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Hello Everyone and Question on Career Path

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This topic contains 6 replies, has 3 voices, and was last updated by  Michael Cyger 2 months, 1 week ago.

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  • December 5, 2018 at 5:12 pm #208946

    wdaimee
    Participant

    Hi Everyone, I am new to the forum and look forward to contributing and learning from all of you!

    I am currently in the Automotive Field in the Greater Toronto Area having worked a few years in Product Development and now working in Quality. The main responsibilities of my current role require me to review warranty data for an OEM and determine if a fix is required for a part. I will call in parts, install them on vehicles to confirm failure, and then report the issue to our head office. With that being said, I am looking into a Career as a QA Engineer but I am not 100% sure where to begin.

    I am currently exploring two options; either go back to school full time for a 1 year program in Quality Assurance or take courses online through ASQ and Q1. The benefits of going back to school full time would be that there is co-op term at the end of the program but the downside is that I would have to quit my current job to enroll in the program. I am leaning more towards taking courses online, however, I am concerned that a lack of industry experience with PPAP, APQP, and Quality Processes in general will make it difficult to find a career in QA. Any advice on which path to take would be helpful.

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    December 7, 2018 at 11:01 am #209098

    Mike Carnell
    Participant

    wdaimee Keep your job. School full time without experience means you are going to be wandering the vast Serengeti Plain of the global economy with a head full of theory, no clue how to apply it because your teachers are teaching because they are just as clueless and no practical experience. That is a big pile of bodies to dig your way out of. You will know more in two months of application than you will learn in 12 months of school.

    Find a Mentor.

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    December 7, 2018 at 10:12 pm #209126

    wdaimee
    Participant

    Thank you for the feedback Mike. I’ll do the certifications while working full time and try to see if I can find a mentor. I just signed up for an ASQ membership so hopefully I can find a mentor through them.

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    December 8, 2018 at 10:21 am #209285

    Michael Cyger
    Keymaster

    Welcome, @wdaimee! It’s great to have you on iSixSigma.

    I am full agreement with @mike-carnell, and as the “other” Mike on these forums I would echo his thoughts.

    Employers are looking for people who can deliver results. The best way to show you can deliver results is by past employment. So I’d recommend taking the course while you’re working (after hours, or if your employer supports your learning…potentially during a small portion of your working hours), and then finding a project that you can do at work for the benefit of your employer.

    What you’ll find is that it will benefit you as well as your employer, and having a real-world project to work on will make the experience much more significant.

    Good luck in your Six Sigma journey. It’s an exciting one.

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    December 9, 2018 at 4:11 pm #209307

    wdaimee
    Participant

    Thanks for the feedback Michael!

    This is what I will do, I was leaning towards taking the courses on my own time rather than going back to school full time. I didn’t really think about applying what I learned at my current job but that is exactly what I will do!

    I am also currently looking for a mentor through ASQ. There is a networking event coming up in my area which I will be attending.

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    December 10, 2018 at 3:06 pm #209356

    Mike Carnell
    Participant

    Michael? See that without my platinum level I am just another voice in the crowd.

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    December 10, 2018 at 4:13 pm #209357

    Michael Cyger
    Keymaster

    Michael? See that without my platinum level I am just another voice in the crowd. 🤣

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