Hudson Mohawk Section 0200
Representing
American
Society for Quality (ASQ)
in New York's Capital Region
FAQs about Certification and Re-certification
TaShaunda B. Gamble – Certification/Recertification Chair
Phone (work) – (518) 742-4586, work
Email (work) – TaShaunda.Gamble@navilyst.com
Q: When is the next __________ certification exam being offered?
A: Check the Training and Certification link at www.asq.org for the most up-to-date exam information for your exam of choice. Each exam is offered twice a year at the local section – no exceptions. Local sections can only offer the following exams on the prescheduled dates (1st Saturday in March, June and December or 3rd Saturday in October):
March / October June / December
Biomedical Auditor Calibration Technician
HAACP Auditor Quality Auditor
Manager of Quality/Organizational Excellence Quality Engineer
Quality Inspector Quality Improvement Associate
Quality Technician Quality Process Analyst
Reliability Engineer Six Sigma Green Belt
Six Sigma Black Belt Software Quality Engineer
Certain exams are offered at designated ASQ-sponsored events; but these are date and location specific, meaning the exam is not also offered at local sections on those dates. Local sections are not responsible for offering or scheduling exam dates, this is determined by headquarters in Milwaukee. All exam applications must be sent directly to ASQ in Milwaukee; local sections do not process these applications.
Q: Where are the exams held?
A: Typically we hold the exams on the designated local exam dates at the Christ Community Reformed Church on Rt. 146 in Clifton Park. If the church is not available, the Chief Exam Proctor/Certification Chair will notify ASQ and all examinees of any location changes prior to the exam date.
Q: When should I expect results from my exam?
A: The results of you exam will be sent to you approximately 3-4 weeks after your exam date. Do not call ASQ headquarters as they will not give results over the phone. Do not call the exam proctor(s) or the Certification chair to find out if you passed. The Certification Chair does not receive section “pass lists” until well after examinees get their results. The “pass lists” on the ASQ website are also updated well after examinees get their results. If you passed, you will receive certification documents and a recertification journal, if applicable. If you did not pass, you will receive analysis of your results per Body of Knowledge (BOK) identifying your areas of strength and weakness. ASQ members who take a certification exam can also find out if they passed before results are mailed. Log onto the website about 1-2 weeks after taking the exam. Click on the “Training and Certification” link. Your certification(s) will appear on the screen if you have passed.
Q: I just received my certification credentials from ASQ along with a Recertification journal. What do I do with this?
A: For many of the ASQ certification exams, you will be required to maintain a level of academic and/or professional knowledge of quality-related areas of interest in order to remain certified. This level can be assessed through either retaking ASQ exams or through collecting Recertification Units (RUs) over a three year period. The exams requiring recertification are:
· Biomedical Auditor
· Calibration Technician
· HACCP Auditor
· Manager of Quality/Organizational Excellence
· Quality Auditor
· Quality Engineer
· Reliability Engineer
· Software Quality Engineer
· Six Sigma Black Belt
NOTE: Quality Inspector, Quality Improvement Associate, Quality Process Analyst, Quality Technician and Six Sigma Green Belt are lifetime certifications. They have no recertification requirements.
I suggest you review the requirements of recertification by accumulating RUs. Based on your current professional outlook and your level of involvement in ASQ and general professional and/or academic activities (e.g.: course-taking, section involvement, publications, course-teaching etc), you’ll have to decide if you will be able to accumulate points or if you are better off retaking the exam. Do what works best for you!
If you decide to recertify by points, don’t wait until the last minute to collect documentation to support the points you have accumulated. I suggest periodically updating your journal with points you have earned through employment, courses, publications, and other activities. Make your journal a living document. Also be sure to obtain the supportive documentation required as evidence of RUs. There are certain activities that require very specific documents with no exceptions. Remember, you can submit your recertification journal no more than 6 months before or after your deadline. Example:
Your Certification expires on 12/31/07: Your can submit your journal from 06/30/07 until 06/30/08. Points however, must have been earned by 12/31/07. Any points that were earned after the deadline will count towards the next certification deadline
It is a lot of time, but it will come and go if you aren’t actively maintaining your journal. Regardless of when during the grace period you submit your journal, the new deadline will be three years from the scheduled deadline.
Q: I have several certifications but the expiration of each falls on different dates. What do I have to do maintain all certification? Do I have to obtain RU credits for each exam in duplicate or triplicate for 2 or 3 certifications?
A: Your multiple certifications can help you greatly. Not only will passing other exams help you advance professionally, this can also add RUs to your recertification points. If you pass a different exam during the 3-year period (as long as not an attempt to recertify), you can earn RUs. You will be able to synchronize your certifications so that you will only have to recertify once every three years for all your certifications, with the date based on your certification that is near expiration first. Your required recert points will count towards all of your certifications. Go to www.asq.org for more details.
Q: My recertification deadline is in 3 weeks, to whom do I send my recertification journal?
A: Please send your completed Recertification journals to the local Recertification Chair. I’d prefer if my home address below is used, but my work address listed in ASQ can also be used.
TaShaunda Gamble
294 Stone Church Road
Milton, NY 12020
I only ask that you let me know via email or telephone prior to sending your journal. Also for those whose grace period ends in December, please factor in the holidays in December when mailing your journal to me – remembering that I have to mail it to Milwaukee for further processing. If I am not available to receive your journal, please mail it directly to the ASQ address provided in the journal or contact ASQ for the address.