Advice for Career and Education

[gakiss2]

Any advice for something, cert or degree wise that transfers well, has great practical application, and that employers look favorably on?

Your best bet is when a cert. or degree is "Required". The first that leaps to mind is ISO Auditor certificate. Another, avenue is something very technical that is difficult to just 'pick up' The one that comes to mind there is the ability to program a CMM or robotics such as production equipment that runs on logic. Your looking for direct value. The employer 'needs' someone with this 'cert/degree/etc' for some reason.
It seems you are eager to succeed. Best of luck and remember us little people when you make it BIG!

 

[Ed Panek]

Get a general business background, if you can't talk money all that other stuff can end up being pretty decorations on a wall.

This is great advice. A lot of industry leaders came up through Finance or sales and don't appreciate quality work for what it provides. Tying the work quality does into $$ is powerful.

 

[Randy]

This is great advice. A lot of industry leaders came up through Finance or sales and don't appreciate quality work for what it provides. Tying the work quality does into $$ is powerful.

You're right, the 2 have to work hand in hand and more often than not it the chicken vs egg story

 

[JF Quality]

Hello everyone,
My name is Adam, and I'm excited to join this community of quality assurance professionals. I currently work as a Quality Assurance Specialist, where I have taken on the challenge of building our Quality Management System (QMS) from scratch. This has involved outlining our quality policy and objectives, writing reports and assessments, and creating Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for production and administration teams.
My journey in QA has been largely self-taught and built on practical, on-the-job experience. I've had the opportunity to dive into ISO 9001 formatting and utilize concepts from systems engineering and product support engineering. However, my knowledge has mostly come from learning secondhand and through trial and error, without formal training or mentorship from a QA professional.
I am passionate about quality assurance and eager to solidify my foundational knowledge in this field. I'm seeking advice on the best educational paths, certifications, and resources that could help me grow and excel in my QA career. Any guidance on next steps, whether it's courses, books, or practical advice, would be greatly appreciated.
It seems that enrolling in some QA training courses, as well as acquiring and studying copies of the Certified Six Sigma Green Belt Handbook, as well as the Certified Quality Engineer Primer from the Quality Council of Indiana, would be my first steps. Then acquiring a green belt in Six Sigma, as well as a CQE would be my best mid term goals. But I'm very much open to hearing alternative, or expanded ideas regarding what I believe to be the next best course of action.

Thank you for reading, and I’m look forward to your responses.
Best regards,
Adam

Gaining a six sigma education helps to understand the business and departmental connections a little better. I enjoyed learning and it was a good challenge but hasn't improved my current role or increased employer interest. A lot of work for minimal external recognition. The engineering primer may help but I don't know an engineer who has taken the exam. A decent starting point would be to learn about core tools (APQP/PPAP, FMEA, SPC and MSA) and possible take a lead auditor course. These helped me understand my job and the company as a a whole on more levels.