For some individuals, becoming a quality control engineer is an excellent career choice. A quality control engineer prepares and supervises each stage of the manufacturing process or the production of retail items. Their primary responsibility is to ensure that those items meet a certain standard of quality. To get this job, you must complete several steps in high school, college, and additional training.
In an ideal world, a student could decide to pursue a career as a quality control engineer while still in high school. If such planning is possible, there are some classes that may make it easier to enter this field. For example, mathematics classes, particularly geometry, algebra, and statistics, should be taken and excelled in. Physics, chemistry, and any other physical science classes should be taken in high school. Reading, writing, and logic classes should be taken to make it easier to write reports and communicate effectively.
A college or university education is required before becoming a quality control engineer. In fact, the majority of quality control engineers have an engineering bachelor’s degree. Many people also get degrees in manufacturing engineering or industrial engineering. Mechanical, chemical, metallurgical, or chemical engineering degrees are available, depending on where you want to work. Every college has its own program, and the majority of them take four or five years to complete.
Advanced math, physics, and chemistry are examples of college courses. Some people find statistics and logic classes to be beneficial. Business management and technical writing courses, for example, may be beneficial, particularly for those who will be managing large groups of people or working for large corporations.
For those who want to work as a quality control engineer, there are no licensing requirements. However, depending on the industry, some special requirements may be necessary. The American Society for Quality Engineer Certification and the Canadian Professional Engineering Society are two voluntary certification programs or societies that demonstrate an individual’s expertise in her field. An engineer must have work experience, proof of professionalism, and pass a written test to become certified. Engineers with certification are preferred some employers.
Interpersonal skills and the ability to lead large groups of people are two other skills you should have. Anyone who is extremely introverted or shy might not be the best fit for this job. Because a quality control engineer must consider all of the factors that influence the item’s outcome, good judgment is required.