Manufacturing businesses must verify that their products, processes, and materials adhere to strict requirements. To oversee manufacturing procedures and examine products so they can offer high-quality products to clients, businesses may appoint quality control managers. You can appreciate a job in quality control if you have strong organizational and leadership abilities. In this post, we’ll go over how to grow into a quality control manager as well as the duties, qualifications, and pay that come with the job.
What does a quality control manager do?
A quality control manager, also known as a quality assurance manager, is a manager who keeps an eye on the workers and measures that are taken during the production process. This person makes certain that a business’s goods are of the highest caliber and prepared for purchase or delivery. Although quality control managers may find employment in a range of sectors, including retail and the pharmaceutical industry, many of them are employed in manufacturing.
What is the role of a quality control manager?
Quality control managers guarantee that products are safe, of high quality, and free of flaws. Although the organization and industry choose their specific work tasks, the following are typical duties:
- Hiring and educating quality control personnel
- Controlling and directing technicians, quality assurance auditors, and other personnel
- Having a working knowledge of product standards and requirements and sharing them with manufacturing teams
- Establishing policies and processes for quality control
- Ensuring that all product development processes adhere to quality standards by keeping an eye on them
- Establishing and observing supply and material quality criteria
- Ensuring effective production processes
- Final product evaluation, acceptance, or rejection
- Ensuring that production procedures adhere to legal and environmental restrictions
- Identifying ways to enhance the production process so that the business can make the most of its resources and generate superior products
- Reporting their results, modifying the workflow, and providing reports
- Meeting with customers, stakeholders, and other department managers as well as inspectors and auditors
A team of quality control officials who examine and sample items at various stages of manufacturing is frequently managed by quality control managers.
How to work as a quality control manager
Managers of quality control typically hold college degrees and have job experience in the businesses or industries they represent. Candidates must hold a bachelor’s degree in an area connected to quality control, like business management or quality control management, to be eligible for a job as a quality manager. Strong applicants should also have the ability to speak to others about their understanding of industry standards. They should also have skills in problem-solving and analysis. To work as a quality control manager, adhere to these typical steps:
1. Obtain a bachelor’s degree
Bachelor’s degrees in a range of disciplines, such as quality assurance, business, statistics, engineering, or another industrial, science, or business program, are available to prospective quality assurance managers. Because it equips prospective quality assurance managers with the scientific and mathematical skills needed to address challenging challenges, an engineering degree can be beneficial. Courses that you might enroll in are:
- Calculus
- Business communications
- Computer science
- Quality management systems
- Economics
- Business administration
- Statistics
- Human resources
When looking for entry-level jobs, look for classes that will help you advance your communication and analytical abilities so that you may put them on your resume. The majority of bachelor’s degree programs last four years. A bachelor’s degree in a business or quality control-related subject is required for an entry-level quality manager position. For students interested in pursuing jobs as quality managers, undergraduate programs in arithmetic, systems management, measures, and business management are essential. Even though additional degrees, like an MBA, don’t usually come with quality manager roles, they help you stand out as a candidate.
2. Acquire an internship
You can gain practical experience in the field of quality management and learn about routine tasks and duties through an internship. Think about obtaining an internship at a quality management division while or right away following your college graduation. Look for internships with businesses that produce those products if you are confident that you want to concentrate on a certain field, like electronics or vehicles.
3. Earn a certification
Although it is not necessary to be certified to operate as a quality control manager, certification can increase your employment prospects and financial rewards. It demonstrates that you have a thorough understanding of quality control concepts, functions, and the abilities necessary to carry them out.
A body called the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has developed industrial, private, and commercial standards that are used all across the world. Some businesses adhere to ISO standards and demand that their quality managers possess an in-depth understanding of the requirements that are relevant to their particular line of work. It’s an excellent decision to explore the organizations you have an interest in working for because ISO training is offered online. Get some ISO training if the businesses are ISO-certified so you may list it on your resume.
