1. Food
2. Electronics
3. Glassware
4. Machinery
5. Tools
6. Software
7. Toys
8. Furniture
There are quality assurance jobs in practically any aspect of the manufacturing business. There are testers and sorters in the food industry that must adhere to the quality control that is mandated by the government when it comes to packaging foods for the retail industry. This is why there are recalls issued from time to time. Certain foods may be recalled due to any number of reasons. When one inspector discovers something out of the ordinary, the safety of the public is in jeopardy so the food must be recalled.
Your clothes may have an inspection sticker inside. This is normally a piece of paper with an ‘inspected by’ and then a number. Most inspectors go by numbers to avoid confusion. The products they inspect and audit for the quality standards of the company that is manufacturing this item must be met.
What Do Quality Assurance Inspectors Do?
The inspectors have been called auditors, quality assurance inspectors, testers, samplers, quality control inspectors and by various other titles. Their jobs basically cover the same thing. They make sure the product meets certain standards regardless of whether it is the color, strength, imperfections such as missing seams or cuts or gouges, quality of operation, or missing pieces.
Inspectors may check the items they are responsible for at the beginning of production, midway through, and at the end depending upon what they are inspecting. There are QA jobs that require inspectors to check the materials the product is going to be made into before it ever goes to the manufacturing line.
The number of quality assurance jobs in USA is more than likely a higher number than anywhere else in the world. The U.S. is more tuned to the demands of the public who want everything inspected before it is sent to the retail store for purchase by consumers.
The inspector may use several tools for use in performing their jobs. Depending on what they are inspecting they may need to use alignment gauges or micrometers. However, today many use electronic equipment and coordinate measuring machines for the convenience of analyzing the result on a computer and getting an accurate assessment of the item being inspected.
There are also office quality assurance jobs that require the inspector to assure the quality of how an office is run and see if it is up to the standards of the company for which they work. The focus on this aspect of quality assurance is to make sure any problems are being addressed, the office is running smoothly, the accounting books are in order, and there are no discrepancies in these books.
Jobs for quality assurance are available in many fields. There are some inspectors that do nothing but catch the problems and tag them as they come off the assembly line. They may reject certain items and pull them from the general assembly of the products being readied for distribution. Some inspectors may have the job of calculating the percentage of items not up to standards if an electronic means is not used to do this. The percentage is used to determine if too many defective products are being made and this problem is addressed by supervisors with the help of the inspectors.
What Education is Required?
Training for the inspector is going to depend upon the job they are responsible for performing. The workers who only look at the items to see if they pass inspection for moving on to the retailers or the next step is going to normally only need a high school diploma. The training they receive on the job will be enough for this position. Training for inspectors who will be using more sophisticated instruments may need to be a little more detailed. The normal training for even these workers is on the job training.
Finding a job in this field will be helped by taking a few classes including computer and vocational classes. The world of inspections is becoming more automated and as this happens inspectors will have to learn how to use the more advanced equipment that will be used. There are a few colleges that are adding associate degrees in quality control management to their curriculum.
The basic attributes a person interested in this field will need are math skills, a mechanical talent, the ability to read and understand blueprints, good vision, and excellent communication skills. Knowledge of the inspection procedures is another requirement.
The more complex the positions are the more experience is required of new hires. The assemblers or machine operators who know the ins and outs of this business can advance to inspector by watching for an opening and applying for the position. Many companies hire from within before they go elsewhere looking for inspectors.
There are certifications available from the American Society for Quality. They are mainly for workers who have experience and want to advance within the company for which they work. In order to take the test for certification the would-be candidate must have at least two years experience in mechanical inspection or something that would add up to the same.
What Can I Expect to Make at This Profession
The prospective inspections auditor can expect to make about $14.14 per hour. The median 50 percent make from $10.84 to $18.79 per hour, while the lowest percentage makes less than $8.65 an hour. The highest percentage makes more than $24.85 per hour.
The industries that employed the greatest number of workers in this field are the aerospace industry, followed by vehicle parts, electronic components, plastics, and employment services.
If you are looking for a position in this field, there are a great many opportunities available for several types of jobs that can be found in quality inspection jobs.
