Washington Aerospace Training and Research Center

Quality Assurance (QA) Certificate

8 Weeks | 16.0 Credits | 40% Online - 60% Lab 

Quality Assurance Class

About the Certificate

The Quality Assurance Certificate curriculum will educate the student in several areas critical to the manufacturing and assembly arena:  quality control, quality assurance, quality team dynamics, conflict resolution, and statistical process control.

The student will experience actual hands-on activities such as drilling, fastener installation, wire bundle installation, torque, and Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerance.

In addition to the skills and knowledge listed above, students will gain experience in overall quality inspection, precision measurements, and manufacturing documentation -- specifications and standards that are applied in Manufacturing Assembly, Electrical Assembly, Tooling Mechanic and Manufacturing Composites.

The skills learned in the Quality Assurance Certificate program can readily transfer to a variety of manufacturing fields including aerospace, maritime, construction, medical devices, space, automotive, and military/defense.

Topics Covered

  • Safety procedures
    • Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
    • Hazardous waste handling, clean-up, and disposal
    • Tool and equipment safety
  • Drilling
  • Fastener installation
  • Wire bundle installation
  • Torque
  • Geometric Dimensioning
  • Blueprint reading
  • Tolerance
  • Overall quality inspection
  • Precision measurements
  • Manufacturing documentation
  • Specifications and standards
  • COVID-19 safety and cleaning procedures

Prerequisites

  • Manufacturing Core Certificate must be completed to take this certificate.
  • Students must have completed one of the following to take this certificate program:

    • Certification in Electrical Assembly, Manufacturing Assembly
      Mechanic, Manufacturing Composites or Tooling Mechanic 
      -or-
    • One year equivalent Aerospace industry related experience
  • Students must be over 18 years of age to participate in the lab portion of the course.
  • NO pre-testing is required, including the Accuplacer test. 

Career Paths

Graduates of this program qualify for entry level positions as quality inspectors. Employees in Quality Assurance (QA) inspect, validate and review products and processes for conformance to applicable standards and specifications. Quality Assurance professionals require the ability to read and gather information from highly technical documents and apply sound judgment and reasoning to determine if a part or assembly meets specified requirements. 

Successful students may be employed performing quality assurance checks on all parts of an aircraft, electrical component installation, fastener installation, electrical assemblies, and rework. QA personnel require technical competence, excellent (verbal and written) communication and interpersonal skills. Many skills acquired in the QA program can readily transfer to other manufacturing fields including (but not limited to)  aerospace, space, automotive, medical devices, and military.

Sample of reported job titles: 

  • Aircraft Inspector
  • Aircraft Quality Control Inspector
  • Airworthiness Safety Inspector
  • Aviation Safety Inspector
  • Avionics Safety Inspector
  • Helpers Production workers
  • Technical Inspector
  • Quality Assurance Inspector
  • Assembly Inspector
  • Maintenance Inspector 

Register

If you have questions about registration, please call 425.640.1840.

  Register

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