The tech industry evolves at an alarming rate. No matter what your role; you need to be ready for the next innovation. To deliver the best products and services and generate the most profit, companies use a range of operational philosophies. One of the most effective management principles is the lean philosophy.
Focused on increasing productivity and minimizing waste, lean methodologies enable businesses to operate with increased efficiency, reduced costs and higher profits. As these objectives are universal to every business entity, it’s not surprising that the most successful tech companies are already implementing lean principles.
How Does the Tech Industry Use Lean Manufacturing?
People often assume that lean manufacturing refers to production lines and the physical creation of goods. Indeed, it certainly does apply in this way. However, this isn’t the only way that lean manufacturing applies to businesses. When developers are creating new software, for example, they are manufacturing a product. Although it may not take the form of a production line, lean methodologies can be applied in the same way.
To this end, lean manufacturing applies to almost every tech business out there. Whether you’re producing thousands of components a day or providing IT managed services to a select number of clients, minimizing your costs and increasing your productivity is vital to commercial success.
Due to this, lean manufacturing principles are being incorporated into a wide range of tech companies. As tech firms look for new recruits, candidates with experience in lean manufacturing are highly regarded. In fact, experience in lean manufacturing may even be a pre-requisite for many of the top jobs within the industry, including:
- Plant Director
- Manufacturing Specialist
- Continuous Improvement Engineer
How to Become Lean Qualified
If you’re already working in the tech industry, it’s not too late to incorporate lean manufacturing into your repertoire. By undertaking a Master of Science in Lean Manufacturing from Kettering University Online, for example, you can enhance your skillset and climb the career ladder. What’s more is that you can do it while you’re working on a full-time basis.
When you study online, there’s no need to take a career break or give up your salary. By choosing to study online, you can increase your career options while studying in a way that suits your lifestyle. As well as increased convenience, online study offers a wide range of benefits, including:
- Added flexibility
- Lower costs
- Opportunity to implement lean methodologies straight away
- Increased choice of course providers
- Chance to customize your degree
- No need to commute to one location
- Wide range of start dates
For existing professionals, studying for a postgraduate lean manufacturing qualification can be the fastest way to boost your career prospects. With the opportunity to study at your own pace, you can combine your postgraduate education with your job and other responsibilities, which means higher completion and attainment rates.
Incorporating Lean Manufacturing in Tech Firms
Like all businesses, tech firms exist to make a profit. For many tech companies, innovation and creativity are also essential. If you want to create new forms of technology, develop cutting-edge software or design original hardware, for example, a tech company is the place to be.
To function effectively in the long-term, businesses need to generate turnover. Lean methodologies enable businesses to do this with greater efficacy than ever before. When you are able to use your knowledge to enhance a company’s financial performance, you become extremely valuable to them.
Although specializing in lean manufacturing enables you to thrive in any industry, it will certainly enable you to flourish in the tech sector. With managers under increasing pressure to streamline processes and enhance productivity, bringing your knowledge of the lean philosophy into a real-life corporate environment is critical.
Start Your Lean Manufacturing Qualification Now
If you want to enhance your career prospects within the tech industry, obtaining a lean manufacturing qualification could put you on the fast-track to success. For existing tech professionals, complementing your skillset with specialist lean manufacturing knowledge will give you the expertise you need to succeed in a leadership role.
What’s more – tech professionals who specialize in lean manufacturing can use their skills in a range of business environments. As well as working full-time for a tech company, you may choose to launch your own firm at some point in the future. Alternatively, you may want to begin a freelance career and act as a lean manufacturing consultant for a range of tech companies.
No matter what your career aspirations, increasing your knowledge of lean manufacturing can help you to reach the top of the tech industry.
