To Certify or Not…

By Ron Pereira Updated on May 23rd, 2017

Mark Graban wrote a relatively simple post a few days ago that has simply BLOWN up with comments.

Mark, if I may be so bold, doesn’t really believe in certifications… especially if the words six sigma are involved!

Me, well I do have certification in six sigma… and am proud of it as I had to work my butt off for it. And, more importantly, my certification got me interviews for jobs I wouldn’t have ever gotten without the certification.

With this said, I am always interested in what others – like Mark – have to say on the matter.

So, while I am all about comments here on Gemba Academy I’d like to encourage you to visit the Lean Blog and continue the discussion there rather than here. As of this post there are more than 40 comments! So please head on over there and keep the discussion going, Gemba Academy readers!

Ron Pereira

Ron has more than 20 years of experience in various manufacturing, supply chain, and senior leadership roles. Ron has held the titles of process engineer, engineering manager, master black belt, and director of manufacturing & continuous improvement. In 2002 Ron was the first American to win the Nokia Global Six Sigma and Overall Quality award in Helsinki, Finland. Ron holds a bachelor's degree in automated manufacturing and an MBA in technology management.

Mark Graban
September 25, 2009 - 1:22 pm
Reply

Ron – you don’t misrepresent my position at all.

I also have a formal certification, a black belt style Lean certification that a previous employer did. But, I’m not a fan of the way companies use certifications to sometimes screen out qualified (or better candidates) who do NOT have a formal certification. I’m also not a fan of the variation in what counts as “certified.”

Thanks for inviting your readers to the discussion. You and I are both lucky to have great readers who add a ton to the conversation (Actually, they make it a conversation, not a monologue).
Harish
September 25, 2009 - 4:42 pm
Reply

Did we not learn anything from Delphi? How many Shingo prizes did Delphi win?

As a disclaimer, I do have a certification in both lean and six sigma.

-Harish