Certifications have always been an efficient and effective way to advance your career potential. As the workplace becomes more tech- and data-driven, certifications become even more important – especially those related to technology and data management.
If you’re thinking about pursuing a certification, it means you’re investing in yourself, and that alone makes it a sound decision. A certification – in something like the Governance of Enterprise IT or Ethical Hacking, for example – can catapult you into an impressive pay-grade.
If you’re wondering what exactly to get certified in, then you’re in luck. Every year, Global Knowledge – the world’s largest IT training company – releases its top-15 highest-paying certifications in the IT sector (and both Governance of Enterprise IT and Ethical Hacking are near the top of their 2018 list).
In 2018, you’ll find certifications like…
- AWS Certified Solutions Architect
- Certified Information Security Manager
- Citrix Certified Associate
- AWS Certified Developer
… and that’s to be expected. Global Knowledge is a tech-focused company, after all.
But there’s another certification on the list that might surprise you.
Value of Six Sigma Certification
Six Sigma Green Belt. According to Global Knowledge, those certified as Green Belts can make upwards of $104,099 per year.
That’s good enough to be the 10th highest-paying IT certification of the year, and Global Knowledge is fully aware of how unusual Six Sigma is in a list alongside certifications about things like Systems Control and Routing & Switching.
“Unlike most of the other certifications on this list,” the Global Knowledge report concedes, “Six Sigma Green Belt is not IT-specific. Instead it’s primarily focused on manufacturing and producing better quality products.”
The Six Sigma Green Belt certification did not make Global Knowledge’s list in 2017 (in which the lowest-paying certification was worth $93,718). The inclusion in 2018 means that, during their research, Global Knowledge predicted the value of the Six Sigma certification to increase at least $11,000 from 2017 to 2018.
You may also enjoy: Why Six Sigma Certified Professionals Make Great Managers
Earning Six Sigma Certification
So, what are the steps for getting your own Six Sigma Green Belt certification?
According to Global Knowledge, “in order to receive a Green Belt certification based on the 6sigma.us requirements, there are no prerequisites. Students will receive two certifications, one for completing the training and another for completing a live project which designates individuals as internationally-recognized Six Sigma Green Belts.”
Other organizations and educational institutions may have their own requirements for Six Sigma certification as well.
Now, of course, acquiring a Six Sigma certification isn’t just about salary. It’s not just about gaining leverage during salary negotiations. There are real, meaningful, measurable benefits to a lot of these programs – especially the process-improvement certifications.
It’s a methodology that’s been around for a long time, and the fact that it’s on a top-earning list alongside certifications about hacking and networking and Amazon Web Services means it has tremendous staying power. Six Sigma has survived the generational gap. It has entrenched itself as a 21st century pillar of process improvement, and the principles have proven useful after almost four decades.
So, if you’re thinking about getting certified as a Green Belt – or Black Belt – good for you. It can help transform your earning potential. And better still, it can validate your commitment to quality and transform the way you think about your work.
