The Bagley College of Engineering is currently working to put together a Six Sigma Certification program for Mississippi State University.
The Six Sigma program, which includes certification levels Green Belt, Black Belt and Master Black Belt, is based on streamlining business and working toward ultimate efficiency Larry Dalton, director of the Six Sigma program, said.
“Six Sigma is a program used in industry to eliminate waste, solve problems in business and improve customer satisfaction,” Dalton said, “It is based on a methodology that was started at Motorola late in the ’80s.”
The creation of the Six Sigma program being put together at MSU started with MSU Industrial Engineering alumnus and Senior Partner and Chairman of Advanced Sales Institute Inc. Henry (Buddy) Faulkner John Rush, director of development for the Bagley College of Engineering, said.
“Six Sigma evolved out of a relationship Buddy Faulkner had with Larry Thomason, Division Vice President for 3M specialty film and media products,” Rush said, “Larry was interested to learn more about what we were doing here on campus in engineering because he saw what Six Sigma was doing to revolutionize 3M.”
Thomason and Faulkner, who worked together at 3M over 30 years ago as statistician and quality engineer, respectively, thought MSU would be able to produce more marketable graduates with a Six Sigma program Faulkner said.
“We looked at it as a major opportunity for MSU and the college of engineering,” Faulkner said, “I took the idea to Dean Wayne Bennett and Larry Thomason did some selling within 3M. The program is a result of a friendship that goes back thirty years.”
The program is funded by a two year grant of $504,000 from three divisions of 3M: Thomason’s division, the 3M automotive division, and the 3M foundation Rush said.
“The money goes towards the creation of a director position for the program, scholarships to support students in the program, to train our faculty in Six Sigma techniques for improvements on campus, and to send students out to businesses to complete program projects,” Rush said, “A big portion of Six Sigma is for our students to go out to industry and implement their efficiency projects.”
The certification program is proposed to require engineering statistics 1 and 2, quality engineering, process improvement and yet undefined project course for a total of 15 hours Dalton said.
“Right now we’re targeting engineering students but perhaps others such as the college of business students could come over and earn Six Sigma certification,” Dalton said, “The program will also be ideal for cooperative education students because they may be able to implement their projects while at work. We may even be able to allow students in the program to complete their projects within the university.”
A Six Sigma certification is very sought after in the business and industry world Larry Brown, professor and head of industrial engineering, said.
“A lot of businesses are paying to have their workers certified in Six Sigma courses, so when students have certification on their resume it will be noticed by employers and it will give them a great edge,” Brown said, “companies we have talked to have mentioned a 5-10 percent increase in starting salary for a Six Sigma Black Belt.”