Are Professional Certifications meaningful? What of Recertification Requirements?

K

Kwilson

#1
OK, this is a multipart question, and a little venting, please bear with me.

I held / hold certifications in CQE, CQA and CMQ/OE, but have been decertified in 2 of them so far, and am not worried about being decertified in the last one. This is where the questions come in...

Have you noticed any difference in your careers due to the certifications? Did they make ANY difference in anything you do? Any doors open due to them, people treat you different, anything at all?

Now, on to the recert question, do you think the recert process and requirements are still relevant? Have they kept up with reality?

Reason for asking, I spent 20+ years in quality and working to build my career, but over the last 3 years, some serious life changes, primarily a divorce and job change, have made me rethink what is really important. No suprise, it's my kids that are most important, not going to meetings, seminars, board meetings, trainings, etc...

The things that are on the exams are the same things I do daily for work, therefore, by keeping my job as a quality engineer means I still pass the test, every day.

Also, in the global economy of 2012, travel is more important, especially since I'm a supplier QE, which makes my home time with my princesses even more valuable.

Thoughts?
 
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harry

Super Moderator
#3
I think professional qualifications of the type that you described are usually to satisfy minimum requirements for a job especially from an employer's perspective (isn't it the same for quality management systems). Beyond that, competency comes in and that's why you are now wondering about the 'meaningful' aspects. It is meaningful if it helps you secure a ticket for an interview but beyond that, your other capabilities such as experience, logical thinking and others become the determinants.

Re-certification costs, time to accumulate the required CPD hours and fresh 'exams or test' and preparations is always a burden. In a turbulent job environment, you need to think carefully about giving it up. If you have no time and/or need to cut cost and have several of such certifications, it may make sense to keep the 'perceived' highest qualification and drop the rest. :2cents:
 
Last edited:

Wes Bucey

Quite Involved in Discussions
#4
OK, this is a multipart question, and a little venting, please bear with me.

I held / hold certifications in CQE, CQA and CMQ/OE, but have been decertified in 2 of them so far, and am not worried about being decertified in the last one. This is where the questions come in...

Have you noticed any difference in your careers due to the certifications? Did they make ANY difference in anything you do? Any doors open due to them, people treat you different, anything at all?

Now, on to the recert question, do you think the recert process and requirements are still relevant? Have they kept up with reality?

Reason for asking, I spent 20+ years in quality and working to build my career, but over the last 3 years, some serious life changes, primarily a divorce and job change, have made me rethink what is really important. No suprise, it's my kids that are most important, not going to meetings, seminars, board meetings, trainings, etc...

The things that are on the exams are the same things I do daily for work, therefore, by keeping my job as a quality engineer means I still pass the test, every day.

Also, in the global economy of 2012, travel is more important, especially since I'm a supplier QE, which makes my home time with my princesses even more valuable.

Thoughts?
Yep. No doubt about it, maintaining a balance between work and personal life can be a burden.

ASQ certification is not a once-and-done proposition. The certified professional will often be the first to acknowledge that, although much of what went into the test to get certified is still valid 20 or 30 years later, there have been changes and improvements which make the job easier or harder and the professional should be aware of them. Shewhart and Deming may have been geniuses, but how much easier they would have been able to perform statistical calculations with electronic devices not even dreamed of back in the old days at Western Electric.

ASQ recert requirements do skew in favor of the guys who are active in their local Sections, but writing articles or giving presentations at places other than Section meetings also counts. Practicing professionals do those kinds of things, especially in the quality industry, because a large part of our job is "spreading the word" that "Quality Saves!"

When our personal lives intrude on our professional lives, we have a choice to make - which to sacrifice. Ultimately, only the individual can make the decision, not an outsider.

For many of us, the peripatetic life of a busy road warrior would destroy personal relationships. Some lucky souls are able to balance both personal and professional life, while most of us have to choose one or the other. In my own case, there was a time in my life when 60 to 80 hour work weeks were doable, because the money was most important at that time, later, when finances were more secure, the home fires needed more tending.

The BIG QUESTION:
Is a certification important after one has reached a certain stage in his career? I don't recall Deming ever having one - didn't seem to affect his life. Certifications are mostly important when you don't have meaningful achievements to point to when you are looking for a new job or when you happen to work for an organization that requires one to stay employed. Requiring a certification is kind of like requiring a supplier to be ISO-registered. It's a factor, but not the ONLY factor in determining whether the holder can fill the other requirements of the job. I certainly have seen a lot of folks WITHOUT certifications that I would hire before some I have seen WITH certifications.

Good luck!
 
Q

QC JEWEL

#5
I personally think that at least in my origin country which is Mexico this will give you advance to get a job or a managment position over the rest of candidates and may be ask for a better salary.

E.g. in the 4 companies that I worked during 14 years I just met one mexican person certified as a CQE.

Jewel
 
L

lacarrye

#6
I totally agree. Actually some of our guys will certify CQE in few days. I one of the most demanded certifications for Quality in 2012.

John Landmark
 
S

sitapaty

#7
What about the IATF regulation that only IATF certified TS 16949 lead auditors are acceptable for TS 16949 certification? Is it some soft of bureaucratic control?
-sitapaty
 

Steve Prevette

Deming Disciple
Staff member
Super Moderator
#8
I hold only one certification - CQE. It definitely has helped as a government contractor to gain some initial credibility with the customer. It has opened doors. Making Fellow with ASQ has gotten good publicity also for my employer, and did have a reasonable impact on my pay.

A lot depends upon how many new clients/customers you need to gain. I've chosen to not let the CQE lapse, but I must admit I don't see an advantage to multiple certifications.
 

Stijloor

Staff member
Super Moderator
#9
What about the IATF regulation that only IATF certified TS 16949 lead auditors are acceptable for TS 16949 certification? Is it some soft of bureaucratic control?
-sitapaty
IATF has made that decision because of concerns about auditor competency.

IATF controls ISO/TS 16949, the "Rules", a common international certification scheme, and training and qualification of 3rd party auditors.

Aerospace has a similar scenario.
 

Wes Bucey

Quite Involved in Discussions
#10
I hold only one certification - CQE. It definitely has helped as a government contractor to gain some initial credibility with the customer. It has opened doors. Making Fellow with ASQ has gotten good publicity also for my employer, and did have a reasonable impact on my pay.

A lot depends upon how many new clients/customers you need to gain. I've chosen to not let the CQE lapse, but I must admit I don't see an advantage to multiple certifications.
I totally agree. Actually some of our guys will certify CQE in few days. I one of the most demanded certifications for Quality in 2012.

John Landmark
I agree on the value of the Body of Knowledge in the CQE - it really embodies all the skills and knowledge to perform Quality Operations.

Let me put in a bid for those who have multiple certifications. My two ASQ Sections each have several folks who hold ALL the certifications. These guys are not only the living Body of Knowledge within the Section, but in their workplaces (two are now consultants.) They are deeply involved in imparting that knowledge throughout the organization(s), not just to the quality wonks in one department.

Although I have a very thinly disguised prejudice against various charlatans who hold themselves out to charge folks for "learning" Six Sigma, I have respect for the intent of the ASQ Six Sigma Black Belt (versus others who confer it based on the candidate's check clearing) in requiring somebody to attest to the experience of people in the field BEFORE conferring the SSBB to those aspirants.

I regret that SS has put CQE in its shadow in many organizations, but it's really only our own fault as professionals that we don't do more to educate the industry leaders on the reality of quality tools beyond the PR hype SS enjoys.

Quality Managers would do well to study the BOK for the QM certification even if they never bother to actually get certified to it.
 
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