Black Belt Training and Salary Discussion

[tcbracing]

Just started online Six Sigma Black Belt Training through MoreSteam.com. My boss liked the ability to work on it when I got a chance instead of a week at a time offsite training.

Very interesting so far. They also offer Certification through the site if your Project is approved.

Any Black Belts out there and what type of training have you done?

Tom Bejma

[Donald Duck]

Tom,

AS I know, your organization can designate you as Black Belt is you fulfill the requirements. Normally company establish their own criteria for Black and green belt. Also you can get the certification outside such as ASQ....

I did not conduct any Six Sigma training when I prepared for ASQ SSBB certification. I do think the difference between Six Sigma Projects and traditional quality activities is the principle. Personnelly I like Lean more.

[D.Scott]

Did anyone see the latest salary survey results in Quality Progress? The median salary for a Black Belt is $70,000. For a Master Black Belt the median is $100,000. I find that a little hard to believe but I guess they know what they are talking about.

The other thing that startled me a little bit was the job description for those 2 positions. BB = Six Sigma or quality expert, often full-time team leader, responsible for implementing process improvement projects within the business to drive up customer satisfaction levels and business productivity. MBB = Six Sigma or quality expert responsible for strategic implementations within the business; qualified to teach other Six Sigma facilitators the methodologies, tools and applications in all functions and levels of the organization and is a resource for using statistical methods to improve processes.

Oh well, I guess everybody needs to fit in somewhere.

Dave

[Donald Duck]

Ignore GE, Motorola this kind big companies, actually, as I know, lots of BB is not fultime position.

MBB always carry out senior management tasks, sometimes like a champion or process owner. Their high salary not comes from MBB title but from their original position. That's why I never believe ASQ's salary survey. If you stay in a same company, ASQ certification could not help increase your imcoming at all. The best useing of certification is "jumping" to another firm.

something is also interest, a MBB may be a qualified BB without enough management and organization ability, only conduct some training job.

All above are just my own oppintion, NO objective evidences.

[db]

One other thing to consider is there is no overall accepted Black Belt Certification Body of Knowledge/criteria. The criteria for what makes up a black belt varies greatly from organization to organization. Most require you to attend a class, pass a test and complete a project. But the test is not standardized, the type and size of the project is all over the board, and some might not even require you to attend the class.

Makes the whole thing confusing, in my mind. Well, but I'm also always confused.

[Rob Nix]

Good thoughts. I agree with y'all, and add that the standard deviations were highest where the titles were most nebulous. MBB's ranged from 40K to 170K, BB's from 35K to 150K, and "champion" earning from 40K to 172K.

I especially agree with Duck's observation that wages are based more on what you were rather than what you are.

[Richard1964]

I have some experience working with the Moresteam Tool Box and like it quite a bit. I have not yet taken any of their training programs and I was wondering how you made out? Would you use them again and would you recommend the service and training content?

Thanks
Rick Brown