Where Your Career Can Go Within Engineering & Construction: Quality Control & Safety

Types of Careers in Quality Control & Safety

Quality control and safety professionals work in a variety of industries. For example, quality control inspectors check your food to ensure it won't poison you; that your car's brakes will work when you step on them; and that your clothing, computers, and even building materials meet certain quality standards. In this profession, you can help determine how certain defects were caused and how to prevent them in the future.

Occupational health and safety specialists, by contrast, concentrate on consumer and worker safety rather than product quality. They might test air quality, examine machinery, design ergonomic work spaces, or offer training on how to predict and avoid dangerous conditions. They're essential at companies with a high risk for occupational hazards. For example, mine examiners check for proper air flow, environmental protection officers supervise the storing of hazardous waste, and health physicists protect employees from exposure to radiation. Industrial hygienists check all sorts of workplaces for occupational hazards, ranging from communicable diseases to exposure to lead, asbestos, or pesticides.

Which Quality Control & Safety Careers Are the Most Profitable?

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) figures of May 2008, the average quality control inspector in the U.S. earns $33,890 annually, although certain industries pay far more. For instance, inspectors in motor vehicle manufacturing and natural gas distribution earn $51,210 annually.

Occupational health and safety specialists on the whole average $63,030 annually, but some industries where safety specialists average higher salaries include computer systems design and related services ($83,940), pipeline transportation of crude oil ($79,930), and rail transportation ($79,010).

Where Are Most of the Quality Control & Safety Jobs Located?

According to the BLS in May 2008, the states with the highest concentration of quality control inspectors include Wisconsin, Indiana, and Michigan, along with the Dalton and Gainesville metropolitan areas in Georgia. In addition, most quality control jobs are found in the various manufacturing industries, including:

• Motor vehicle manufacturing
• Plastics product manufacturing
• Aerospace product and parts manufacturing
• Semiconductor and other electronic component manufacturing

Wyoming, Washington, and Alaska are among the states with the highest concentration of occupational health and safety specialists, as are the Beaumont-Port Arthur and Longview metropolitan areas in Texas. And two out of five safety specialists work for the federal, state, or local government.

Necessary Training for a Quality Control & Safety Career

You can receive the training you need with an online degree program. Earning a degree online offers the convenience of attending classes from your own home and makes holding down a full-time job while studying much easier. Courses can include:

• Blueprint reading
• Computers and analytical instruments
• Quality-control techniques
• Reporting requirements
• Safety

You may also increase your employment opportunities by studying computer-aided design, industrial trades, or the natural or biological sciences. Engineering courses can also help you develop the hand-eye coordination, and mechanical and mathematical aptitude necessary to succeed in this field.

Occupational health and safety workers typically need a bachelor's degree in occupational health, safety, engineering, or a related field. For some of the higher-paying or more advanced positions, you may also need a master's degree in industrial hygiene. Or, you can start as an entry-level technician after completing an associate's degree or one-year certificate program.

Your online degree can help you get started in any of the varied career paths in this exciting field.