Looking to Increase My Marketability in Automotive - Any Suggestions?

[rswagner]

I am an experienced quality engineer with primary experience in the Chemical Industry with some Aerospace Industry. My experience has been primarily with ISO 9002. I am looking for a source of information on PPAP's, FMEA's, GD&T, etc. that would increase my marketability into the automotive industry. If anyone has any advice on how to do this, please let me know.

Thanks in advance.

Steve

[Randy]

You should avoid duplication of your posts in Topic Threads and keep topics and discussions as relative as possible. You've got a good post in the occupations thread for the above question that will get you some good answers.

[rswagner]

I am a chemical engineer with 11 years of quality experience, primarily in the Chemical Industry under ISO 9002:1994. I am currently unemployeed. It apprears that the primary market avialability is in the Automotive Industry.

I am looking for ways (inexpensive) to increase my knowledge of PPAP, FEMA, GD&T QS9000, etc. so that I can talk intelligently during interviews as well as modify my resume to relate my experiences in ISO 9002 and even Process Safety Management to the automotive industry.

Does anyone have any suggestions or resources that would be helpful in accomplishing this? Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks, Steve

[Randy]

Well, if your experience is with ISO 9002 you're a couple of years behind the power curve there. For QMS you need at the minimum ISO 9001:2000 on your resume and preferably TS16949.

Honestly ask yourself.."What do I have to offer the automotive industry?" From what you've said, not much. Unless you can provide more than what you'll be asked to deliver chances are slim you'll get what you're looking for.

Why do you want to shift to automotive? I know it's a dominating industry in your area, but is there another reason?

Use the search tool here to answer some of your questions, otherwise be ready to drop a few dimes to get some training...experience, that's another thing all together.

Guys our age have a tough time shifting careers..been there, done that. We need to remember that our education and credentials are great, gee-whiz things to have, but ultimately we need to deliver from the git-go and be competitive with people half our age. Think of yourself as a product on the shelf looking for a buyer. Are you looking at the right market or at the market you want to be right? Two different things.

BTW...Welcome to the Cove

[Claes Gefvenberg]

Hi Steve, and welcome to the Cove.

Originally Posted by Randy

You should avoid duplication of your posts in Topic Threads and keep topics and discussions as relative as possible. You've got a good post in the occupations thread for the above question that will get you some good answers.

I merged the threads...

/Claes

[rswagner]

Thank you. I apologize for the duplicate threads. I was looking for the apprpriate location for the post and did not see the employment section. I saw it after I had posted the initial thread and felt that the question was more appropriate here.

The market niche that my primary experience is in, seems to be a weak one, at best. Like you said, competing against the younger generation is difficult. In looking at employment opportunities, the automotive industry and the medical industry seem to be the most plentiful and stable. However, both have their specific regulatory and quality requirements.

In the chemical industry, as well as the aerospace industry, I have picked up may skills which may be transferrable. However, in order to market these skill, I need to be able to talk the talk on my resume and in interviews. What I am not really sure what I am looking for, specifically. But would like to find good general information on the quality elements in automotive - PPAPS, FMEAs, the significant differences between ISO 9002:1994, ISO 9001:2000, QS9000 and the TS standard.

I hope that there might be a website out there that might give me some of this information that would allow me to identify those transferrable skills.

You are right that I am a couple of years behind the curve on experience. Well, almost. I have also worked under AS9100 as well as ISO9001:2000, but only to a limited degree. But I am hoping to gain enough edge into the automotive industry, even if at the entry level.

Thanks again, Steve

[Randy]

I'll be honest with you Steve, it's gonna be a rough haul at this stage of the game. There are some in-expensive online training things you can take to help you talk-the-talk, but we run into the experience wall again. Because of your chemical engineering background you may find a fit in the environmental field, but that's iffy at best also. Why are you not looking at aerospace?

[Jim Wynne]

Originally Posted by rswagner

I am a chemical engineer with 11 years of quality experience, primarily in the Chemical Industry under ISO 9002:1994. I am currently unemployeed. It apprears that the primary market avialability is in the Automotive Industry.

I am looking for ways (inexpensive) to increase my knowledge of PPAP, FEMA, GD&T QS9000, etc. so that I can talk intelligently during interviews as well as modify my resume to relate my experiences in ISO 9002 and even Process Safety Management to the automotive industry.

Everybody wants to go to heaven, but no one wants to die first. Not that I'm equating the automotive industry with heaven, mind you, but I have to wonder about people who seem to think that they can substitute two hours of training or perusal of a website for the experience needed to be a qualified quality engineer in the automotive world. It ain't that easy.