Before even thinking about your lean training, it's good to first understand the job description, recommended tasks and skill specifications recommended to become lean qualified.
The job description to be involved in lean varies according to the type of business that you are applying for, or the methodology you want to specialise in.
The main lean methodologies that are used or wanting to be implemented into businesses at present are as follows:
5S - Workplace Organisation, Value Stream Mapping (VSM), Single Minute Exchange of Die (SMED), Standardisation & the Standard Operation, 7 Quality Tools, Interim Management, Kaizen (Continuous Improvement), Supply Chain Development, Total Productive Maintenance (TPM), Just in Time (JIT), Problem Solving, Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE), Production Control Systems & KanBan, Poka Yoke, Team Development.
You can become qualified in any of these lean methodologies. Each is very specific, but also very important in how a business operates and can improve it.
Becoming lean qualified will mean you will have to implement some of, or the one/s that you are qualified in, lean methodologies mentioned above. So having a good understanding about what lean is and what each of the methodologies do is a great asset to have.
Upon entering your place of work, you may need to become familiar with the machinery and the operational processes that are currently being used. This will enable you to easily implement lean methodologies into your workplace.
Typically you may be asked to re-evaluate current operational processes to see if they can be made more efficient, to looking at the current tooling to see if it's adequate for the job in hand. Ways to reduce waste. Help keep the company's costs to a minimum. Making sure quality is kept high and meets customer requirements and expectations. In actual fact, the role of someone in the lean field is to run business improvement activities to determine any issues and/or to accomplish the best results for the company.
You may also be asked to research new methods or machinery to replace current ones to improve efficiency and lower cost. So you will need to have good research methods. You may also be asked to write reports concluding your work, showing how you have improved from the previous in the project you were given. So you must be well versed in the English language, and be able to read and write have the correct spelling and grammar. You may also be asked to present you work to people, so good computer knowledge and a confident speaker would also be an excellent quality.
In conclusion, to become lean qualified, you must have comprehensive familiarity with the current lean methodologies, be computer confident, be well spoken, good spelling and grammar.
This stuff is crucial to become lean qualified, because these points are the basis to become involved in lean. Don't delay as the need for qualified lean people is on the raise as more and more companies are wanting to created lean departments to help reach new goals within their business.