AboutAaron Overbeek Expertise I am a Six Sigma Master Black Belt and Lean Champion. My expertise ranges from tacticle (local) implementation to strategic (global) implementation of Lean Six Sigma. Also knowledgable in Best Manufacturing Practices, Quality, Supply Chain, Engineering, and EH&S. I am not a consultant and do not mind follow up questions.
Experience Bachelors of Science in Manufacturing Engineering from the University of Michigan. Lean Champion and Six Sigma Master Black Belt. Member of the American Society of Safety Engineers, Society of Manufacturing Engineers, and ISO audetation.
Director of Operational Excellence and Strategic Sourcing for multi-billion dollar corporation.
I am interested to learn and work in six sigma.
I am not a engineer. I have a science background.
Please let me know the prerequisites and background required to learn and work in six sigma.
Thank you for answering my question.
Sincerely,
Balaji
ANSWER: The only prerequisit for learning Lean and Six Sigma is to have the motivation and drive to actually learn it. Some recommended skills to have is a basic knowledge of statistics and project management for Six Sigma. I've been training Green Belts, Black Belts, and Lean Senseis for five years now and I've seen many different types of people succeed in Lean Six Sigma. From Production associates to engineers, to finance, to healthcare associates, to Presidents and CEOs.
I hope you continue your journey into Process Improvement. I find the work very fulfilling and provides a lot of variety in my day-to-day tasks.
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Hi Aaron,
Thank you very much for the information. It is very encouraging.
Just like PMI for PMP, is there an organization body that governs Six Sigma and Six Sigma certification?
Where can I get training in Six Sigma?
How long does it take to get training in Six Sigma?
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Balaji
Answer The leader in Six Sigma certifications is ASQ. The downsides to an ASQ certification is that 1) Employers have a sour taste in ther mouth about ASQ. ASQ's job is to get you certified because you gave them the money to get you certified. If you are certified through an employer, I would value that certification more. 2) You need your employer's permission to release your project data to ASQ for the certification. If you work in aerospace, or in MIL, 99.9% of the time they won't release the data (confidentiality).
You can also get certified through a college or university. Their certification holds better ground than ASQ in an empolyer's eyes. The downsides to that is that is might take you longer (6-12 month range including training) and again, you may have to release project data to the organization.
The best way is go through your employer's program if available. If it's not available, you can go to ASQ's website or www.isixsigma.com and find a good organization. (FYI: I received my Black Belt from the University of Michigan's program, and my Master Black Belt from Sigma Breakthrough Technologies)
The length of time to recive the SS Certification varies dependant on the organization's training schedule (some do it a week at a time for four months, others do it for six months) and how complex your project is (if you need to collect data, etc...). Rough estimate, for a third party certification, from start of training to project and test completion, is usually around 8 months to a year for a Black Belt.
