Quality Control Technician
What is the work like?
Quality control plays a key role in any industry, and as a quality control or quality assurance technician, you could work across the public and commercial sectors. You would be responsible for carrying out checks on products and processes to make sure that they meet national and international quality standards, such as ISO 9000, Matrix and Investors in People.
As well as making checks, you would also set up and help manage quality control systems for organisations. Your exact duties would depend on your industry but the examples below give an indication of the kind of work you might do.
Food and drink manufacturing:
- finding and removing faults at fixed stages of the production process (known as Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point)
- testing microbiological, chemical and physical samples
- making sure labelling is accurate
- checking that production methods meet relevant legislation.
Manufacturing engineering:
- monitoring each stage of the production process
- using statistical analysis to make sure that machined parts are within tolerance limits
- inspecting materials and products for defects, using methods like non-destructive testing (NDT).
Some duties would be common to most industries, such as:
- dealing with customer feedback and complaints, and passing on issues to managers where necessary
- assessing and rating suppliers
- reviewing and updating quality control policies in readiness for new guidelines
- training and mentoring new staff
- producing reports for quality managers.
You would usually work in a team under the supervision of a quality manager.
What qualifications and experience will employers look for?
You normally need experience and/or qualifications appropriate to your industry to become a quality control technician. For entry to specific industries, please see the relevant profiles, for instance, the technician profiles in the Engineering and Manufacturing job family.
Most employers will also ask for some GCSEs, A levels or equivalent qualifications, including maths and English and, depending on the industry, a science.
You may be able to train as an apprentice within your chosen industry, then work your way up to a quality control position. The range of Apprenticeships available in your area will depend on the local jobs market and the types of skills employers need from their workers. For more information on Apprenticeships, visit www.apprenticeships.org.uk.
You may be at an advantage if you have a foundation degree, BTEC HND or degree in quality management, assurance and control. You could use similar level awards in specific subjects, for example engineering or food science, for entry to assistant or trainee positions. To search for colleges and universities offering these courses see the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS).
Some knowledge of quality standards and working methods will be helpful when applying for jobs in quality control. You can find details of these on the British Standards Institution (BSI) website.
What further training and development can I do?
You would be given on-the-job training, covering in-house testing procedures and quality standards, as well as industry regulations. You could take one of a number of training awards, which cover quality control. Some examples include:
- NVQ Performing Engineering Operations levels 1 and 2
- NVQ Laboratory and Associated Technical Activities (Industrial) levels 1 to 4
- NVQ Food Manufacture levels 1 to 3
- Diploma in Engineering Inspection and Quality Control.
You may also have the opportunity to gain a recognised professional qualification in quality management once you are working as a technician. Relevant qualifications include:
- Chartered Quality Institute (CQI) Level 3 Certificate in Quality (for people new to quality control)
- CQI Level 5 Diploma in Quality
- Chartered Management Institute (CMI) Level 4 Diploma in Quality Management.
See the CQI and CMI for more details. There are many other on-the-job awards available for specific sectors, which contain quality control units. Contact the professional body relevant to your industry for more details.
Where can I go for more information?
Management HouseCottingham Road
Corby
Northants
NN17 1TT
Tel: 01536 204222
London
W4 4AL
London
SW1X 7EE
Tel: 020 7245 6722
If you would like to discuss your career options with a learning adviser, call 0800 100 900 or use our online enquiry form
Alternatively, you can visit our website at: www.direct.gov.uk/careersadvice
Related profiles...
Measurement and Control Technician
What salary and other benefits can I expect?
- Starting salaries are between £12,500 and £15,000 a year.
- Experienced technicians can earn between £16,000 and £22,000.
- Senior technicians and those with special skills can earn up to £25,000 a year.
Figures are intended as a guideline only.
What are the hours and working conditions?
You would normally work 35 to 40 hours a week, Monday to Friday. In manufacturing, you may have to work on a shift rota, including evenings and weekends.
Your workplace would depend on your industry so you could be based in an office, laboratory or factory production area.
What skills and knowledge will I need?
- excellent spoken and written communication skills
- technical knowledge relevant to your industry
- knowledge of legislation and quality control standards in your industry
- good organisational skills and a methodical approach to work
- the ability to prioritise workloads and meet project deadlines
- the ability to pay close attention to detail
- good teamworking skills.
What opportunities are there?
Opportunities are available in all industries in the private and public sector. Quality control and assurance is playing an increasingly important role as a way of demonstrating a company's competitiveness in a global market.
With experience and further training, you could progress to supervisory, management or research jobs. You may also be able to work as part of a human resources department as an HR officer or manager. As many of the quality control methods are universal and used across different industries, you could take up higher-level jobs in other sectors to develop your career.
You may find the following links useful for job vacancies and general reading: (links open in new window)
Chartered Quality Institute
Engineering Jobs Network
Jobcentre Plus
We do not accept responsibility for the content of external sites.
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