A "Lean Enterprise" can be defined as one that "performs without waste." Despite constant efforts to the contrary, many organizations waste anywhere from 70-90% of available resources and staff through improper management or ineffective use of materials, time, information, equipment and inventory. The Lean Bronze Certification will help participants to overcome these difficulties by applying Lean Enterprise principles and practices throughout their own organization. Projects offered throughout the course will offer participants in-depth experience implementing all the necessary steps to achieve successful results across multiple functions and operations in any organization.

Applying these principles to their own work, the Lean Bronze Certification program offers participants the chance to see how the benefits of these techniques would improve their own company or organization. Through successful completion of these projects, participants will learn how implementing Lean Techniques can result in dramatic improvements in cash flow, customer loyalty, market share, safety and morale as well as overall cycle-time and productivity. Lean Enterprise concepts focus on removing waste and increasing speed in order to affect the bottom line. To achieve these goals, participants will learn how to remove non-value added process steps, fix the connections between steps and really put the focus back on the customer.

Creating improvements across businesses from top to bottom, this course is ideal for individuals responsible for managing or participating in performance improvement activities particularly in the following industries: Electronics, Healthcare, IT, Biotechnology, Manufacturing, Food and Beverage, Energy, Education, Government, Law Enforcement, and Telecommunications. Appropriate participants would include professionals and managers, as well as hands-on line staff in key functional areas like Operations, Production, Inventory Control, Development, Manufacturing, Quality Assurance and Supply Management. In pulling together individuals from all of these areas, the Lean Enterprise Certification course offers a diverse learning environment with multiple perspectives for building best practices that come from all points of industry. The Lean Bronze Certification  program will prepare individuals to sit for the Lean Essentials I Certification exam from the American Society for Quality.

Program Objectives

After completing this program, learners will be able to:

• Explain cultural enabler principles and processes
• Describe cultural enabler techniques and practices
• Explain the principles of continuous process improvement
• Use process improvement systems
• Describe continuous process improvement techniques and practices
• Explain the principles of a consistent Lean Enterprise culture
• Explain the processes for developing a consistent Lean Enterprise culture
• Describe consistent Lean Enterprise culture techniques and practices
• Explain the principles of business results
• Describe how measurement systems are used in a Lean Enterprise culture
• List the key Lean-related measures
• Use Microsoft Office®

Certification Opportunities

After completing this program, learners will have the opportunity to take the leading national/industry-recognized certification exam(s) essential to entry-level employment in this fast-growing field.

American Society for Quality (ASQ) Lean Bronze Certification

Optional Volunteer Externship Opportunity

Learners who complete this program are eligible to participate in an optional volunteer externship opportunity with a local company/agency/organization whose work aligns with this area of study in order to gain valuable hands-on experience.  As learners progress through their eLearning program, an Externship Coordinator will reach out to coordinate placement.

Note: Additional documentation including health records, immunizations, drug-screening, criminal background checks, etc. may be required by the externship facility.