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CQP
seal of approval
As the CQI welcomes the first members to achieve Chartered Quality Professional status,
QW asks what this means for the quality profession
T
he new Chartered Quality Professional Dave Rogers, head of quality,Telefónica Europe
(CQP) membership grade will posi- and Telefónica O2 UK
tion quality practitioners on an equal
footing with other chartered profes- At Telefónica, quality
sionals. It offers a tangible and easily and the delivery of cus-
understood standard of excellence in quality, tomer satisfaction are
marking out quality professionals at the top of very high on both the
their field who are committed to staying there company and my own
through an ongoing programme of continuing agenda. I have spent 24
professional development (CPD). years in the armed serv-
The new grade, on offer to members and fel- ices and 18 years as a quality professional, where
lows, requires professionals to demonstrate compe- a problem with the management system could
tence against the CQI’s online Body of Quality potentially affect business and people’s liveli-
Knowledge, a framework that defines the current hoods. I’ve tried to carry the drive for continuous
knowledge boundaries of the quality profession, improvement throughout my quality work.
and also to maintain that competence through CPD. I work on the basis that the customer is the boss.
As a recognised standard of credibility and It is the customer who pays our wages and without
competence, CQP will benefit quality professionals customers none of us has a job. Quality is a tireless
by increasing the visibility of their skills and so yet rewarding quest to meet customer expectations
raising their value in the workplace. and continuously improve on them. And I have a lot
Simon Feary, CQI CEO underlines this point. of scope: Telefónica Europe has a customer base of
‘CQI members have been delivering value to over 43m, with over 18m in the UK.
organisations for a very long time. It is our mem- I became a CQI Fellow in 2007 as my focus with-
bers who apply quality approaches to deliver the in Telefónica moved partly towards succession plan-
benefits that organisations desperately need: help- ning. Membership of the CQI and the new CQP sta-
ing them to improve, reduce costs and satisfy their tus are recognition of attainment in the quality field
customers. I could go on, but my point is that we and give clear stages for the development of a career
know what value we provide, the real opportunity in quality. CQI membership allows me to network
provided by CQP is to have that value recognised and benchmark with members across different sec-
more widely by organisations in the private, pub- tors and is helping me to develop a specific devel-
lic and third sectors.’ opment plan for quality professionals within our
We talk to some of the newly chartered mem- company to build on the structured development
bers and fellows to get their opinions on CQP. plan we already have in place for all of our staff.
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CQP
CQP will greatly enhance the importance of ‘CQP will greatly
quality in all UK companies and even further afield enhance the importance
– once it has been embedded, marketed and com-
municated across all sectors and on an international of quality in all UK
scale by the CQI. CQP will also build on the esteem companies and even
in which the quality profession is held and hope- further afield’
fully ensure quality professionals get the same
recognition as other professions.The status will also
give senior managers confidence in the quality pro-
fessionals they have employed as well as giving the
quality profession a clear career path.
But there is still more to do.We need to ensure that
qualifications in quality are enhanced and
developed from A-level standard to
degree-level courses and modules. We
need to get standards bodies, certifica-
tion bodies, accreditation bodies and
excellence organisations to work
together. One voice for quality. We
need to get government and educa-
tional bodies involved to bring in new
blood and really fly the flag for quality.
It is up to us as quality profession-
als and members of the CQI to look at
how we can contribute to this on an industry-
wide level and I suggest this should be a major part
©istockphoto.com/art-4-art
of our CPD. Even so, it is not merely a case of our
own personal development but the future of the
profession.We need to sell the benefits of a career in
quality. After all, what other career enables you to
get such a clear understanding of the workings of a
business, drive continuous improvement and learn
how to deliver customer satisfaction?
