Quality specialists are professionals responsible for upholding standards of quality and safety dictated by regulatory agencies and company policy. Individuals in the quality profession hold a number of different positions. Process engineers, for example, continually optimize manufacturing processes, while quality analysts collect and analyze data that reflect client satisfaction with products and inform new standards of quality. To become a quality specialist, it is necessary to have a high school diploma, though most positions also require that candidates have a college education as well. A person who would like to become a quality specialist in a field such as process engineering might even want to earn a graduate degree in engineering or logistics.
A person who would like to become a quality specialist can benefit from identifying an industry with which he or she is interested in working early in his or her career. The field in which you would like to work can greatly impact the academic path you take. For instance, a person who would like to become a quality specialist in the pharmaceutical industry might take classes different from those of a person who is interested in the development of software.
Aside from taking courses specific to an industry in which you would like to work, it is also important that you take courses that prepare you for a leadership role. A person who would like to become a quality specialist must be prepared to make decisions regarding standards of quality. He or she often is held accountable for the success or failure of a product, service, or process. For instance, if you work as a quality analyst and you predict that a particular manufacturing process is more efficient, and it turns out that your process creates more products that are flawed, you can be held responsible for the failure of this system.
Quality specialists tend to be high level professionals. You should start at an entry level position related to your industry of choice. If you are interested in the manufacturing industry, you can hold positions or internships in which you assist established planners and quality professionals. Taking positions while you still are studying for your degree can help you to earn a better position immediately after graduation.
It is a good idea to stay involved in the quality field by joining professional organizations. Many of these groups offer members opportunities to train for professional certification. In most areas, certification is not essential, though it can make you a strong job candidate.
