Is a Six Sigma Black Belt worth it?
Originally published, February 2019. Revised and updated November 2021Are you thinking about becoming a certified Six Sigma Black Belt?
Deciding to work towards a Six Sigma Black Belt certification is a commitment, but one that can transform your career.
In this article, we’ll take a look at what’s involved in becoming a qualified and confident Black Belt Six Sigma practitioner.
We also answer some of the most frequently asked questions about black belts, such as:
Get a PDF Guide to Black Belt
Our 16-page PDF guide is a helpful resource for anyone who wants to learn more about the benefits and process of becoming a six sigma black belt.
Download GuideWhat is a 6 Sigma Black Belt?
Put very simply, Black Belts are process improvement masters.
They understand how to run process improvement projects of all sizes, and can mentor less experienced practitioners, such as Green and Yellow Belts.
They lead change and drive sustainable improvement at an organisational level.
We explore the role in more detail in our article, “What is a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt?”.
What is a Six Sigma Black Belt Salary?
When evaluating the question of whether a six sigma black belt is worth it, let’s begin with the all-important salary question.
People often want to know about the salary potential of practicing black belts.
Payscale.com reports an average salary of €61K for Certified Six Sigma Black Belts in Ireland. (based on figures reported in November 2021 source)
This is simply an average estimate and can vary from industry to industry, increasing with your experience.
It’s also important to factor in that aside from annual salary, qualified black belts are continuously in demand in all sectors.
Is a Six Sigma Black Belt worth it?
Greater earning potential is just one of the reasons to pursue this certification. Here are another 3 key outcomes:
1. Achieve Better Savings & Improvements
If you’ve been working in a process improvement environment, or have been involved with lean six sigma projects, you know that there are different levels of savings and improvements.
Starting with tackling the “low hanging fruit” or easy-to-achieve savings and improvements, those involved can begin to see results from their lean six sigma projects early on.
Black Belts are the crucial for unlocking the “sweet fruit” – those improvements that can really transform a department or business.
They have the understanding and skill to achieve these transformational improvements.
2. Enjoy a More Rewarding Work Life
This is connected to the previous benefit, but there’s no denying that achieving the “sweet fruit” of harder-to-reach savings and improvements is satisfying for any lean six sigma practitioner.
Experienced six sigma practitioners relish fresh challenges and thrive on tackling new and more complex projects.
3. Expanding Career Potential
Along with an increased salary, you also gain a new level of credibility as a qualified Six Sigma Black Belt.
Being known for this high level of process improvement proficiency gives you the freedom to take your career to new places.
A whole new set of opportunities present themselves, ready for you to jump in and explore.
How Long Does it take to Become a Six Sigma Black Belt?
Our innovative programme is unique, in that combines practical application of the ASQ Black Belt Body of Knowledge (BB BoK) to a black belt project plus exam preparation for your international certification.
While the timeline varies from person to person, with our focused programme, it is certainly possible to gain your Six Sigma Black Belt Certification within 6 - 7 months.
We have broken down the Professional Development timeline for achieving your certification into 3 phases:
Phase 1: Training
Duration: 5 months (14 days: 3 & 2-day instalments)
We run our live virtual training over 5 months, with 4 x 3-day instalments, and 1 x 2-day instalment.
This style of training balances an intensive approach when in training, and time between modules for participants to absorb the learning, revise, and work on their project.
Phase 2: Project Work & Study
Duration: up to 8 Weeks
Participants have up to 8 weeks from the last date of training to complete and submit their project work for grading.
They also use this time to study for the ASQ Certified Six Sigma Black Belt (CSSBB) exam.
It is important to note that study time varies for each person. Some complete the exam swiftly following the end of training, while others prefer to extend their study period.
Phase 3: Exam
Duration: 4 Hours
Once you are ready and have booked your exam, the ASQ Certified Six Sigma Black Belt exam will take 4 hours. It is a proctored, online exam with 150 questions.
If you have passed the exam, you will receive your qualification directly from ASQ.
Who Attends Black Belt Training?
- Six Sigma Black Belt Training is designed for those with experience in both working on and leading process improvement initiatives.
- It's a natural next step for those who have already gained a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Certification.
- You can read a detailed outline of the experience required in our course brochure.
Talk To Us
If you're unsure about whether you're ready for Six Sigma Black Belt training and certification, why not talk to us? We can point you in the right direction for your career.
Call us on Freephone 1800 910 810, or use the button below request a call back.
A few words from our recent Black Belt students...
I thought the delivery of the course was extremely professional, and I enjoyed being part of the training and believe it has added to my repertoire of skills. I will be participating in future sessions delivered through PD.
The course was very well coordinated, the duration between sessions was really good and the material covered was very relevant. The opportunity to use real data in the exercises was very beneficial as was the time spent with the other participants to discuss each other’s projects. The ability to have 1:1 sessions with [the trainer] was also really beneficial.
Course content was very clear. Overall organization was excellent. Availability of slide deck was really useful as were the test questions at the end of the modules. The breakout sessions were really good. It was a great opportunity to practice what we were learning as well as networking with the team to learn from each other. Training consultant was very efficient and well organized. All communications were sent on in-advance of the scheduled sessions.
[live virtual] delivery was excellent and I do not believe we lost out because we were unable to meet up in person.
My overall experience was professional, helpful and knowledgeable. I found every interaction was friendly and clear domain knowledge was evident.
It gave me confidence booking with Professional Development and in the learning environment itself.
I felt expectations, and the agendas, were always clear and up-front. The course content was strong enough to stand on its own, and the exercises really helped embed the theory with practical application.
The trainer was clearly experienced and brought his knowledge to the course. Most of us have had some exposure to Six Sigma through our careers, it was great to learn the background to the tools.
While I missed the normal classroom interaction, I think it went well via [live virtual classroom]. The breakout rooms were brilliant, which really helped the discussions and exercises – that is actually an improvement from classroom!
My experience was great as always – 3rd course completed here and hope to do more. The support is great and still providing help outside of the course is a real bonus that you do not get anywhere else.
All discussions went with ease and hard topics explained in a fashion all could understand. I was missing the real room experience like everyone in this hard time, but as a virtual course it was very informative to the point and good breaks also to break up the day.
Promoting the people within the course and providing them with the tools to move forward comfortably in their careers, was one of the strengths of the course.
How can you become a Six Sigma Black Belt?
If you're ready to get started, you can take the first step to becoming a Black Belt today by reserving your place on our next course dates.
If you've still got a few questions, we are happy to help.
You can instantly view and download our PDF brochure by clicking below, or call us on Freephone 1800 910 810 to discuss your training options.
