Six Sigma is an American management methodology, a set of techniques and tools to gain business benefits. It was introduced by Motorola in 1986. Jack Welch made it central to his business strategy at General Electric in 1995. Six Sigma strategies seek to reduce inconsistencies and minimizing variability in the business processeses.

Lean management is a Japanese business process management. Its approach is to run an organization that supports the concept of continuous improvement, a long-term approach to work that systematically seeks to achieve small, incremental changes in processes in order to improve efficiency and quality. It is derived from the Toyota Production System and its key thrust is to increase value-added work by eliminating waste and reducing incidental work.

Each field has its own unique potential and stability, depending on the specific industry, geographical location, and other factors. Here is a brief summary:

Lean Six Sigma: This methodology is widely applicable across numerous sectors, including all manufacturing, all service industries. Professionals skilled in Lean Six Sigma are valuable for businesses seeking strategic efficiency, business excellence, business expansion and development including quality control. The demand is relatively stable, as these skills remain pertinent to many industries. It’s applicable in industries such as:

1. All service industries such as banking, healthcare, finance, BPO, IT, hospitality, logistics, and supply chain management etc. 

2. All manufacturing industries such as automobile, aerospace, mechanical, electronics, chemical, pharma, textile etc.

The goal of Lean Six Sigma is to achieve Business Goals for any technical and non-technical solutions can utilized. Lean Six Sigma Management functions as a business umbrella under which project management, data science, robotics (RPA) and ML/AI are nurtured.  The end goal of Lean Six Sigma is to gain business befits from any of the solutions available or discover new ones!

Project Management: Project management is an evergreen field as projects are integral to all businesses. PMP certified professionals are globally recognized and highly sought after across various industries, such as IT, construction, healthcare, and more. The demand for efficient project managers is not declining anytime soon.

Data Science/Data Analytics: The demand for data scientists and analysts is growing rapidly, and this trend is projected to continue given the increasingly data-driven world we live in. Every sector, from finance to marketing, needs professionals who can translate data insights into strategic decisions.

Machine Learning/AI: As one of the fastest-growing fields in technology, Machine Learning and AI show high future prospects. As businesses continue to adopt AI to improve operations and decision-making, the demand for skilled professionals in this field is predicted to increase significantly.

Each field presents a strong future prospect and stability. However, the “best” field for you will depend on your personal interests, existing skill set, willingness to learn, and the specific demand in your targeted industry or location. As always, continuous learning and skill updating are crucial in any career path to remain competitive and valuable in the job market.

Six Sigma certifications usually follow a hierarchical role where Green Belt is at a lower level than Black Belt. Green Belt is a team member while a Black Belt is a project/team Leader. Green Belt certification often provides the foundational knowledge to understand and participate in Six Sigma projects, whereas Black Belt certification is for professionals who wants to grow their career in Six Sigma philosophies and principles, including supporting systems and tools.

However, whether you need to get a Green Belt certification before a Black Belt depends on the training institution. Some training organizations impose you to have a Green Belt training  before you can pursue a Black Belt certification, while we do not penalize learners with such prerequisites. You can enrol with a combo offer having trained and learn Green Belt and Black Belt simultaneously.

Career progression in the field of Lean and Six Sigma often begins with gaining knowledge and certification starting from Yellow Belt, then Green Belt, Black Belt, and up to Master Black Belt. Here’s a typical progression:

• Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt: This is a basic level of certification that provides you with an introduction to the Lean Six Sigma process along with a few techniques.

• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt: At this level, you understand advanced analysis and can resolve problems that affect quality.

• Lean Six Sigma Black Belt: As a Black Belt, you are qualified to manage teams, analyze and solve quality problems, and are involved in strategic planning at an   organizational level.

• Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt: This is a level of certification that denotes a mastery of the Six Sigma process including its philosophies and principles.

At each level, individuals are expected to mentor those at lower levels. After acquiring Black Belt or Master Black Belt, one could become a Lean Six Sigma Consultant or a Business Excellence Consultant.