What is QA Testing
Many people get confused between the two terms "quality assurance" and "quality control." While not two totally unrelated, quality assurance testing individuals generally work for third-party organizations and agencies while quality control agents may work internally. Quality control agents ask and research the questions pertaining specifically to the product; in other words, these agents use a product-based approach. On the other hand QA testing involves looking at the entire process that went into developing a process to determine whether the end result is a quality-driven project.
Education for Quality Assurance Testers
Several different types of programs exist for quality assurance testers. The minimum education that one in this field can acquire is the quality assurance certificate. While a degree in itself, a certificate in the field may only help you get a job as a quality assurance assistant, aide, or some other job such as this. However, those looking for the higher-paying quality assurance testing software jobs are better off getting a bachelor's degree in engineering in their specialty or field of study. Classes which you'll take during a bachelor's degree program include those of blueprint reading, basic metrology, applied statistics in quality assurance testing, and regulatory science.
Graduate school programs include the Master of Science in Quality Assurance (MSQA), which typically allow candidates to learn concepts related to Total Quality Management (TQM). This learning process involves taking classes in management standards, testing and measurement, as well as project management.
Food Quality Assurance
One of the first types of quality assurance testing careers you may be interested in is the food quality assurance field. This QA testing industry involves testing agricultural food products to ensure not only the safety, but also the quality of different types of food products. In this QA testing field, the individual working may conduct a variety of audits and inspections, registrations, as well as certifications to make sure that industry standards are met.
In addition, there are typically several different types of sections involved with food quality assurance careers. For example, grading services of the food industry involves assuring the quality of production and processing practices and labeling procedures for such things as eggs, meat, and even fruits and vegetables. A separate quality assurance section is reserved for egg inspections, grain dealers, as well as organic product growers.
Manufacturing Environments
The QA testing industry is vital throughout manufacturing environments. Whether it's in the auto industry or commercial products industry, quality assurance allows the company to make sure that it is following the right procedures to make quality parts for their clients. These individuals may look at safety regulations, performance guidelines for new products, and other aspects familiar to manufacturers. For example, quality assurance departments may be responsible for making suggestions to the way production lines are run.
Quality Assurance in Software
One of the largest sections of the quality assurance testing software is intertwined in the technology and software industry. The individuals involved with software quality assurance testing are responsible for conducting tests on many different types of software. For example, technology viruses and "bugs" may be thrown at the software program currently in development to determine its capability to withstand anticipated errors. For example, QA testing jobs in the software industry may involve examining the actual web server to find the errors, security breaches, and 'holes' that the software engineers may not have thought about.
The QA testing field is crucial for just about any industry which you may want to get involved. Career advancement is a possibility with quality assurance jobs, especially in the software industry as many individuals go on to the actual engineer side of software developing, writing codes and languages for computer applications and programs. Salaries for these careers vary depending on the specific quality assurance industry which you're in, but advancement opportunities provide important career mobility and the potential for higher salaries.
