Did you know? Quality Improvement Associate (CQIA) Certification

I want to bring to the notice of fellow quality professionals about one of the recent ASQ Certification not known to many people.

Quality Improvement Associate (CQIA)

This is fairly a new certification (I guess since 2000).
ASQ Defines:
The Certified Quality Improvement Associate is an individual who has a basic knowledge of quality tools and their uses and is involved in quality improvement projects but does not necessarily come from a traditional quality area.

Highlights are:
This certification application requirements are not very tight. All you require is
"You must have two years of work experience or an associate degree as a minimum." Which is very easy to meet by most Elsmar members.

Exam fees is lesser compared to CQA,CQE,etc.

Another important point is..
There is no recertification required for CQIA.

I project manage CQIA refresher cources for the local section. I have reviewed the Body of Knowledge (BOK). This BOK provides good foundation on Quality Basics.
http://www.asq.org/cert/types/cqia/bok.html

This will be an effective way of complying to the TL9000 requirement

"6.2.2.C.2 Quality Improvement Concepts:
Those employees that have a direct impact on the quality of the product, including top management, shall be trained in the fundamental concepts of continual improvement, problem solving, and customer satisfaction."

There could be other standards that require similar requirement met.
Members who have questions to know more about preparing for this certification can post here (or contact ASQ)

Regards,
Govind.

Govind,

I am interested in gaining a few 'Quality' qualifications yet they are almost non-existent in Australia. Can I gain this and other certifications from outside the States and Canada?
I am quiet certain I could do this one in a canter. At University there are very few courses devoted to quality other than the usual 'Statistics' units.

Greg B

Greg B said:

Govind,

I am interested in gaining a few 'Quality' qualifications yet they are almost non-existent in Australia. Can I gain this and other certifications from outside the States and Canada?
I am quiet certain I could do this one in a canter. At University there are very few courses devoted to quality other than the usual 'Statistics' units.

Greg B

Click to expand...

Greg B,
Thanks for your interest. Please find the brochure attached.
http://www.asq.org/cert/types/cqia/index.html
Page 16 provides international exam center and contacts. Unfortunately, if you are in a location where there is no exam center, please contact ASQ, they may be able to arrange proctor if there are more examinees taking exam.

If you meet the requirement of CQMgr, I would recommend that you take exams like CQMgr,CQA,CQE, etc.. In my opinion, you have gone past CQIA.

Regards,
Govind.

So the answer is "no" for Australia???

Welcome to the ASQC; American Society for Quality Controlling.

By the way, I am certified,

Al...

Govind said:

...If you meet the requirement of CQMgr, I would recommend that you take exams like CQMgr,CQA,CQE, etc.. In my opinion, you have gone past CQIA.

Click to expand...

I completely agree. The CQIA is very basic. It seems to me more like a "quality professional in training" certification. I've been proctoring the exam since it piloted in 2000, and I've never seen anybody use more than 1½ hours to take it even though they give you 3 hours. People usually take the full amount allowed for all of the other exams.

Al, Greg B:
There are centers in Australia based on the information from Page 16 of the brochure.
I am not sure which city Greg B's lives in Australia. That is the reason, I mentioned that if there are no centers, to contact ASQ, Milwaukee for help.
Regards,
Govind.

AUSTRALIA/AdelaideAustralian Organisation for Quality SA
South Australian Quality Centre
Unit 13/70 Walkerville Terrace
P.O. Box 309
Walkerville SA, 5081 AUSTRALIA
phone: 61 8 8344 8233
fax: 61 8 8344 8066
e-mail: [email protected]

AUSTRALIA/Melbourne
The Australian Organisation for Quality
Victoria Division
15-29 Bank Street
South Melbourne
Victoria, 3205 AUSTRALIA
phone: 61 3 9824 0177
fax: 61 3 9824 0199

howste said:

I completely agree. The CQIA is very basic. It seems to me more like a "quality professional in training" certification. I've been proctoring the exam since it piloted in 2000, and I've never seen anybody use more than 1½ hours to take it even though they give you 3 hours. People usually take the full amount allowed for all of the other exams.

Click to expand...

Howste,
You are correct.
Yes, my students too finished CQIA within 1.5 hours and were revising the answers multiple times.All 7 students passed in the first attempt.

This exam is positioned to meet the requirement of beginners in Quality.

See how ASQ defines CQIA"The Certified Quality Improvement Associate is an individual who has a basic knowledge of quality tools and their uses and is involved in quality improvement projects but does not necessarily come from a traditional quality area."

Regards,
Govind.

Thanks Govind and Howste

I may send an email thru to ASQ and ask if can undertake the exams through the Australian Affiliates. However, they are in different states about 3,000 + kilometers away for Melbourne and probably a further 500 for Adelaide (as the crow flies). I'm inb the north east of the country and they are the two most southerly (mainland) state capitals.

Greg B

Greg B..Good news for you..

I sent a mail onbehalf of you to the ASQ certification division and I got the following reply

"Govind- We have several sites set up in Australia, so all they would need to do is fill in an application and let us know where they would like to sit. If we do not have a proctor in a location near them, we will work with them to find someone acceptable to proctor."

"Thanks Govind- Yes, we will work with the person to find a proctor, even if it is for just one person...of course we would like more. Now, if there are several people in the surrounding areas, we will work to combine everyone to one site."

I got this reply in less than 3 minutes! from Ms.Harthun, ASQ Certification Division.

Greg B :Now try to find if you can do a group study and few of you in your area/section who can write exams together. If you cannot find any, still apply for the exam, ASQ will be able to assist you as mentioned in their reply.

Best Wishes,
Govind.

Govind,

Thank you for your efforts you are most kind. I will look into it after I move into my new house in the next few weeks.

Greg B