Depending on your area of interest and level of experience, the American Society for Quality (ASQ) offers 18 certification alternatives, including:
- Certified Quality Engineer
- Certified Manager of Quality/Organizational Excellence
- Certified Supplier Quality Professional
- Certified Pharmaceutical GMP Professional
- Certified Software Quality Engineer
- Certified Six Sigma Black Belt
To obtain credentials, select a certification, apply for it, pay the required cost, review the syllabus and ASQ training materials, and pass the examination.
Certifications:
Certifications are typically not a requirement for firms hiring quality managers, but they frequently include them as a recommended qualification. The following two credentials are beneficial for quality managers:
Quality Assurance Certification
In addition to its training courses, the ASQ also offers certification programs. Their quality assurance certifications help people become ready for the workplace by emphasizing the development of management and organizational abilities, imparting knowledge of the pertinent industry requirements, standards, and expectations, and raising earning potential.
Six Sigma Certification
A project management approach known for its efficacy and efficiency is called Six Sigma. Although this approach focuses on manufacturing output, it is equally applicable to quality control for goods and services.
4. Acquire professional expertise
Before being considered for managerial positions, quality control managers typically need to have at least five years of relevant industry experience in quality assurance. To gain experience and improve your career, seek quality assurance inspector, technician, or auditor positions. Look for jobs in the field in which you wish to specialize so that you can become familiar with its practices, such as its manufacturing methods and technology.
Competencies for quality control managers
Quality control managers must have both hard and soft skills to examine production processes and manage a group of inspectors and specialists. To succeed, they require the following abilities:
- Communication: Quality control supervisors should be prepared to explain the standards of quality to production and management line employees clearly and effectively. For reporting and process documentation, they ought to have excellent writing abilities.
- Problem-solving: Quality control managers must identify quick and effective ways to enhance the manufacturing procedure when they discover a product that does not match the requirements of the business or the client. They should also identify whether a defect is the consequence of a single problem or a problem with a particular manufacturing process phase that has to be fixed.
- Detail-oriented: Quality control managers must be able to detect even the most minor discrepancies in a product’s specs or quality standards. For them to create a product that is both safe and effective, attention to detail and observational abilities are crucial.
- Leadership: Quality control managers must be able to successfully lead and inspire their team members as management-level personnel. The effectiveness of the manufacturing process is a direct result of their leadership. Effective quality managers can persuade the leaders of the departments they are responsible for to join them in their pursuit of greater quality control.
- Organization: Quality managers need to be well-organized because they have a lot of responsibility for managing the operations and productivity of numerous divisions.
- Technological talents: A quality manager needs to be skilled with computers since they will be using them to create presentations, evaluate data using spreadsheet applications, and produce educational materials for staff members of the organization.
- Time management: To create items fast, the majority of quality control managers operate on deadlines. To get the most out of their workforce, they should effectively manage both their own time and that of their employees. This is especially important when managing the manufacturing of several items at once.
- Technical: Quality control managers must be familiar with technical papers like product specifications, manuals, and drawings to ensure that goods satisfy high business standards.
- Understanding legal requirements: Production and process requirements for various industries must be by the law. To ensure that these requirements are met, quality supervisors must be aware of them.
- Understanding of quality control procedures: When it pertains to industry standards for procedures and goods, the quality manager needs to be the most qualified person in the organization.
- Results-oriented: A quality manager’s primary objective is to provide results. They must be motivated by enhancing business procedures, upholding standards, and striving to make a difference.
- Data analysis: A large portion of a quality manager’s job involves examining data from the business processes to find quality problems or areas for improvement.
Highlight these abilities throughout your CV, along with any additional you notice stated in the job description for each position you apply for. To demonstrate how your abilities have helped you succeed in previous roles, use statistics, data, and examples.
