„Which course should I take to get into quality?“ I get this question from both sides of the Atlantic. The honest answer: it depends on where you want to work. Germany and the United States build quality careers on two different logics. One is course-based. The other is experience-and-exam-based.
Germany: course first, certificate at the end
The DGQ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Qualität) path is the classic entry point. The DGQ Qualitätsbeauftragter course, for example as offered by Eckert Schulen, covers 90 teaching units plus exam preparation — either two blocks of five days full-time or twelve Saturdays part-time. The part-time price listed in their datasheet (11 October 2024) is EUR 1,983.51, exam fee and materials included. The datasheet lists no work-experience requirement. Completing the course and the exam is what counts.
International: CQI/IRCA auditor courses
For auditing, CQI/IRCA certified ISO 9001 Auditor/Lead Auditor courses are recognised in both markets. SGS describes the format as five days or 40 hours, ending with an exam plus continuous assessment. The resulting certificate of achievement is valid for five years and is the basis for CQI/IRCA auditor certification.
USA: experience is the entry ticket
ASQ certifications are exam-based, and most require documented work experience:
- CQIA (Certified Quality Improvement Associate): 2 years of work experience or an associate degree. 110 questions. USD 434, members USD 334.
- CSSGB (Six Sigma Green Belt): 3 years of experience in the body of knowledge. 110 questions. USD 483, members USD 383.
- CQA (Quality Auditor): 8 years of experience, 3 of them in a decision-making position. 165 questions, 5 hours 18 minutes. USD 550, members USD 450.
- CQE (Quality Engineer): 8 years, 3 in a decision-making position; a bachelor’s degree waives four years. 175 questions. USD 550.
My reading
From my own experience hiring and working with quality staff in both countries: a German course certificate opens doors in DACH, but a US hiring manager will usually ask „which ASQ certification?“ first. Someone moving from Germany to the US is well served by combining both — the German qualification for depth, and an ASQ certificate as a recognisable signal.
Three practical tips
1. Starting out: CQIA (US; two years of experience or an associate degree) or DGQ QB (DACH).
2. Moving into auditing: a CQI/IRCA lead auditor course travels well between markets.
3. Planning the US move: check the ASQ experience requirement early. The clock counts your European years too.
Sources
- ASQ — Certified Quality Improvement Associate (CQIA), asq.org
- ASQ — Certified Six Sigma Green Belt (CSSGB), asq.org
- ASQ — Certified Quality Auditor (CQA), asq.org
- ASQ — Certified Quality Engineer (CQE), asq.org
- Eckert Schulen — DGQ Qualitätsbeauftragter, datasheet (11 October 2024), eckert-schulen.de
- SGS — ISO 9001:2015 QMS Auditor/Lead Auditor Training Course (CQI and IRCA Certified), sgs.com