Six Sigma is currently one of the most popular management strategies among American businesses. The strategy seeks to identify and remove the causes of defects in business and manufacturing processes and by doing so, improve their outputs. To apply this strategy, Six Sigma implementers create a special group of people within the organization who are experts in quality control methods. The hierarchy of such groups borrows terms from martial arts ranking; thus Master Black Belts are those who act as in-house coaches and assist Black Belts and Green Belts, who are the ones who undertake the actual work of implementing the Six Sigma methodology.

The high demand for people who can implement Six Sigma processes has created a growing market for Six Sigma certificate courses. Getting such a certificate assures employers that the holder has received training in the management strategy and enhances their career prospects. Although there is as yet no accepted standard for certifying Six Sigma practitioners, the American Society of Quality is emerging as a benchmark for certification. The ASQ is a membership organization of quality control experts that provides a wide range of resources to its members, including certification, training, publications and conferences.

If you want to earn a Six Sigma certificate as a Black Belt (or other belts), be sure to pick a reputable training program that offers you at least three to four weeks of full-time instruction. Once you have completed your training, you will have to complete at least one Black Belt-level project in order to earn your certificate, although for some certifying bodies it may be enough just to show that your project has achieved measurable improvement. You may also have to complete other requirements, such as mentoring Green Belts, as well as providing documentation for your accomplishments, before you earn your certification