Successful businesses are always looking for places they can enhance efficiency and improve their output. One widely-known system that some organizations use to carry out those tasks is called Six Sigma. For many organizations, Six Sigma represents a process that strives for near perfection. UWA Online’s Continuing Education program offers one level of Six Sigma Certification.
Six Sigma is a set of techniques and tools used for process improvement that was first introduced by engineer Bill Smith at Motorola in 1986. The system uses data and methodology in an effort to improve the quality of an entity’s output by identifying and removing defects in a process and streamlining and promoting consistency within the process itself. The number “six” refers to six standard deviations between the mean and the nearest specification limit in any process.
Numerically, for Six Sigma to be achieved, a process may have no more than 3.4 defects per million opportunities. There are two Six Sigma sub-methodologies, including DMAIC and DMADV.
DMAIC (define, measure, analyze, improve, control) is used to improve existing processes, while DMADV (define, measure, analyze, design, verify) is used to develop new processes or products that meet Six Sigma standards.
One can be certified as a Six Sigma Green Belt, a Six Sigma Black Belt or a Six Sigma Master Black Belt. As reported by the Six Sigma Academy, Black Belts can save companies approximately $230,000 per project, with an estimated four to six projects completed per year. The Six Sigma Green Belt operates in support of or under the supervision of a Six Sigma Black Belt and helps to solve problems and carry out quality improvement projects.
The University of West Alabama Online’s Continuing Education program offers courses necessary for the completion of a Six Sigma Green Belt. Why get certified? The reasons are similar to getting any type of certification:
- To increase your proficiency on the subject
- To make yourself more marketable to employers
- To possibly increase your salary range
You can earn your Six Sigma Green Belt Certificate by taking three, one-month courses through UWA Online: Introduction to Six Sigma Green Belt, Intermediate Six Sigma Green Belt and Advanced Six Sigma Green Belt. Upcoming course terms for the three classes are as follows:
Introduction to Six Sigma Green Belt
- April 3-28
- June 5-30
- September 5-29
Intermediate Six Sigma Green Belt
- May 1-26
- July 3-28
- October 2-27
Advanced Six Sigma Green Belt
- April 3-28
- June 5-30
- August 7-September 1
- November 6-December 1
If you are interested in earning a Six Sigma Green Belt Certification and would like to register for these classes, visit https://uwa.augusoft.net/! Registration is open to anyone, anywhere with an internet connection!