What is the fastest or easiest way to achieve a Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt Certification?

In today’s competitive job market, having a Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt certification. is a great differentiator on your resume, and can be a great boost to your salary.

I often get asked about the fastest or easiest way to obtain a belt certification, so I wanted to explain what options you have and how our programs may be a good option for you.

Green Belt certification

Completing a real-life improvement project for your Green Belt certification is the most valuable certification to employers that you can achieve, as it proves you applied what you learned.

However, it takes many months to complete a project when starting from scratch. Green Belt certifications with a project requirement (like ours) does not make it a good option for you, since speed is essential (need it for a job you’re applying for or to meet your annual performance goals).

First, I would ask you to consider whether speed is really driving this decision, or if you are looking to find the easier but less valuable option. Lean Six Sigma skills are powerful for solving real-life problems, so showing how you have solved problems is why it is considered more valuable.

If speed is actually the driver, then you will want to take a certification that only requires an exam.

If you are starting from the beginning (little to no experience), you will need to learn about the tools and techniques, and take an exam to show your proficiency. Allow yourself a few weeks to learn and study the material.

If you have experience and knowledge already, then you will simply need to sign up for the exam and spend a little time going through refresher training materials.

Therefere, the most popular options for exam only Green Belt certifications are**:

• ASQ – ASQ offers the exam every 2 months (Feb, Apr, Jun, Aug, Oct, Dec).
• IASSC (PeopleCert) – requires recertification every 3 years
• CSSC – Level I does not require a project, but Level II does require a project

Certifying Bodies	BPI	ASQ CSSGB	IASSC	CSSC* Level I
Requires training
Exam
Real-life project
Recertify
Notes	Includes coaching	Requires 3 years of work experience	Recertify every 3 years	Level II requires a project

* Coupon code “provider04853” to receive 20% off with CSSC

** Please check websites for latest and most accurate information

Black Belt certification

Completing at least one real-life improvement project for your Black Belt certification is the most valuable certification to employers. It shows you can achieve results, as it proves you can apply what you learned. In fact, you should really have 2 or more completed projects to show more than one project example.

However, it takes many months to complete a project when starting from scratch. Black Belt certifications with a project requirement (like ours) does not make it a good option for you, unless you already have a completed project. Since speed is essential (need it for a job you’re applying for or to meet your annual performance goals), starting a new project that will take months to finish might not be what you’re looking for.

However, I would really ask you to consider the real reason behind your certification, and whether speed is really driving this decision.

Remember, if it only takes you a few weeks to get your certification, how valudable will that certification be perceived by a future employer? If your certification does not include proof of application to real-life problems, how valuable will that certification be?

That being said, outside of our Black Belt program, there are 3 primary options for the quickest Black Belt certifications options**:

• ASQ – Requires affidavit submittal of one completed project before receiving approval to take the exam. ASQ offers the exam every 2 months (Jan, Mar, May, Jul, Sep, Nov)
• IASSC (PeopleCert) – No project requirement for Black Belt, so we do not recommend
• CSSC – No project requirement for Black Belt Level I, so we do not recommend. However, their Black Belt Level II does require a project, so we would recommend that option (assuming you’ve already done an improvement project).

If you have completed an actual project (have experience) and have strong Six Sigma knowledge already, then you will simply need to sign up for the exam.

Certifying Bodies	BPI	ASQ CSSBB	IASSC	CSSC* Level I
Requires training
Exam
Real-life project
Recertify
Notes	Includes coaching	Requires 3 years of work experience, recertify every 3 years	Recertify every 3 years, but we DO NOT recommend	Level II requires a project

* Coupon code “provider04853” to receive 20% off with CSSC

** Please check websites for latest and most accurate information

To get started with BPI, check out our Green and Black Belt certification, or reach out with questions you have.