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CQP
‘CQP is recognition of Dr Louise Bell, Mike Underwood,
professionalism and a senior partner, quality manager,
Peloton Consultancy Magnox North
commitment to personal
development’ I have worked in a num- I have worked in quality
ber of roles related to since joining the nuclear
quality, mostly in the fuel manufacturing
health sector in a range plant at Springfields
of clinical and manage- near Preston in 1980, so
rial roles. But my interest in knowledge about qual- 28 years! I was a CQI Associate for about 15 years,
ity is still not satiated and I am constantly learning but two years ago I put together the portfolio of
new things and expanding my skills. Having been a evidence to upgrade by the experiential route to
CQI Fellow for around two years, CQP was an become a fellow.
obvious step. I wanted to make sure I was involved I am already committed to keeping up with
in contributing to debates about quality and that I developments in the quality field and so CQP
had the opportunity to offer my opinions and makes excellent sense for me personally. CQP is
views and learn from others. recognition of professionalism and a commitment
CQP status will eventually result in a greater to personal development. By signing up for CQP, I
sense of standardisation of skills and clarification am making a commitment to undertake and record
of what one can expect if working with a CQP. I CPD. The role of professional quality specialists has
hope that CQP status leads to greater recognition been eroded over the last few years and as a group
for the profession – it will certainly provide a clear we need to re-establish ourselves and remind
framework to detail areas for improvement or industry of our value. With CQP status, companies
skills development. Any type of chartered status is can be confident that they are employing an expe-
an important aspect of being a professional. I rienced and competent professional who possesses
believe that over time awareness of CQP status will a range of tools and techniques that can help them
increase and that this may be one way for employ- successfully achieve their objectives.
ers to distinguish between applicants for quality- Shortly after becoming a CQI Fellow, I became
based roles. involved with a steering group of like-minded
I have always kept records of my personal train- members to establish a nuclear special interest
ing, publications and personal development and I group (NucSIG) and we held successful launch
find CPD important as it provides some assurance events this July. I plan to fulfil my CPD requirement
that people are up-to-date both with their knowl- by my continued involvement with the NucSIG and
edge and developments in the field. by attending future events at which we plan to
In future, I would like to see CQP status become include opportunities for networking, sharing best
more people focused, rather than focused on engi- practice and a chance to keep up with new issues in
neering principles and hard skills. My prevailing the industry.
view of quality is that people are key success factors In the nuclear sector, we anticipate a growth in
and that they have the greatest influence on quali- work. With the potential for new nuclear power
ty, but this is not necessarily the majority view. station construction, regulators and other impor-
In my opinion, CQP status should become more tant stakeholders are making it clear that the
closely linked with other areas of knowledge, to expected skills shortage needs to be filled by peo-
recognise that while the quality gurus are impor- ple who are professionally qualified. By involve-
tant, there are other areas of knowledge which are ment in the NucSIG launch events, these key
equally important but less discussed. I would also nuclear stakeholders have effectively declared that
like to see an increase in the levels of research into within the nuclear industry CQI membership and
quality and closer links with the university sector CQP will become an important differentiator for
to encourage information sharing and the greater those recruiting quality managers and engineers.
employment of knowledge in practice. Being a quality professional in the nuclear
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CQP
industry is similar of course to quality roles in Auditors annual conference. I would have loved to
other sectors, but there are important differences. attend the CQI World Quality Day Conference, but
For example, a quality professional in our sector unfortunately I need to be in Brussels! I have always
needs an appreciation of nuclear safety issues and considered active membership of the CQI integrat-
recognition that in our industry ‘quality’ and ‘safe- ed management special interest group (IMSIG) and
ty’ are almost synonymous. regularly contributing to the CQI web forum and
One of the areas NucSIG will develop is putting IMSIG Yahoo discussion board as part of my CPD.
some meat on the bones of what the special Reading QW is also a key part of CPD for me and I
‘nuclear quality professional’ competencies are and particularly like to read about achievements and
appropriate training and CPD opportunities. When ideas contributed by other quality professionals
developing CQP and the associated Body of Quality and the CQI.
Knowledge, there should at least be a consideration
of the value of sector-specific elements. Chris Edwards, quality
assurance manager,
Marijke Korteweg, BVT Surface Fleet
head of internal audit,
European Medicines I have worked in quality
Agency for 20 years, with CQI
membership for three
I have spent my entire years and I decided to
working life serving sign up for CQP because
quality and my first ever it can only benefit me. I believe that moving quali-
publication, around 36 ty professionals to a chartered status will in time
years ago, was related to quality control. I was a mean something to the other professions we deal
certificated IRCA auditor from 1996 until 1999 with – as long as the standard requirements of
and became a CQI Fellow in 2000. I decided to entry are adequate and maintained. It will also help
apply for the CQP grade because I wanted to pro- quality professionals to have a more recognised
mote quality and the work of the CQI. skill and capability within their own businesses.
