There’s no denying that the Six Sigma concept has become the gold standard when it comes to process enhancement for the manufacturing market. The companies that master the Six Sigma methodology generally enjoy better efficiency, less wastes, fewer defects while also leading to an increase in the overall profitability & productivity.
The success of the Six Sigma methodology has opened up multiple job possibilities for candidates who have already earned the Six Sigma certification or are planning to obtain the certification. Hence, in this comprehensive guide, we’ll be discussing some of the major Lean Six Sigma career opportunities that one can expect in the current day & age.
What is meant by the Six Sigma certification?
In a nutshell, the Six Sigma concept is a toolkit containing all the essential tools & techniques, that can be utilised to enhance production procedures, ensure quality while eliminating defects. The certification process in Lean Six Sigma will help in enabling professionals so that they can easily demonstrate their skills in locating defects, risks and errors in business procedures and thus take action for eliminating the same.
The certification of Six Sigma will require candidates to not only demonstrate their experience but also their proficiency. As a result, candidates can easily enjoy enhanced credibility while also becoming a specialist in the process improvement methodology.
As of the current day & age, there are five kinds of Six Sigma certification:
- Yellow belt
- White belt
- Green belt
- Black belt
- Master Black belt
Having the Six Sigma certification also showcases the ability of candidates to provide sustained quality improvement, over time, as required by companies, so that there’s very little deviation from the mean. And in case of any deviation, corrective measures will be undertaken to get the project back on track.
Explaining the various Six Sigma certification levels
- Six Sigma White Belt
The White Belt is considered to be the basic certification level. This means that this certification will only cover the Six Sigma concept basics. The owners of the White Belt will help in supporting change management inside an organisation and thereby also engage with local problem-solving teams that will assist in building projects.
- Six Sigma Yellow Belt
At the Yellow Belt certification level, the candidate will know the Six Sigma specifics, the way to apply them and where to apply them. The candidate will be supporting project teams on various problem-solving tasks.
- Six Sigma Green Belt
The owner of the Green Belt certification will be able to understand advanced analysis and therefore can easily resolve issues which can affect quality. Green Belt owners tend to lead projects, while also assisting Black Belt owners with data analysis & collection. Thus, there’s a huge demand for Six Sigma Green Belt jobs.
- Six Sigma Black Belt
The Black Belt owners are the agents & experts of change. They also tend to provide training besides leading organisational projects. That’s why Six Sigma Black Belt jobs generally end up in the company management category.
- Six Sigma Master Black Belt
The Master Black Belt represents the highest level of achievement in the Six Sigma concept. At this level, candidates will develop key metrics, shape strategy, coach Black & Green Belt owners and also act as a consultant.
The various career opportunities for Six Sigma certification
As a candidate progresses through the Six Sigma certification process, he or she continues to gain additional relevant work experience, ultimately becoming an attractive candidate for multiple career openings.
The career opportunities of the Six Sigma certification is as follows:
- Six Sigma White Belt
Candidates who own the White Belt certification will qualify for various positions in a company that involves working as a part of the problem-solving team. Some examples of White Belt jobs are – Production Line Manager, Continuous Improvement Engineer, Senior Systems Engineer & Quality Assurance Manager.
- Six Sigma Yellow Belt
The candidates who own the Yellow Belt will generally participate as members in a project team, responsible for conducting reviews of process enhancement. The job titles of Yellow Belt owners include – Continuous Improvement Manager, Business Optimization Specialist, Business Process Analyst & Supply Chain Manager.
- Six Sigma Green Belt
The individuals who own the Green Belt certification will usually serve as project leaders and thereby perform various analysis of data for Black Belt candidates. The Lean Six Sigma Green Belt job opportunities include – Data Scientist, Process Development Engineer, Senior Continuous Improvement Specialist & Project Manager.
- Six Sigma Black Belt
When it comes to the Black Belt certification, there are multiple paths open for candidates to choose. With the help of the Black Belt certification, candidates can lead projects that involve problem solving, while also coach & train various project teams. Some of the potential titles for Lean Six Sigma Black Belt jobs – Senior Project Manager, Senior Business Process Analyst, Operations Director & Senior Continuous Improvement Leader.
- Six Sigma Master Black Belt
Talking about Master Black Belt owners, the candidate will be serving in multiple roles which will include the implementation of process enhancement programs while also handling difficult business procedures. The Master Black Belt owners will also be mentoring, coaching and teaching other Six Sigma Belt owners. Some of the job possibilities include – Continuous Improvement Site Leader, Scrum Master & Lean Process Improvement Director.
Comparison of Six Sigma salaries around the globe
The following chart represents the average yearly salary of Six Sigma certified individuals:
Country | Yearly Salary |
France | 62,000 Euros |
Mexico | 576,000 Dollars |
India | 16 Lacs Indian Rupees |
UK | 60,000 Sterling Pounds |
Canada | 78,000 Canadian Dollars |
Australia | 131,000 Australian Dollars |
Spain | 58,000 Euros |
Singapore | 54,000 Singapore Dollars |
The reasons to opt for Six Sigma certifications
- Respectable salary structure
It should be known that earning the Six Sigma certification isn’t easy and the examinations are quite difficult. Such is the reason why the same is reflected in the salary that is being paid to a candidate owning a Six Sigma certification. Six Sigma professionals are some of the highest paid individuals around the globe and earn an average of over $107,000 per year.
- Ability to get promoted to managerial positions
Once a candidate completes his or her Six Sigma certification, he or she will obtain an in-depth understanding of quantifying & measuring financial benefits that could be obtained from carrying out any Six Sigma project. The individual having Six Sigma certification will also need financial management and risk assessment skills, which are quite highly valued by top-level & mid-level management, especially for holding senior managerial positions.
- Making sure that proper compliance with international standards are met
There’s no denying that Six Sigma will always demand very high-quality standards. It is for this very reason organisations tend to apply Six Sigma when evaluating accounts or projects. Professionals who own the Six Sigma certification can assist their companies in properly maintaining client contracts that comply with international standards and are profitable.
- Ability to enhance career value across various industries
One of the prominent advantages of opting for the Six Sigma certification is the ability to enhance one’s own career value. The methodology of Six Sigma is applied in multiple industries such as the financial & banking sector, aerospace, IT, telecom, marketing, HR and more. Thus, individuals having the Six Sigma certification will have the ability to work in multiple industries without any glaring issues.
- Ability to enhance business processes while also sustaining quality over time
A candidate having Six Sigma certification will be able to analyse an organisation’s business & manufacturing procedures, and thereby taking proper steps in making them better. That’s not all though because additional measures will also be undertaken to sustain a similar quality over an extended period.
Conclusion
A candidate who has obtained the Six Sigma certification, will have an in-depth knowledge of the Six Sigma concept and will be able to apply the various related principles daily.
Six Sigma has become a proven concept for enhancing business procedures in any industry, which is why companies are always on the lookout for individuals who have the proper knowledge about Six Sigma & its applications. Thus, candidates who have opted or planning to opt for Six Sigma certifications will surely have a bright future ahead.
It should be noted that leadership positions in a company will be held generally by Six Sigma Black & Master Black Belt owners, while Six Sigma Green Belt owners can act as subordinates. Furthermore, Six Sigma Green Belt owners are just as important as the other Six Sigma Belt owners because the Green Belt owners are responsible for gathering data, analysing and reporting to the management.