Hello Kurt, congratulations on your new job!
This is a tough question to answer because:
- Good Quality Managers are in demand
- The degree programs for Quality Assurance Management are in their relatively early years
- There are certifications you can get based on workplace experience at a cost of around $700 US including (good used) study materials
- Requirements are often set by people who don't fully understand their value, so in the job market you might not get past the early screening without a degree listed in the job description
I worked in QA without a degree for many years. Even now my Bachelors in Applied Technical Education is considered of dubious value, my Masters in Organizational Leadership is a little better but not well understood.
I made my way by collecting certifications - several by now - and found the real value is in what I learned though employers still like the
CSSB although I don't actually use it. My point is, you can do the certifications through your own self-paced self study, and at a reasonable cost.
What kind of inspection did you do? That can be good work. I used to do Level II NDT. I enjoyed it but never did it again after leaving the Navy.
Quality Assurance is a diverse field. You are doing the right thing by starting as an inspector; if you move to management you would be hobbled by not knowing how things really work on the floor.
Would your current employer be willing to subsidize your education or certifications? I would reasonably expect a contract to work for a period of time in exchange for that. To get my Masters that period was 2 years, a very good bargain. I got my certifications on my own dime. These days the only one I maintain is CQM/OE, plus the Exemplar certs for auditing QMS and Responsible Care. These days I am not sure the Exemplar certs are worth maintaining due to their cost, but I keep employer perception in mind for the QMS. I have to maintain the Responsible Care cert to continue 3rd party auditing.
Anyway, since you are interested in many things I would seriously consider sticking with your current gig if they are willing to invest in your professional growth. You might be locked in to a narrow discipline if you go to a big place, like I currently am with supplier quality.
This was a long post for my saying advice would be hard. I hope this helps.
Disclaimer: I am an ASQ member.