CQP will help to raise the profile of quality I hope that over time CQP will both improve
management and the profession, but in the UK first employability prospects and also the average value
of all. People are used to hearing about chartered of a CQP to industry will be better recognised and
accountants, but they are yet to experience what it will become more in line with other chartered pro-
means to have a chartered quality professional in fessions.
front of them. That is why it is very important that From a capability perspective, CQPs are more
quality professionals can demonstrate that a char- likely to keep up with good practices and solutions
tered status stands for quality in this profession – I from outside and across industry. However, CQP
hope that the necessary CPD is taken very seriously. status needs to be supported by ensuring senior
The worst case scenario would be if someone with management are more aware of the benefits of
chartered status did a very bad job. effective quality management. CQPs should be
If chartered status is promoted by the CQI and closer to and have better access to knowledge and
taken very seriously by myself and other CQPs, resources to improve senior management under-
then companies will start to ask for it, particularly standing and subsequent commitment and belief.
on a CV when examining a list of achievements. My company already has a mature professional
Slowly, the CQP acronym will start to have value in development programme for most functions and a
its own right. process for identifying training needs. Historically,
I have always taken charge of my own CPD and however, this has been less mature for quality as
have already registered for the European quality has been considered as a secondary func-
Foundation for Quality Management Forum 2008 tion. We are currently working with the CQI to
and I am also due to attend the Institute of Internal develop a route map for capability progression
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CQP
which will hopefully address a combination of Companies employing CQPs will also gain
needs for both the business and the individual. The assurance that their processes and procedures are
route map with training and experience options in capable hands and that when advice is needed
will include further professional development for on any quality-related matters, it will be sound
our CPD. and relevant.
I will fulfil my CPD by attending upgrade
David Hutchins, courses whenever I can and keeping in contact
managing director, with quality professionals not only in the UK but
David Hutchins across the world. I am fortunate to have the oppor-
International tunity to speak at international conferences such as
the 14th Asia Pacific Quality Organisation
I have worked in quality International Conference that took place recently
since the mid-1960s in Tehran, followed by the International
when I was chief pro- Convention for Schools Quality Control Circles in
duction engineer in an Istanbul. There are also EOQ conferences and CQI
automotive component manufacturing company. events such as World Quality Day.
Our biggest customer at that time was Perkins I believe that we can only gain respect from the
Engines, one of the first companies to operate a community as a whole if we combine and impress
sophisticated supplier quality assurance system. I with our dedication to our work. We expect the
left industry in 1969 and took an appointment at medical, legal and other professions to be state of
Slough College of Technology as head of the Quality the art so why not quality too? We must do all that
and Reliability Unit. we can to make the quality movement appear
During the 1970s I researched Japanese and vibrant, lively and right up-to-date with the affairs
American approaches to quality in some depth and of the world
took a Master’s in Quality and Reliability at the
University of Birmingham. As a result I conducted a
number of short courses on what today is known as
total quality management and then left the college
in 1979 to start what is now David Hutchins
International.
I joined the CQI around 1970 when it was
entitled the Institute of Engineering Inspection.
The reasons I have decided to sign up for CQP are
in keeping with the late Professor Ishikawa, who
said: ‘Quality begins and ends with education.’ I
firmly believe that. There has never been an end to
man’s creativity and we can always find new and
better ways of doing things. It is my opinion that
it is the responsibility of all professional people to
keep abreast of the latest developments in their
particular field otherwise they are simply not
being professional.
On a personal level, CQP will, first of all, give
me the satisfaction of knowing that I am worth lis-
tening to and that whatever I do is at, or near to,
the cutting edge. I also believe that we should be
able to learn from each other and this, in my opin-
ion, is the main value of having an institute creat-
ed for that purpose.
32 SEPTEMBER 2008