April 22, 2022 by Brett Gallagher Lean Certification sets you apart from the competition and places you a step ahead in your manufacturing career. It’s hard to overstate the value of Lean manufacturing training and a Lean Certification. Lean training carries obvious personal benefits and signals a dedication to the profession while equipping you with advanced management, manufacturing and problem-solving principles and skills. Having Lean training on your resume sets you apart from the competition and places you a step ahead in your manufacturing career. But Lean’s real value runs deeper than a resume. It is the pursuit of the Lean training goal: Operational excellence and continuous improvement. SME has partnered with the Association for Manufacturing Excellence (AME) and Shingo Instituted to create the Lean Certification Alliance, where you can start your journey to Lean certification and continuous improvement. The Lean Certification Alliance provides all the training, education and resources, including Lean Certification online training, necessary for your success. Lean Certification levels The Lean program applies to all stages of your career, whether you’re just beginning your professional journey or are a seasoned enterprise leader with years of experience. Newcomers to Lean start at Lean Bronze, the introductory rank that teaches Lean principles from a tactical perspective. Baseline skills, abilities and knowledge are honed through Lean Bronze training. Lean Silver is designed for professionals with two or more years of leadership experience. This intermediate level combines Lean knowledge with leadership skills. With those skills, leaders improve the mentoring and coaching abilities that are necessary to lead value-stream change. Lean Gold focuses on enterprise-level leaders with five or more years of experience who oversee and influence entire business operations and cultures. Demonstrated success in mentoring others and directing change are prerequisites. Each successive Lean level builds upon and complements the one preceding it, increasing the breadth and scope of your knowledge and capabilities. Here’s what you’ll need to complete to advance through the Lean levels. Four Step Process To Getting Certified Lean program level requirements Lean program candidates must pass each Lean Certification level exam with a grade of 75 percent or better to obtain a Lean Knowledge Certificate. For full certification, participants must then complete 80 hours of education and lean manufacturing training per level. Ultimately, 240 hours are required for Lean Gold certification; however, lean manufacturing training and education completed for previous certifications carry forward as candidates progress. Each level also requires an accomplishment record demonstrating performance and application of Lean principles in real-world settings. Finally – and in addition to each preceding level requirement – Lean Gold candidates must successfully complete a peer review with Lean certified professionals. Throughout the process, you’ll learn and apply transformational principles that change who you are and how you view processes and people – for the better of course. Let SME help advance your career to the next level.
