Whitman School offers ‘black belt’ training for business savings

Whitman School offers ‘black belt’ training for business savingsApril 17, 2006Amy Schmitzaemehrin@syr.edu

Sometimes, online courses can do more than just impart information — they can help businesses save money. The supply chain management program in the Whitman School at Syracuse University is offering its second wave of “Black Belt Learning” with the Online Six Sigma Methodology, a unique program that helps businesses improve their overall processes, making them more efficient and saving them money.

The 12-week program begins May 19. Six Sigma is a quality management program that measures and improves the operational performance of a company by identifying and correcting defects in the company’s processes and products.

“Six Sigma is a crucial skill-set in today’s business world,” says Pat Penfield, director of the supply chain management executive program in the Whitman School. “With growing markets overseas, American businesses must operate effectively and efficiently in order to compete in a global marketplace. Participants who go through our black belt learning will not only gain Six Sigma skills, they will also work on a company project that should pay for the cost of the training. Last year, our program saved companies over $1.3 million. Many people think Six Sigma is a manufacturing tool, but it’s not. Every type of industry is using Six Sigma. The banking industry, specifically the Bank of America, has saved over a billion dollars by using Six Sigma to improve its processes.”

Through a series of online lectures, demonstrations and a project, participants will learn how to use Six Sigma. The program also includes four optional classroom days at the Whitman School.

Whitman’s supply chain program was recently ranked as the 10th-best program in the nation in a recent survey of academics and practitioners in Supply Chain Management Review. For more information, contact Penfield at (315) 443-3428 or pcpenfie@syr.edu.