Would you recommend starting at Yellow Belt or go straight to Black Belt?

[Jo Duhamell]

I have been in the quality department of the automotive manufacturing industry for approx. 13 years. I started out on an assembly line and have now been ast. mgr. for the past 3 years. I know quality; I know Lean Manufacturing, am a PPAP expert, and good at auditing, but not all the guru mumbo jumbo fancy hype words and calculations. You can throw an infamous quality name at me and I'll say, "Who?"

Anyway, my question is: should I start out at the Yellow Belt level (which from the class description I know everything they'll cover), or should I jump straight to the Black Belt? I'm leary that the class will start 'ahead' of me and they'll throw out statistical lingo right off the bat and lose me. FYI: I am good at math.

All you gurus, please advise (in Laymen's terms).

Thanks

 

[Boscoeee]

I have been in the quality department of the automotive manufacturing industry for approx. 13 years. I started out on an assembly line and have now been ast. mgr. for the past 3 years. I know quality; I know Lean Manufacturing, am a PPAP expert, and good at auditing, but not all the guru mumbo jumbo fancy hype words and calculations. You can throw an infamous quality name at me and I'll say, "Who?"

Anyway, my question is: should I start out at the Yellow Belt level (which from the class description I know everything they'll cover), or should I jump straight to the Black Belt? I'm leary that the class will start 'ahead' of me and they'll throw out statistical lingo right off the bat and lose me. FYI: I am good at math.

All you gurus, please advise (in Laymen's terms).

Thanks

Are you planning on a certification perhaps through ASQ or the educational Facility?

 

[Jo Duhamell]

We are looking at a place in Michigan called MMTC (Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center) in Grand Rapids. The only place local to me (Franklin, IN) is in Indy called QAI. They have it as well, but we've had them at our facility for internal training a couple of times before and we're not real happy with their instructors or their class material. Have you heard any about MMTC? We had them recommended by one of our potential suppliers we audited (excellent supplier and facilities).

 

[Mustang]

I have used MMTC for classes and such, and been pleased with the results. Not SS, but quality-related (Lean, TS, etc.)

I have no experience with the Grand Rapids office, I used Plymouth, but I would hope they have the same standards.

 

[Coury Ferguson]

We are looking at a place in Michigan called MMTC (Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center) in Grand Rapids. The only place local to me (Franklin, IN) is in Indy called QAI. They have it as well, but we've had them at our facility for internal training a couple of times before and we're not real happy with their instructors or their class material. Have you heard any about MMTC? We had them recommended by one of our potential suppliers we audited (excellent supplier and facilities).

I would suggest that you contact Cove User "Db." I believe they have some connection with them (MMTC).

 

[Boscoeee]

I have been in the quality department of the automotive manufacturing industry for approx. 13 years. I started out on an assembly line and have now been ast. mgr. for the past 3 years. I know quality; I know Lean Manufacturing, am a PPAP expert, and good at auditing, but not all the guru mumbo jumbo fancy hype words and calculations. You can throw an infamous quality name at me and I'll say, "Who?"

Anyway, my question is: should I start out at the Yellow Belt level (which from the class description I know everything they'll cover), or should I jump straight to the Black Belt? I'm leary that the class will start 'ahead' of me and they'll throw out statistical lingo right off the bat and lose me. FYI: I am good at math.

All you gurus, please advise (in Laymen's terms).

Thanks

This generally a touchy subject, but here goes!

If you are an experience professional and have been working in Quality Assurance arena focusing on problem solving with some degree of success then you probably do not need to go through Green Belting training! Of course this is from a distance and it depends on how many real projects you participated in from start to finish that had tangible results. Only you can decide this after looking at the Training BOK and curriculum.

Regarding Black Belt training, in general being good at math helps, however I have found that Statistical Concepts are perhaps the major issue. In most training class, the statistics will be run through a stats software package so working the math is not critical. It is the correct use and interpretation of the various statistical tools and their outputs is the challenge. And taking that challenge and using the Knowledge in the real world to solve real problems is the goal.

I hope that you will get good training and take advantage of the knowledge that is gained.

On a somber note, it is important to make sure that your are getting real training that can be taken to the floor.


Good Luck,

 

[sparky58]

Go for BB. YB is of very little use.

 

[Bev D]

buy yourself the book "Six Sigma for Dummies" before the class. It's not my favorite book by any means but it is a gentle introduction.

go for the BB. it will provide the most info.

by the way: I was borm in Columbus IN and spent my summers as a child in Brown County (grew up in Huntington) so