Lean Certification is available through ASQ.
Press Release Summary:
Offered to quality professionals, Lean Certification is available through ASQ (American Society for Quality) as part of its 17 certification programs. First administration of exam for ASQ is scheduled at World Conference on Quality and Improvement, May 23. Launched in 2006, Lean Certification program has 3 levels: Bronze certification emphasizes tactical aspects of lean; Silver is based on integration of lean; and Gold focuses on lean's strategic facets.
Original Press Release:
ASQ Now Offers Lean Certification
Society Joins SME/AME/Shingo Prize in Lean Certification Alliance
Milwaukee, Wis. -- ASQ (American Society for Quality) is now offering quality professionals Lean Certification, as part of the Society's 17 certification programs. ASQ is the newest sponsor of the Lean Certification program along with the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME), the Association for Manufacturing Excellence (AME) and The Shingo Prize for Operational Excellence. The SME-AME-The Shingo Prize-ASQ Lean Certification is the only true lean certification available.
The first administration of the Lean Certification exam for ASQ is scheduled at the World Conference on Quality and Improvement, wcqi.asq.org/, Sunday, May 23, 2010. To learn about Lean Certification as well as ASQ's other certifications, visit www.asq.org/certification/index.html.
Launched in 2006, the Lean Certification program has three levels: Bronze certification emphasizes the tactical aspects of lean; Silver is based on integration of lean; and the Gold focuses on lean's strategic facets.
"Our members encouraged us to support the Lean Certification Alliance," said Paul Borawski, ASQ executive director and chief strategic officer. "They wanted a common certification standard that was aligned to industry and had already gained acceptance within the manufacturing community. Additionally, the Lean Certification was developed to be portable between industries, and with ASQ's growing interests in healthcare, service and other sectors, a portable credential met member needs."
ASQ members will receive the member discount rate for the Lean Certification program. ASQ will also have member representatives on the Oversight Body for the certification program who will equally contribute to ensuring the overall integrity of the certification process.
"ASQ joining this collaborate effort truly aligns leading organizations to a single standard for lean certification, providing manufacturers, their supply chains and employees with a road map for work force development," said Mark C. Tomlinson, SME's executive director and general manager.
The Society of Manufacturing Engineers is the managing partner of this alliance, and will handle the administrative aspects of the program.
About SME
Founded in 1932, the Society of Manufacturing Engineers is the premier source for manufacturing knowledge, education and networking. Through its many programs, events and activities, SME connects manufacturing practitioners to each other, to the latest technology and the most up-to-date processes spanning all manufacturing industries and disciplines, plus the key areas of aerospace and defense, medical device, motor vehicles, including motorsports, oil and gas and alternative energy. A 501(c)3 organization, SME has members around the world and is supported by a network of technical communities and chapters worldwide.
About AME
The Association for Manufacturing Excellence (AME) is the premier nonprofit organization dedicated to the journey of continuous improvement and enterprise excellence. AME's membership is composed of a trusted network of individuals who are committed to leveraging the practitioner-to-practitioner and company-to-company shared-learning experience. Through engaging workshops, seminars and plant tours, and industry-leading conferences, AME members are continually discovering and implementing new continuous improvement strategies and best practices. AME offers its members a multitude of valuable resources to help them stay abreast of current industry developments, and improve the skills, competitiveness, and overall success of their organizations. For more information, visit www.ame.org or e-mail info@ame.org.
About The Shingo Prize
The Shingo Prize was established in 1988 to educate, assess and recognize world-class organizations for creating a culture of continuous improvement through employee-empowerment and effective leadership. The philosophy of The Shingo Prize is that a culture of continuous improvement is achieved by focusing on principles of operational excellence, aligning management systems and implementing improvement techniques throughout an entire organization. More information on The Shingo Prize and the Jon M. Huntsman School of Business may be found at www.shingoprize.org and www.huntsman.usu.edu.
About ASQ
ASQ, (The American Society for Quality) www.asq.org, has been the world's leading authority on quality for more than 60 years. With more than 85,000 individual and organizational members, the professional association advances learning, quality improvement and knowledge exchange to improve business results and to create better workplaces and communities worldwide. As a champion of the quality movement, ASQ offers technologies, concepts, tools and training to quality professionals, quality practitioners and everyday consumers. ASQ has been the sole administrator of the prestigious Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award since 1991. Headquartered in Milwaukee, Wis., ASQ is a founding sponsor of the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI), a prominent quarterly economic indicator, and also produces the Quarterly Quality Report.
