Using Unemployment Resources for Certifications

[tomvehoski]

I find myself on unemployment for the second time this year. First from the auto industry, then from a short term stop at a defense contractor that got outbid (badly) and didn't win the contract.

I see Michigan is providing up to $10,000 to unemployed workers for job retraining, tuition or certification. I would like to take advantage of this if I could. I'll be heading over to Michigan Works today to see what I might be able to get into.

I already have a BS and AS degree, so no desire to go for the tuition. I also have the CQMgr, CQE, and CQA (although I let them lapse a few years ago). I never jumped on the Six Sigma bandwagon since I think my ASQ certs along with background more than equal a black belt. I also never had someone willing to pay for it, and I didn't see the value in paying for it myself. Now I see it is knocking me out of the running for some jobs as they won't consider someone without the right color belt.

Are there any programs out there that could get me the status in a month or two for under $5000 (annual max for the program)? Something through Michigan colleges might be easier to sell to the state. I'm not looking for a "print your cert off the internet for $5" type of thing. Something reputable that can maybe work with past experience???

The other areas I'm weak in are medical and food quality, so I'm debating about trying to find something to beef up those areas on my resume. I'm also going to look at the Project Management Professional certification too.

Thanks for any ideas.

[Jennifer Kirley]

Ouch, tomvehoski. I hope this is a short lived unemployment period.

Have you talked about this with your local ASQ section? Economic times being what they are, I would expect your section, or some of its members, to have something put together for a need like this.

Please keep us informed - may the wind be at your back!

[tomvehoski]

I have not been active with ASQ for years, so don't know how much value they might be to me now.

I did see that the Eastern Michigan University Center for Quality has an online green belt program which their website says is eligible for the No Worker Left Behind funding. Of course, the state signed me up for the next available seminar on accessing the funding - on December 8th. Will have to see if I can find a way in faster.

[Geoff Withnell]

In Reply to Parent Post by tomvehoski

... I also have the CQMgr, CQE, and CQA (although I let them lapse a few years ago)....

Please be careful of your terminology. If you let them lapse, you do not "have" these certifications. If you make such a statement during an interview, an employer who thought you did and found out otherwise would be justified in firing you for falsifying your employment application.

Geoff Withnell

[Jennifer Kirley]

In Reply to Parent Post by tomvehoski

I have not been active with ASQ for years, so don't know how much value they might be to me now.

I did see that the Eastern Michigan University Center for Quality has an online green belt program which their website says is eligible for the No Worker Left Behind funding. Of course, the state signed me up for the next available seminar on accessing the funding - on December 8th. Will have to see if I can find a way in faster.

You wouldn't possibly know the value unless you re-established your connection. Though this could realistically be perceived as a "fair weather friendship", you wouldn't be alone in having it and I would shamelessly engage any available opportunity.