With Lean management Certifications, you will be able to outshine everyone and stand out among the rest, whether you are a seasoned professional or a fresh beginner lean enthusiast looking to advance your professional career in any field.
What is Lean Certification?
A certification proves that you have the right skills and experience in a particular field. If you want to learn how to reduce waste, minimize costs, enhance productivity, and improve efficiency while systematically managing complex business processes, Lean Certifications are for you! Lean Certification is a globally recognized and respected professional credential that validates your knowledge and ability to apply Lean management methodologies practically and helps you become a master of productivity.
What is Lean Management?
Lean management is picking up steam in the business world because of its broad applicability to processes within businesses of all scales in assisting in achieving their business goals in a more flourishing and sustainable way. Lean management is a long-term strategic approach designed to eliminate waste while continuously improving work processes to better address customer requirements defining the value of a product, service, or feature from their standpoint.
Lean Certifications in Lean Management.
Lean certifications can open numerous doors to strengthen your professional journey in any field you’re working in. Here are the four main Lean Certification Levels that are globally recognized in Lean management
- Certified Lean Yellow belt
- Certified Lean Green belt
- Certified Lean Black belt
- Certified Lean Master black belt
Certified Lean Yellow belt.
The Certified Lean Yellow Belt is equivalent to a certified Lean initiator, and this certification is best for beginner lean enthusiasts along with leaders in the manufacturing sector. This Lean initiator certification provides practical guidance to identify waste within the company that doesn’t add value to the product and ways to eliminate that waste. Moreover, Lean Yellow Belt certification holders will have the knowledge about following Lean methodologies and techniques
- Lean Management principles
- 8 Types of Wastes and Practical Applications
- 5S for productivity
- Lean Process Mapping
- Gemba Kaizen for Continuous Improvement
- Systematic Problem Solving
- A3 Thinking
- Lean Metrics
- Quality Circles
- Visual Management (Visual Pyramid)
- Team management
- Presentation skills
With this certification, you will get the opportunity to lead a Quality Circle Initiative in the company and will be able to organize Quality circle level projects within the company as well. Plus, starting process-level improvements and implementing necessary changes with a kaizen mindset is one of the significant benefits of this lean certification. Additionally, the yellow belt certification allows you to create standards for working environments, providing the skills needed to lead operational improvement projects and solve problems systematically to establish reliable business results in your organization.
Certified Lean Green belt.
This certification of Lean Green Belt is equivalent to a certified Lean practitioner and is highly recommended for Directors, Senior Managers, Managers, and Assistant Managers in organizations. The Lean Yellow belt qualification is needed to be eligible for this certification. Lean Green Belt certification holders are experts in following Lean methodologies and techniques
- Lean Management Principles
- 8 Types of Wastes and Practical Applications
- 5S for productivity
- Lean Process Mapping
- Introduction to Value Stream Mapping
- Gemba Kaizen for Continuous Improvement
- Systematic Problem Solving
- A3 Thinking
- Lean Metrics
- Quality Circles
- 8 Step problem solving
- Pull System, Kanban, and Hijenka load levelling
- Total Productive Maintenance
- Quick Changeover (SMED)
- Error proofing and self-ownership
- Yamazumi and Layout Preparation
- STW, JIT, Multiskilling
- Safety & Ergonomics
- Basic AM & PM
- Managing kaizen events
- Lean A3 visual presentation skills
- Lean Project Management
As mentioned above, this Lean Certification level provides you with education about the basis of Lean, 8 Types of Wastes, 5S for Productivity, Gemba, etc., and more about Process Mapping, Lean Metrics, and Lean Problem-solving Techniques. Along with these techniques, Green belt holders can take the responsibility to coach team members on process improvement methods and activities and conduct training on Lean methodologies.
Note- If you want to grasp knowledge on areas such as Value Stream Mapping & Current & Future (Intro Level), Lean New Product Development, QCO, Chassis model, and PCU, the Lean Green Belt Certification Program conducted by the Center for Lean can help you with that.
Certified Lean Black belt.
This lean certification is equivalent to being a certified Lean leader in a business. The Lean Leader Black Belt certification establishes a true realistic vision for the organization to achieve operational excellence while continuously striving to identify value stream level improvement opportunities, develop continuous improvement behaviors, set daily management routines, and promote systematic problem-solving at every level of the organization. Given below are some lean methodologies and techniques that you will be getting in the Lean Black belt certification.
The Black belt holders are able to take the responsibility to lean coach practitioners on process improvement methods and activities and conduct training on Lean methodologies.
Certified Master Black Belt.
This is the highest level of Lean certification, and it is equivalent to Lean expert. It focuses on individuals who have acquired exceptional expertise and knowledge of the current business practice. Master Black belt certification provides outstanding leadership qualities along with helping to maintain a strong commitment to the practice and enhancement of quality and productivity.
