Have you earned a Lean Six Sigma certification and how did you get it?

2016-07-26T16:20:41-04:00

Every few weeks I see an RP question about LSS certification and its value. I am an Army Certified Black Belt. My certification required completion of a 4-week (64 class hours) training course and completion of one Black Belt project. What LSS certification do you have? How did you earn it? Has it helped your military or civilian career? (Picture is shooting "statapult." in LSS class)

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 26 at 2016 4:27 PM

2016-07-26T16:27:36-04:00

Work required credential. It was an interesting process.

Response by SGM Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 26 at 2016 5:19 PM

2016-07-26T17:19:13-04:00

Great course! Attended Green Belt LSS through our Black Belts at the Medical region. Best kept secret!

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 26 at 2016 5:47 PM

2016-07-26T17:47:45-04:00

Any pointers on how others can obtain the certification?

Response by CDR Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 26 at 2016 6:28 PM

2016-07-26T18:28:03-04:00

I went through the training and project facilitation for Green Belt at NSWC Dahlgren. Right after I did the training the command did a 180 and went from requiring everyone to participate in some type of project every year to completely dropping it. I agree that having a bunch of office workers being required to do a cost savings project that would have to show a target return on investment was a bad idea, but was disappointed that we completely moved away from it. I never did anything after completing my training and it hasn't impacted my civilian or military career.

Response by CW3 Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 26 at 2016 7:53 PM

2016-07-26T19:53:36-04:00

I went through a 80hrs course during my WOAC, I received my green belt certification.

Response by CPO Gregory Smith made Jul 26 at 2016 8:06 PM

2016-07-26T20:06:55-04:00

I work for Cemex Inc. The company created a requirement last year that all managers have to get at least to green belt. I've done the classes for yellow belt but no kaizen events have been initiated to complete the certification. We sent all of our division continuous improvement leaders to Catapilar in Pioria, IL to get black belt certified & they're supposed to teach the rest of us. It's not a bad system, but I think it's just the "corporate" flavor of the month and will fade away or be replaced by something else.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 27 at 2016 3:26 AM

2016-07-27T03:26:50-04:00

I self taught through books and the ACCP Skillport courses. I took the online Green Belt 6 sigma certification. It did not require a project, but did give me 10 promotion points for technical certification. I have applied what I've learned to my current position and unit to improve our efficiency in teaching and testing students.

Response by MAJ Raúl Rovira made Jul 28 at 2016 12:40 AM

2016-07-28T00:40:19-04:00

Through IMCOM-Europe I went through 80 hours with testing which grants a course completion certificate. Please note that a course completion certificate is not a certification as a Green Belt or Black Belt.

Then I completed an approved Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Certification project which is stored in PowerSteering if anyone wants to take a look. I am retired so I do not have access to CAC sites. After a detailed evaluation of the project it was approved. That is what granted me the certification and the skill identifier 1X

Through the end of my Army years and in civilian life I've encounter occasions where LSS tools help improve a process or at least a different way to solve a problem. In Project Management and PMP certification there similarities with LSS and some of the knowledge areas.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 23 at 2016 10:42 PM

2016-08-23T22:42:45-04:00

Earned BB through TRADOC then MBB through Army National Guard. Also Lean Manufacturing through Central CT State University and experience through life. Reality, the more you leverage process mapping, root cause analysis through DMAIC or PDCA the more valuable you become to military and future employer. This is a great tool set.

I find many come from quality, technical or engineering background. Of course this is not required, but having some experience with mapping, analysis, measurement, implementing, projects and sustainment plans helps.

Planning free online Lean 101 course. Message me if your interested.

Response by MAJ Michelle Graham made Mar 20 at 2018 11:05 AM

2018-03-20T11:05:38-04:00

To get the Army LSS Certification - you are required to attend the GB 2 week course an if you want BB its an additional 2 weeks . Once training is completed - you are a trained GB or BB. In order to get 'Certification' you must complete a LSS GB or BB project which is coached and mentored by an Army Certificated Master BB (MBB). Once validated with Army savings (thru certification process), your Certification is completed and if military receive an ASI. Whether military or GS civilian - the 'official' record of training AND certification is ATRRS and PowerSteering. You can find more about it on AKO - Quick Links, Army Business Transformation (OBT) web page.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 9 at 2019 2:28 PM

2019-03-09T14:28:38-05:00

I did the six sigma through https://www.sixsigma-institute.org/ got my certs added it to my SRB and am now being told that the Army does not recognize them and I wasted my time and money so now i wonder what site do/can i go through to get them added to my tech cert on my SRB that the Army will recognize? (I seen the one on http://www.cool.army.mi but that's an extra $395.00 for Black Belt I dont want to spend right now)

SIXSIGMA-INSTITUTE.ORG - USD 49 SIX SIGMA CERTIFICATIONS - World's Most Popular and Economical...

Accredited Six Sigma Certifications from World's Leading Institute of Certified Six Sigma Programs - International Six Sigma Institute

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 31 at 2019 8:40 PM

2019-07-31T20:40:30-04:00

I earned a LSS Green Belt through working for the Navy in civilian life back in Nov 2005. Problem with that is the paperwork has been lost to flooding and i have no way to look up the certification. I also received Black Belt training through the Navy completing in 2006. I worked as a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt for the Navy after that for a year but did not pass the certification test unfortunately. I wish i had success with it though.

Response by LTC Eugene Chu made Jan 22 at 2021 12:30 PM

2021-01-22T12:30:36-05:00

Different organizations, schools and for-profit companies offer Lean Six Sigma belt certifications. Some for-profit schools have dubious quality of degrees for resume consideration. Does anyone know if certain Lean Six Sigma belt issuers have better or worse reputation than others?