Salary of a quality control manager
In the US, a quality control manager can expect to make an average base income of $80,329 per year. Depending on the person’s location, employment, credentials, and decades of experience, this amount can vary greatly. Quality control managers may also have the chance to participate in earnings and profit from programs for pension savings, health insurance, and paid time off.
What Is Quality Control?
Businesses employ quality control, often known as QC, as a procedure to guarantee that a product or service complies with a predetermined set of quality standards or fulfills the needs of customers or clients. Typically, this calls for the establishment of a culture of constant improvement among management and staff. This entails thorough training, the development of standards for assessing the quality of goods or services, and testing to look for any appreciable variances in quality.
Any business that produces goods or offers services must practice quality control. By constantly providing high-quality goods or services, lowering resource waste, and boosting the company’s efficiency and revenues, it contributes to greater customer satisfaction. You might be able to comprehend the significance of this idea for organizations and your specific field when you know more about it.
Quality assurance versus quality control
Although the terms “quality control” and “quality assurance” are sometimes used interchangeably and the procedures involve some similar tasks, the terms have different meanings. The goal of quality assurance, or QA, is to give customers confidence that a product or service satisfies the company’s standards for quality, and it encompasses all the measures that the business has taken to do so. However, quality control applies to the inspection component of quality management, namely the methods, and actions taken to achieve the standards for quality.
What makes quality control crucial?
Quality control is crucial since it can:
- Promote quality awareness: Quality control motivates workers to bear quality in mind during the production process, which can assist the business in consistently achieving the target level of quality.
- Reduced production costs: The quality control process examines the manufacturing of goods that fall short of quality standards, fixing any issues and lowering the expenses of production.
- Boost customer happiness: Quality control makes sure that products are delivered to clients without errors or defects, which often raises overall customer contentment.
- Increase goodwill: Producing high-quality goods that satisfy every one of a business’s quality control standards typically means that the goods are reliable in meeting the demands of the consumer, enhancing the company’s already-strong reputation.
- Raising employee morale: Employees’ sense of pride in creating valuable items for customers can boost the company’s morale as a whole.
- Enhance production processes: Quality control procedures aid in streamlining and enhancing production procedures, which leads to better designs and methods as well as frequently increased output.
- Sales growth: Continuous quality control can help a business establish a reputation for excellence, which could draw in more clients and boost sales.
- Ensure efficient use of resources: Quality control helps a business use its resources efficiently by reducing product and material wastage and boosting productivity.
Procedures for quality control
The typical procedures in a quality control system are as follows:
1. Establish standards for testing
A business must first choose the criteria it intends to satisfy before putting in place a quality control program. It then decides how far to go with the actions. For instance, the group must choose the number of samples to collect and analyze.
2. Examine the various phases and raw materials
The majority of the time, quality control involves checking each stage of a company’s production process. For instance, QC staff members can start by testing the raw components that go into making a product. To locate any flaws, they could carry out additional testing at different points in the manufacturing process.
3. Troubleshoot
Employees address the issues they found to stop them from occurring again in the years to come. Depending on the product and industry, a corporation will utilize a certain form of quality control. For instance, in the production of food, the company’s quality control team does microbiological testing to make sure the finished product won’t make consumers ill and may examine the food in its packaging to make sure it’s aesthetically pleasing. However, quality control in the auto sector may concentrate on how various components work and interact with one another.
4. Gather information and make decisions
Employees then gather information from the actual world and provide reports for management to analyze and decide whether any further measures need to be taken. For instance, the business might want to get rid of or fix any lingering defective machines. Similarly to this, if too many items are faulty, the business should develop a plan for streamlining the manufacturing procedure or, if the issue is with the resources being utilized, buy raw materials from somewhere else. The business must keep using its quality control procedure to keep an eye out for any fresh indications of issues.