The important section covered under Master Black Belt Certification includes the followings.
- Enterprise-wide Planning
- Organizational Competencies for Deployment
- Project Portfolio Management
- Training Design and Delivery
- Coaching and Mentoring Responsibilities
- Advanced-Data Management and Analytic Methods
- Organization-wide Planning and Deployment
- Organizational Process Management and Measures
- Team Management
- Define Phase
- Measure Phase
- Analyze Phase
- Improve Phase
- Control Phase
Why do we need Lean certifications?
A continuous thirst for knowledge is critical in building a growing, thriving business. Even though following certification programs require investing money, time, and resources, Professional certifications are essential for personal growth and add credibility to your expertise as they demonstrate your commitment to superior professionalism, upholding the standards of the business industry, and continued learning.
Ability to distinguish between value and waste
Lean management is mainly designed to eliminate waste to improve the efficiency and productivity of an organization. To eliminate waste, one should be able to clearly distinguish between what is considered waste and its value. All the Lean certifications, from Yellow belt to Master black belt, provide in-depth knowledge of 8 wastes of Lean Management and practical guidance to reduce them.
Provide knowledge about Lean Management
From Yellow belt Lean certification to Master belt Lean certification, you will gain in-depth knowledge of all lean principles, pillars of Lean management, methodologies, and well as its techniques, along with proper training. Further, transforming an individual to be a Lean initiator, Lean practitioner, or Lean expert.
Ability to work for the betterment of the company
With Lean Management training, you will be able to banish waste, enhance Quality Control, continuously improve efficiency and reduce costs, and have promising prospects in the business in the future.
Get to know the community
These Lean certifications provide a platform for individuals to meet mentors and professionals who’ve been walking this path for many years. That gives us exposure to the field and the opportunity to work with them.
Expand your skills and experience
Lean certification programs are not just about getting a designation after your name; it shows the commitment of an individual to mastering the required skills and knowledge in that particular field.
Lean certifications provide a Step-by-step approach to continuous improvement of the business through the application of lean methodologies and techniques that expand your skills. In addition, you can expand your experience as Lean certifications are mentored under the supervision and guidance of experienced lean transformation coaches.
Ability to take on challenges
Booming businesses encounter a range of challenges, and various problems and situations demand various solutions. Therefore, the ability to recognize pitfalls and plan to overcome them is essential for a business to thrive. Lean certifications train lean practitioners and leaders to deal profitably with challenges using Lean methodologies and techniques.
Broaden career opportunities
The more skills and experience you have at your disposal, the more valuable you are as a professional. Lean Management is emerging as one of the most effective approaches to increase the productivity and efficiency of a business, so with the knowledge of Lean, your career opportunities are eventually broadened.
For example, the Green belt holders have the ability to take the responsibility of coaching team members. In contrast, Black belt holders can take the responsibility to lean coach practitioners on process improvement methods and activities and conduct training on Lean methodologies.
Provide self-confidence
Lean certifications build the self-confidence of an individual as a professional in their specific field, helping to stand out among the rest.
Possibility to reflect on one’s journey
After these certification programs, each step you take towards understanding the lean philosophy by applying the principles, learning and applying the tools, working on projects, and cross-functional interactions would allow you to become a better person by the end of the day.
Feel empowered
Completing a Lean certification comes with a sense of self-fulfillment and accomplishment apart from all of these career and financial benefits. Moreover, the advantages of getting a qualification in your professional journey will also let you feel more motivated in your life as well.
Summary
Lean Certification is a globally recognized, respected professional credential that validates your knowledge and ability to apply Lean management methodologies practically and helps you become a master of productivity. Therefore, these Lean Certifications are essential if you aim to make significant improvements in your business and to transform it regardless of the type of field you’re working in or the size of the company, whether you are working in IT, manufacturing, the military, or health care.
Undoubtedly Lean certifications are a worthwhile investment of your time because of the uncountable benefits they provide throughout your career as well as in many aspects of your life, from financial and educational advancements to personal and interpersonal enhancements, the perks of following Lean certifications range.
So, without wasting any more time, follow the most suited Lean certification to enjoy the above benefits and find your best career path.
Task
If you still need to figure out what level of Lean certification you need, then try answering the following question. It will save you a lot of time.
“What level of expertise do you need for your job?”
Are you a person working in or supporting the process? and would it be beneficial for you to know how to approach small changes? For example, how to cooperate within smaller teams? Then after the Yellow belt certification, following the Green belt certification will be beneficial for you. If you are a leader already managing larger teams or a project leader requiring more detailed methodology knowledge, you will also need Black belt certification training.
