Once they pass the written test, they must pass a series of other tests. They will be given a couple projects in an actual working environment and they are told to solve them. In order to pass this section of Six Sigma certification, you must be able to properly demonstrate your knowledge of Six Sigma.

Unlike traditional schooling, there isn't a set rule as to what qualifies and individual as certified or not. Each company is in charge of setting their own benchmark and they can then decide if their employees qualify or not. However, many companies will follow standardized rules about Six Sigma to avoid confusion for the employees and to reduce the complexity of their Six Sigma certification process.

Many companies are on the fence about Six Sigma certification. If they have already implemented it, why do they need to pay thousands of dollars for their employees to become certified? Six Sigma certification helps companies by adding value to their employees. This helps to provide the customer with an increase value. In order for your investment to be worthwhile, you must select employees that are motivated about Six Sigma and they are able to be successful with it.

Six Sigma certification is costly. Individuals that choose to pursue it on their own often do it to increase their marketability. If they can show they invested the time and the money to become certified, other employers will seriously consider them for a position if they are thinking about implementing Six Sigma. However, the salary you are offered by be higher than your usual salary since you invested thousands of dollars to receive the certification.

Since Six Sigma training is expensive, many people have turned to online training methods. It is much cheaper and easier for the employees to learn since they have the opportunity to do it from any computer. Depending upon the type of training you are involved with, it could cost nearly $30,000 to receive your Six Sigma certification. The trainer and location are two of the biggest reasons why your cost may be significantly higher from other companies. The more success and experience a trainer has, the more they will charge you for Six Sigma certification.

Six Sigma certification is not easy so it is vital that you choose the right employees to train. The investment on your employees can turn back to bite you if the employees decide to move on within a year of obtaining their certification. Speak to a trainer about the different types of employees you have. What works for one employee may not be able to work for another one and this can become frustrating for the employer that is investing almost $30,000 per employee.