Self-test: Is the course on "Quality assurance training (cert.)" (quality inspector) the right one for me?
Analysis of the activities of quality assurance specialists
What does the day-to-day work of quality inspectors and quality technicians look like?
Quality assurance specialists support the head of quality management in maintaining and developing the quality assurance system. They are responsible for compliance with quality targets, monitor continuous improvement processes and carry out internal audits. To support the production teams, they conduct training courses and are the point of contact for quality issues.
As quality assurance specialists in production, they define the control criteria for processes and products, draw up the test instructions and statistically evaluate the test results. Based on customer complaints or rejects from production, they analyze the causes and develop improvement measures.
Depending on the position, they may also be responsible for supporting suppliers, checking and assessing initial samples and incoming goods and carrying out supplier audits.
According to the job advertisements, the tasks are distributed roughly as follows:
| Support for the quality manager, audits, training courses | Approx. 25% of the time |
| Manufacturing and production: Creation and control of test and work instructions, operation plans and measures in the event of deviations, statistical evaluation of data | Approx. 35% of the time |
| Supporting customers and suppliers in quality issues | Approx. 15% of the time |
| Checking compliance with quality specifications, processing complaints, creating test instructions and reports | Approx. 25% of the time |
The distribution of tasks can vary greatly depending on the job profile and type of company.
What is usually required in job advertisements for quality assurance specialists?
- Mechanical-technical basic training
- Further training in quality management, e.g. as a quality or process engineer
- Several years of professional experience in the relevant industry
- Good PC and SAP R/3 knowledge as well as knowledge of quality standards and QM systems
- Very good written and spoken German and English skills
- Quality awareness
- Independent and goal-oriented way of working
- High level of personal responsibility, commitment and resilience
- Ability to work in a team and good communication skills
Question 1:
Would I like to work in quality assurance?
Yes, if you like the actual job, you can assume that you are on the right track. The next question is what type of training is right for you to acquire the relevant skills.
If you only like the job to a limited extent or only individual parts of it, you could think about what interests you the most. And then look at subsequent training courses to see if there is one that appeals to you even more:
Who is a course in quality assurance suitable for?
Target group:
- Experts from industry and production
- Quality assurance employees
- Engineers and technicians who are interested in quality assurance
Personal requirements:
- Accuracy and quality awareness
- High affinity for mathematics and statistics
- Good technical imagination
- Resilience and assertiveness
Course description:
Further important key points of training courses in quality assurance are described here:
{#course descriptionLink#}
Question 2:
Are you generally interested in such a course?
If you have already answered "Yes" to question 1, then this course seems to fit your expectations.
If you like the course but not certain parts of the job, you could first study job advertisements to see if there are job profiles that suit you better.
If you like the job description under question 1 and have marked "No" here, you can look under the following further training opportunities in related fields to see if you can find something that better matches your interests:
Admission to the courses
Admission is regulated differently depending on the course and provider. The following prerequisites are often required:
- Apprenticeship qualification in a technical profession
- At least 2 years of professional experience after completion of apprenticeship
- Good knowledge of German (at least level B2)
- Frequently: Activities in quality assurance
Question 3:
Do I meet the requirements?
If you meet the requirements, you can start your training at the earliest possible date.
If you are not sure whether your apprenticeship qualification will be recognized for admission, find out directly from various providers.
If you do not have the required professional experience, search for jobs for career changers on professional job boards or enquire at the various schools about the conditions for the specific course you are interested in.
Financing of further training
The course fees for a course in quality assurance are to be paid either at the beginning of the course or by semester. However, it is also possible to agree individual installment payments in individual cases.
Question 4:
Are you able to pay between CHF 3,500 and CHF 8,500 for the course fee, depending on the course and provider?
If you have marked "Yes" and would even be able to pay the full amount upfront, many schools will give you an additional discount.
If you have marked "Partly" or "No": First ask the schools about the actual costs you would have to expect. And ask your employer about cost sharing. And then ask your school about the possibility of individual installment payments. Or try to find someone in your private social circle who will support your specific further education project with a loan. There are also banks and credit institutions that grant educational loans.
Time spent on classroom teaching and learning (homework)
There are courses that last 7 weeks and those that last 2, 4 or 6 months. Lessons often take place on one or two full days per month, and there are also evening and Saturday courses.
