posted 19 August 2001 11:42 PM               

Jon wrote .
> The value of the certificate? It should help you find a better paying
job.
> According to ASQ data, Certified workers earn more on average, than those
> without.

Not to be TOO cynical, but of *course* ASQ is going to tell you it's certifications are valuable. I'd like to see independent data some day.

The professional certification program has been a great way for ASQ to shift its focus from SERVING the quality community to SELLING to it. The society does little more now than sell its products and services, and publish articles that ... well, sell its products and services. Compare its output with that of Quality Digest (a free journal that's not afraid to critique Six Sigma), and you can see what I mean.

The merits of ASQ certification are murky, but it's basically "what you do with it." Some of the companies I work with think certification is a good thing, but most see it as an expensive open-book test and a way for people to litter their letterhead with lots of abbreviations.

Specifically speaking to CQA, of which I have the most familiarity, more companies (including mine) are refusing to acknowledge it at all. I want more than a Mastercard receipt for a test as evidence of someone's ability to effectively audit systems. For auditing certification, the current best means is IRCA or RAB, where the test is real auditing, not writing essays about auditing.

>maybe it helps them get the choice jobs, or maybe the ones in
> better jobs are just more motivated to certify. No matter, many employers
> will only hire those with cert's.

And many won't. In fact, I tell people to challenge companies that require it, and explain the weaknesses in the ASQ certification system to the employer. The important thing there is not to come off as a person who is making excuses for not being certified, but someone who has a legitimate position on the subject.

> ASQ has loads of info on the exams. All you need to do is ask.

And provide a valid credit card number and exiration date.

The thing is, ASQ's role has tremendous potential; it's a shame to see the quality community so ill-served by the quasi-commercial marketing machine it's become. The good thing is that there are alternatives.

CP
-------------------------

posted 20 August 2001 08:49 AM               

I have a CQT and have it noted on my resume and such. Never once have I been asked about it. Does it hurt to have the CQT? No, and I'm sure it has helped to some extent. I have found that employers and customers focus more on my other training in specialized quality fields such as auditing, APQP, FMEA, PPAP, QOS, networks etc... and past accomplishments.

posted 20 August 2001 12:29 PM            

Guess what I found when I looked at the schools. (this was in the mid to late 1980's)
Almost nothing!! After more searching I came upon the ASQ. Finally a place where you could get credit for your knowledge, not how many credit hours you have. I jumped at the chance. Got my CQT, CQA, and CQE.

Most of these certs' require recertification every three years. Which requires proof of continuing education, or retesting. Most require a certain minimum time in the profession before taking the exam. Certification means that you are willing to take the time, and effort to learn your profession and continue learning.

I realize that more schools are offering quality as a field of study, but how many, and how magnanimous are they when it comes to cost? Didn't most of us learn our trade in the trenches?

In sum, YES certifications have been of benefit to me. And I don't believe them to be simply a revenue generator for ASQ.

I now step off my soap box.

James

------------------
Low tech is better than no tech.

posted 20 August 2001 02:22 PM               

As for the CEU credits, wouldn't a sane quality proffesional realize that continuing education is in their own benefit, whether ASQ certified or not?

This is not ASQ bashing on my part, just a view of my experiences, just like yours.

Have a good day.

posted 20 August 2001 04:58 PM            

As with anything else, it depends on what you do with it. If your serious about your profession it will show. I just think ASQ certs' are one way to do that.

No bashing on my part either. JMHO.

James

posted 20 August 2001 07:18 PM               

Just because one has a B.S. in business doesn’t mean they will be successful in running company.

Just because one has achieved a CQM certification, doesn’t guarantee they will be successful in managing a quality department.

But there is a level of confidence and respect that goes behind the training and certification, but no fool proof guarantee.

quote:

---

Originally posted by JRKH:
As with anything else, it depends on what you do with it.

---

posted 22 August 2001 11:53 PM               

1. You must do more than just pay the fee and pass the test to obtain an ASQ certification. In order to be eligible you must already have a number of years of work experience in the applicable body of knowledge. Some - but not all - of the experience may be substituted with academic work. You must also have two people attest that you are a qualified practitioner in the body of knowledge, and provide proof of professionalism such as membership in a professional society that is a member of ABET. (You do not have to be a member of ASQ.)

2. They are NOT easy exams to pass! I have not been involved in proctoring them for several years so I don't have current data, but the first-time pass rate is surprisingly low. The CQT and CQE exams are by far the toughest I have taken during my career, and I did them by choice. I know several people who have taken them as many as four times in attempts to pass.

3. All but two of ASQ's certifications require regular RE-certification. That involves documenting and providing objective evidence of your ongoing employment, continuing education, publishing (darn - The Cove does'nt count!), teaching, professional development and more. If you don't accumulate enough points then you must take the exam again - and I have yet to meet anyone who wants to do that!

4. Some of these certifications are not exactly new - others are at the leading edge. The ASQ Certified Quality Engineer program started in 1968. Some are much less popular than others (anybody here a CMI or CRE?). There are new ones coming on line because of popular demand. In the ten years I have been a member the number of available certifications has doubled, and I know of at least one more that is being developed.

I am very glad I have my certifications and they are a big benefit to me. First, they validate my knowledge, skills and experience to me. Second, they do the same for an employer. (I regularly see placement listings that say something like "BSEE and 5 years experience, or an ASQ CQE".)

As JRKH alluded to, professional certification is a way of validating that you have real experience in the trenches and have learned something from it, instead of only having credit hours piled higher and deeper. But certification by itself, like a degree by itself, cannot be the whole answer especially in a job search. You still have to sell yourself as a total package and not just wave paper in their face.

------------------
Graeme C. Payne
ASQ Certified Quality Engineer