Introduction
A Six Sigma certification equips you with the tools necessary to eliminate process errors in the organisation. These skills make a certified Six Sigma professional a valued employee in the organisations across many sectors. There are three different Six Sigma belts - Yellow, Green and Black and the Six Sigma certification requirements for each varies, as do their responsibilities. Understanding the Six Sigma eligibility criterion will make it easier for you to prepare for these certifications.
Overview
The Six Sigma eligibility depends on the institution that is administering the examination and the belt that you are trying to achieve. There are primarily two different organisations that provide the Six Sigma belt certifications. These are the International Association for Six Sigma Certification (IASSC) and American Society for Quality (ASQ). While IASSC offers Lean Six Sigma certifications, ASQ offers Six Sigma certifications.
IASSC has no pre-requisites for taking the certification exams whereas ASQ has a comprehensive list of Six Sigma certification eligibility. The next section will list the criteria for each belt.
Six Sigma Eligibility Criteria
The years of experience, the number of Six Sigma projects that you have completed and your roles and responsibilities are some of the Six Sigma certification requirements that change with the belt colour. There are three different Six Sigma belts, and the Six Sigma eligibility of each is different.
Belts Needed
The proper order for Six Sigma belts is Yellow, Green, and Black. However, none of the belts has the others as their Six Sigma certification requirements.
| Six Sigma Belt | Belts Needed |
| Yellow | None |
| Green | Yellow recommended, not mandatory |
| Black | Green recommended, not mandatory |
Work Experience
Since Yellow belt is the first step into the Six Sigma world, there is no work experience Six Sigma eligibility criteria for this belt.
The Green and Black belts are reserved for someone with a working knowledge of the Six Sigma concepts. Therefore, you need to have at least three years of work experience to satisfy the Six Sigma course eligibility criteria.
The Black belt level needs at least three years of work experience or the completion of two Six Sigma projects.
The work experience should be in a full-time position. Internships and part-time roles cannot be counted towards the work experience for Six Sigma certification requirements.
| Six Sigma Belt | Work Experience |
| Yellow | None |
| Green | Three years full-time |
| Black | Three years full-time or Completion of two or more Six Sigma projects. |
Projects Completed
The Six Sigma certification eligibility for Yellow and Green belts do not specify any projects to be completed. For the Six Sigma Black belt, you should satisfy any of the following requirements:
- You should have completed at least two Six Sigma projects. You should be able to provide signed affidavits regarding the projects. or,
- You should have completed one Six Sigma project along with a minimum of three years of work experience in a field that uses Six Sigma methodologies.
Validity
The Six Sigma Green and Yellow belts are valid forever and do not need re-certification. However, the Six Sigma Black Belt requires re-certification every three years.
Roles and Responsibilities
The Six Sigma Yellow belt provides a basic understanding of the concepts of Six Sigma. This certification shows that you are aware of Six Sigma.
- The Six Sigma Green belt will be a little more involved in the Six Sigma projects in the company in the following manner.
- You should dedicate at least 25% of the working hours towards implementing Six Sigma methodologies in the organisation.
- You should work under a Six Sigma Black belt and assist them in implementing Six Sigma projects in the organisations.
The Six Sigma eligibility states that the roles and responsibilities of a Six Sigma Black belt are as follows:
- You should be able to plan and deploy a Six Sigma project throughout the organisation.
- You should be able to define, measure and analyse data to improve the processes and implement Six Sigma projects.
- You should have a comprehensive knowledge of various Six Sigma principles and processes. You should also know how to implement them practically within an organisation.