Approaches to quality control in the Workplace
Below are a few techniques used in business for quality control:
Inspection
The inspection entails picking products at random and evaluating them for the attribute or attributes that will be tracked on a quality control chart. This diagram shows whether or not sampled items or processes adhere to the organization’s quality standards and, if otherwise, how far they deviate from those standards. The graphs can assess particular characteristics or quantify variations across a range of product characteristics.
Companies can assess if the flaws are random occurrences or systematic occurrences by examining the trend in the chart. Multivariate charts evaluate variances over a variety of product attributes, whereas univariate charts only assess one particular variable. Although many businesses frequently utilize X-bar charts for quality control, they can also employ charts like:
- Flow charts
- Cause and effect diagrams
- Run charts
- Control charts
- Scatter diagrams
Taguchi quality control technique
The Taguchi approach places a strong emphasis on how product creation, research and development, and product design can lower the likelihood of product flaws and faults. Genichi Taguchi, a mathematician, and engineer from Japan, created the technique with the idea that while trying to get rid of variations, design matters more than production procedures. As a result, the technique concentrates on refining the basic design to avoid deviations in production.
Statistical sampling
A subset of all goods is measured during statistical sampling, and the sample size can change. Testers assess the sample by the quality management strategy. Using that subset as a starting point, they conclude the other goods and modify processes as necessary.
Conclusion
In conclusion, working as a Quality Control Manager requires a combination of technical knowledge, strong leadership skills, and a commitment to maintaining high standards of quality. By following the necessary steps, such as obtaining relevant education and experience, developing expertise in quality control methodologies, and continuously improving their skills, individuals can pursue a successful career in this field. The role of a Quality Control Manager is crucial in ensuring that products or services meet established quality standards, leading to customer satisfaction, regulatory compliance, and business success. With attention to detail, effective communication, and a focus on continuous improvement, Quality Control Managers play a vital role in upholding quality and driving organizational excellence.
Frequently Asked Questions about Working as a Quality Control Manager
Here are five frequently asked questions about working as a Quality Control Manager, along with their answers:
- What are the educational requirements to become a Quality Control Manager?
The educational requirements for a Quality Control Manager can vary depending on the industry and organization. However, most positions require at least a bachelor’s degree in a relevant field, such as quality management, industrial engineering, or a related discipline. Some employers may prefer candidates with a master’s degree or professional certifications in quality management.
- What skills and qualities are important for a Quality Control Manager?
To excel as a Quality Control Manager, you should possess strong analytical and problem-solving skills, attention to detail, excellent communication and leadership abilities, and a solid understanding of quality control methodologies and tools. Additionally, having the ability to work collaboratively, manage teams, and adapt to changing requirements is highly valuable in this role.
- What are the typical responsibilities of a Quality Control Manager?
As a Quality Control Manager, your responsibilities may include developing and implementing quality control processes, establishing quality standards and metrics, conducting inspections and audits, analyzing data to identify areas for improvement, coordinating with cross-functional teams, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements, and resolving quality-related issues.
- How can I gain experience in quality control?
To gain experience in quality control, you can start by seeking entry-level positions in quality assurance or quality control departments within organizations. These roles may involve assisting with inspections, data analysis, documentation, and process improvement initiatives. Additionally, pursuing internships, co-op programs, or participating in quality-related projects can provide valuable hands-on experience.
- Are there any certifications that can enhance my career as a Quality Control Manager?
Yes, several certifications can enhance your career prospects as a Quality Control Manager. The most recognized certification is the Certified Manager of Quality/Organizational Excellence (CMQ/OE) offered by the American Society for Quality (ASQ). Other relevant certifications include the Certified Quality Auditor (CQA), Certified Quality Engineer (CQE), and Six Sigma certifications. These certifications demonstrate your expertise in quality management principles and can enhance your professional credibility.
It’s important to note that specific requirements and preferences may vary among employers and industries. Therefore, researching job postings and industry standards in your area can provide further insights into the qualifications and expectations for working as a Quality Control Manager.