When trying to understand what quality assurance jobs involve, it is important to consider the larger concept of quality assurance (QA). Fundamentally, QA is a process designed to ensure that products and services maintain high standards of quality, in addition to creating a process to improve their overall quality over time. The ultimate example of QA is a process known as total quality management (TQM) with integrates all aspects of the production process in order to create a high quality product.
Because of the wide-ranging nature of QA, quality assurance jobs can vary widely. At the most basic level, the employee who ensures that products are shipped out with all of their parts properly packed is engaging in QA. At the other end of the process, an engineer who works to ensure that all components meet quality design standards, while reducing the number of items that fail the testing procedures is also engaged in a process of QA.
For this reason, seeking quality assurance jobs can require a wide range of education and experience. At the most basic level, conducting QA tests in a warehouse or production line may only require minimal training on the part of the employee. In many cases, this type of QA will be part of the employee’s over all duties, rather than a separate career. In other cases, employees may be chosen to specifically check both materials and the final product in order to maintain the product’s desired quality.
Higher-level QA careers often require college education, including postgraduate degrees, as well as varying degrees of experience in the field the individual is working in. A QA supervisor for a manufacturing plant may be involved in integrating the production line, outside suppliers, contractors and the company logistics process into a system of TQM that helps ensure the best possible quality for all products.
Quality assurance jobs also require continual attention to detail and an intolerance of faults, no matter how small. For higher-level QA jobs, an ability to effectively manage and interact with fellow employees and managers is also vital, as QA managers must work with a wide variety of employees and contractors.
Quality assurance jobs are a vital component of all modern businesses. For the qualified employee, a QA career can provide a long-term and rewarding experience, one that is valued by managers and customers alike. For that reason, a career in quality assurance remains an extremely attractive choice for prospective employees.
About The Author:
Bill Weston is a content writer who writes on a number of subjects including quality assurance and quality assurance jobs. You can find quality assurance jobs at http://www.careersinaudit.com/
