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There’s never been a better or more appropriate time for professionals to seek Six Sigma certification. From advancing careers to understanding the complexity of business processes, Six Sigma certification is an excellent achievement for anyone. Decades ago when Six Sigma methodologies were first introduced by Motorola and GE, there were few practitioners offering training and certification. Additionally, most organizations chose to train their employees in-house, following the guidance of other corporations. However, the demand for Six Sigma certification now continues to rise with fewer practitioners available to professionals. As a result, we are experiencing a rise in fake practitioners. To better protect yourself from scams and false certifications, here are a few ways to avoid illegitimate practitioners.

First, Know Your Basics

Before you start searching for your Six Sigma course, there are a few questions you need to ask yourself. What do I need this certification for? What do I plan to use this certification for? How will this certification help me? How much time and money can I devote to a course? Once you answer these questions, you better understand your own goals with Six Sigma. This is important because it both creates a clear image in your mind of what you need and helps deter fake practitioners from distracting you. Instead of falling for programs that sound too good to be true or are longer/more expensive than you can afford, you will remain focused on exactly what you need.

Next, Find Reviews

This is a common point in our articles when discussing Six Sigma practitioners. And, rightfully so! All legitimate practitioners will either offer or publicly display reviews of their courses from past students. These reviews should accurately reflect the program, what it offers, and come directly from the students themselves. If your practitioner cannot offer you reviews of their courses, that’s a major red flag that you might be facing a phony.

Afterward, Find Past Users Directly

Organizations and companies that promote their employees to gain Six Sigma certification usually prefer one or a handful of programs. Sometimes, organizations will even provide training on-site by their own employees. If you find a practitioner who has experience training well-known organizations or who provides training directly, you should be in the clear. Obviously, working with large corporations is something legitimate practitioners would not shy away from advertising. Likewise, this should be easily fact checked. If your practitioner has no experience with corporations or has no presence in the industry, look elsewhere.

Last, Avoid Unnecessary Time Commitments

Gaining Six Sigma certification is something that requires time, money, and patients. Each Belt has a different number of classroom hours, experience with projects, and costs. However, achieving this should be both affordable and work with your schedule. If you run across a practitioner who wants to charge you more than the industry average for a Belt, look elsewhere. Additionally, if a practitioner does not or refuses to offer a variety of classroom and examination times that suit your schedule, find someone else. Most practitioners, such as ourselves, provide multiple courses throughout the year at varying times. Likewise, we also provide an online training program that helps you prepare for your certification exam on your own time.