Quality control officer

You could do a foundation degree, higher national diploma or degree.

Subjects that cover quality control include:

• production management
• business and management
• manufacturing engineering

You may need a degree that is specific to the industry you want to work in, for example:

• science
• construction
• engineering
• pharmaceuticals

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

• 1 or 2 A levels, or equivalent, for a foundation degree or higher national diploma

• 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree

More Information

• equivalent entry requirements|https://www.gov.uk/what-different-qualification-levels-mean/list-of-qualification-levels
• student finance for fees and living costs|https://www.gov.uk/student-finance
• university courses and entry requirements|https://www.ucas.com/

You could do a Quality Practitioner Level 4 Higher Apprenticeship.

This could take between 1 and 2 years to complete.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

• 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a higher or degree apprenticeship

More Information

• equivalent entry requirements|https://www.gov.uk/what-different-qualification-levels-mean/list-of-qualification-levels
• guide to apprenticeships|https://www.gov.uk/apprenticeships-guide

You could start work as a quality control assistant and move into a quality officer role by training on the job, for example through the Chartered Quality Institute .

You could apply directly for jobs if you have a a experience in quality control.

You'll find job opportunities in any industry or sector that has quality control processes, such as engineering, manufacturing or health and safety .

You could take quality control qualifications through the Chartered Quality Institute , or as part of a leadership course from the Chartered Management Institute .

Career Tips

You may find it helps when applying for jobs in quality control if you have some knowledge of British quality standards and methods.

You can move into management roles once you have gained experience as a quality control officer.

Further Information

You can find out more about working in quality control through the Chartered Quality Institute.

As a quality control officer, you could:

• inspect and test products and production processes
• check that required standards and regulations are being met
• identify gaps in quality control
• record and report findings to managers
• design, review and update quality control policies
• assess the effectiveness of changes to processes or production
• use quality assurance equipment and software to analyse and improve standards

You could work in a laboratory, in a factory, in an office or visit sites.