Learning and practicing takes about 4 hours per week in addition to school lessons.
Question 5:
Can I cope with the time and effort required for the face-to-face lessons and homework?
If the workload is even very manageable for you, you could check whether there are intensive courses for this training. This would allow you to complete the same training in less time if you are able to accept a slightly higher time commitment.
If you are short on time, look for courses that extend over a longer period of time and require fewer lessons and less time for homework each week. And if that's still not enough, you should check whether you can free up more time in another way. Perhaps someone close to you can take on certain tasks for you for the limited period of your training?
Conclusion
Will I graduate?
For most courses, the following is required to pass the final examination:
- Attendance of at least 80% of the attendance hours
- Sufficient proof of performance or term papers during the course
- Often working on an independent diploma or master's thesis
- Passing the final examinations
Other general success factors for successfully completing an apprenticeship are
- Regular preparation and follow-up of the lesson material at home
- Committed cooperation in group work, case studies etc.
- Participation in learning groups for regular exchange
- Practise exam situations by working on previous exam tasks
Question 6:
Do I have the confidence to pass the final exams?
If you are confident that you can pass this qualification, the most you can do is consider whether you would like to achieve even better results using suitable learning and working methods or whether you would like to achieve the same results with less effort.
If you have marked "Partly" or "No", we recommend that you attend an information event about this course and ask the school management for information about support options. External help from learning therapists, kinesiologists, autogenic training providers or mental training providers can also be considered.
Receive course or training documents from suitable schools immediately
Under {#CourseLink#} or "Quality technician (certified)" you will find an overview of schools that offer courses in quality assurance. You can request detailed documents with just one click and usually receive them directly by e-mail. You can also use the area search to find providers in your immediate vicinity.
Conclusion:
Before you want to complete a course in quality assurance, you should be convinced that you really enjoy a controlling job in manufacturing or production with lots of math and statistics tasks. The course description should also appeal to you. If you have answered these first two questions with a clear "yes", you can continue to look into this course. If you are unsure about these questions, you should consider which other further training courses are also suitable for you.
Financing further training is not always easy. Several thousand francs have to be paid over 1-2 years. In individual cases, many schools offer the option of semester or even individual monthly installments so that the entire amount does not have to be paid at once. In addition, it is helpful for part-time courses that participants continue to work during the course and thus earn money for the entire duration of the course. If this is not enough to finance the training alone, it is sometimes possible to obtain a loan from a private source. Banks and credit institutions sometimes also offer educational loans. A good argument for financing further education is the relatively quick amortization of costs through wage increases. Do the following calculation: How much would a wage increase of 10% per year amount to? How many years would you need to recoup the costs of the course? How much more will you earn over your entire working life as a result of this pay rise? In most cases, this is a six-figure sum, which confirms that training or further education is the best personal investment there is.
The time required for training or further education should not be underestimated. Going out, vacations and spontaneous wellness weekends often fall by the wayside. However, this time usually passes relatively quickly. The prospect of better job opportunities and more pay should be motivation enough to get through this time. It often helps to organize yourself into study groups. It also makes sense to stick with it right from the start and schedule fixed study times. Good learning effects can be achieved by creating summaries and mind maps. Flashcard systems help with memorization. There are many tools and ideas to make learning easier. You can obtain the guide "The personal learning strategy" free of charge if you register with a school via Ausbildung-Weiterbildung.ch.
The benefits of further training are usually measured in terms of a higher salary, more challenging tasks or promotions. This presupposes that you make an effort to change your professional position accordingly and, if necessary, are able to assert your demands. If you have already experienced that this is not always so easy for you, you could also check whether personal job coaching could be of benefit to you in addition to further training.
Now it's up to you to decide. If in doubt, seek personal advice from a school or external counseling center. If you contact a school via Ausbildung-Weiterbildung.ch to enquire about course or training documents, you will receive a free educational or school consultation worth CHF 150.00 on request.
You can find a list of providers here: {#courseLink#} or hereQuality technician (certified)
We wish you all the best in your professional and private lives and a bright and exciting future!
The team of Ausbildung-Weiterbildung.ch
Linda, deine Weiterbildungsfinderin