So Im treating this as essentially the business forum. I have some questions on getting certifications. I eventually want to get an MBA, but I want to wait until I have a higher salary to afford a better school, and to get some more experience. (I graduated a year ago and want to eventually go into consulting in 3-5 years as an associate)

Any ways, Im looking at several certifications:

Six Sigma Green Belt
CLTD (Logistics, Transportation, Distribution)
CSCP (Certified Supply Chain Professional)
CQIA (Certified Quality Improvement Associate)
Lean Certification

Obviously I dont want to just dump myself with certifications all at once, and I want to narrow it down. The Lean/Six Sigma is a for sure plan to get, but it will take longer.

I currently work for a Fortune 300 company (Railroad) doing transportation operations and logistics.

What certifications would do me best for a career in Strategy and Operations Management. I am also financially constrained, so I cannot afford $400-$2000 programs to learn the material. I am in the ARNG and JKO offers free Lean/Six Sigma classes. I have the 6th Edition Six Sigma Handbook. What other certifications can I study for less expensively?

Please note I am trying to teach myself and learn this self paced in a manner that is THRIFTY. Im not trying simply trying to low ball these certs and get crappy training or education.

So no one here has ever heard of these then?

Personally these certs are junk. Half of the things they are going to 'teach' you are common sense, they just wrote it down.

But hey, most big big corporations love them. If you want to work for one they will be nice for the resume.

Im a pretty common sense type guy. Most of the time I go to some class or training and Im like "People have to be taught this? dafuq."

But it DOES look good for corporations.

If you can't float $400 for a program, you should be looking at other options to increase your earning potential so that you can afford to float $400.

Its month to month right now with little disposable income. Im cutting back on bad spending habits but Im also about to pay a $1000 deductible for an auto accident. Cash is tight, and I'm young without a lot of savings. I have a good nest egg in some investments/401k and ROTH, but most of that I can't/dont want to touch.

Get more corporate experience and have the company pay you to take these classes.  You'd need executive experience or half the class will be over your head, and the other half of the class will be common sense.

I personally think they are a massive waste of time and add no value to me.  But look great on a resume.

100% agree.

I'll be honest, I think I will be doing this mostly to boost my resume, but this is an investing forum right? If the return on investment is good, doesn't that make it a 'buy'?

You have to evaluate the time spent studying, and going to the classes as well. If it's short it would be worth it.

There are plenty of free online resources to start working lean and dmaic methodology into any current projects. I would begin by working through one of the example projects that many courses offer for green belts (catapult, etc) and then begin using the tools learned in your workplace projects (charters, pareto, root cause, flow charts, fmea, risk matrix, standard work, learning curve, change management, ....). After you have a good handle on the process take your black belt cert through ASQ or IASSC.

https://www.isixsigma.com/ (also check the forums)

My company just sent me to a week long lean class, and I've only been with them six weeks.  A lot of it is common sense, but some of it was new ways to look at the problems. I wasn't about to turn down free training, no matter what it was.  Some of it was strategic and above my pay grade, but most was focused on smaller issues and getting more with your current workforce, and repurposing any labor savings by putting them in other areas to gain more efficiency.

It wasn't something I would have paid out of pocket for unless it was a requirement to get a particular job.

Our HR director has a veritable alphabet soup of initials after her name, including MBA, SPHR, Six Sigma Blackbelt and others. Some medical coders have this: XXX Smith, MPA, COC, CPMA, CEMC, RHIT, CCS-P, CHC, CHPC


Just do your job and do it well. After the first degree after your name, I don't care about the rest.