What is a CQE  A CQE or Certified Quality Engineer is a Professional who has gained peer recognition based on their understanding and application of the Quality Principles outlined by the American Society for Quality, ASQ. What Do CQE’s? According to the ASQ, Certified Quality Engineers are professionals who have demonstrated that they are proficient in the knowledge and application of certain Quality Ideas/Principles. Notice I said professionals here, and I say that because anybody can become a CQE. Having a pre-existing degree in Engineering is not required to become a Certified Quality Engineer. CQE’s, regardless of industry, utilize their skills in a few if not all of the ASQ BoK Pillars: The Benefits of Becoming A CQE Jim Rooney, ASQ past chair and certification expert, explains the value of achieving certification, as well as how a certification differs from a certificate, and finally how to choose which one is right for you. Rooney also offers tips for studying and passing acertification exam. What Industry to CQE’s Work In Below is a list of industries that historically have maintained a Quality System and therefore employ Quality Engineers. Automotive Aviation, Space & Defense Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Biomedical (Medical Devices) Industrial Equipment Energy Industry (Oil & Gas, Nuclear, Chemical, etc) Engineering & Construction Firms Food, Drug & Cosmetics 4 Steps to Become A Certified Quality Engineer Step 1: Ensure that you are qualified to take the CQE Exam First you must be eligible to become a Certified Quality Engineer, and there is 1 major requirements: 8 Years of OTJ Experience, with a minimum of 3 years in a “Decision Making Role”. There is a big caveat here, ASQ will exchange a 4 year of on-the-job experience for a Bachelors degree. If you want more information, I put together some additional info . Step 2: Apply for the Exam  I’ve written a whole article about the along with a separate – if you’re interested in learning about theApplication process or have any questions I would strongly recommend checking them out. When you’re ready to apply, or just interested in checking out the process more, here is the . You’ll have to decide first if you want to become an ASQ member, and I would highly recommend becoming a member. Why? – It’s cheaper to become a Member! Non-Member Certification Cost: $420 Member Certification Cost (including Membership fee): $355 Also, if you’re interested in doing me a favor, When you apply, put down my ASQ Membership ID (65119430) and I’ll get a Referral Bonus. I get 5$ for every member that I refer and this money will go back into adding value to this site for you, the reader! Step 3: Study for the Exam The most important and time consuming process to becoming a Certified Quality Engineer is studying for the exam. It is recommended that you study for approximately 120 hours to pass the CQE Exam. A few personal recommendations for the study process: Review the -This will educate you onthe topics of the exam as well as the required for each topic. Make Sure you understand the format and the details surrounding the exam, check out my here. Take a Pre-Study Exam () – This will reveal your strengths and weaknesses. By knowing your weaknesses you can tailor your study time for maximum benefit! Get the Best Study Resource – published (by ASQ) specifically for CQE exam preparation. Take a 2nd Practice Exam -This is (hopefully) a confidence builder before the actual exam and is also one last potential opportunity to expose any gaps you may have in your knowledge base. Step 4: Pass the Exam Once you’ve studied hard, the only thing left to do is to pass the exam. Since the exam is open book, I would strongly recommend putting together 3 or 4 key resources that you’re familiar with into the exam to assist you.  CQE Recertification Once you’ve passed the exam and become certified, ASQ requires that you recertify every 3 years either by passing the exam again or by completing arecertification journal. Learn more about here. If you’re ready to get started, I’ve included links to my personal study notes on each topic: Also, check out the which has a few Exam related questions. That FAQ page will also contain answers to other general questions about the Certification process. Other Cool Stuff I wanted to Mention! : Looking for additional resources for the exam, I’ve compiled as many as I could find here! Have General questions about the CQE Exam, check out my . Want to learn more about me or CQE Academy, check the page.