What is a Quality Control Associate in a Company?

A quality control associate is a person who works in a variety of different industries that manufacture an array of different products since all industries have some form of a quality control associate or specialist. A quality control associate is tasked with inspecting products to ensure they meet the standards of the company that they work for. They inspect these products by physically checking them out to make sure there are no flaws and that they work correctly and can even perform physical tests on the products to ensure they meet the standards that they need to. For example, a quality control associate at a company that produces cake mixes will inspect the mixes to ensure they have been properly created. Many times, the quality control associate will be responsible for using samples of the cake mixes to actually bake cakes while on the job to ensure that they meet the standards set forth by their company. Another example is if someone works in a factory that produces brakes for cars. It's imperative that the quality control associate inspects each part to ensure they are not defective before they are released to companies that manufacture cars. In other words, we all want our brakes to work properly when we get into our vehicles and a lot of that depends on the role of the quality control associate.

Most quality control associates report to your quality control specialist that runs their department. Some factories and other companies may combine those roles into one position. For example, a pharmaceutical company may have a quality control specialist that tests the drugs that are produced at every level of the production process and compares them to the required standards. Quality control associates may also prepare reports based on what they found during their inspections.

The reports that are completed by quality control associates are important because they are basically proof that each product was tested and inspected before it was released to the public. If flaws or malfunctions are found in products, the quality control associates get rid of the products since some of them could even become dangerous to people in the public and can even cause death in some cases.

Most employment opportunities for quality control associates only need to have a high school diploma or GED along with some experience working in certain industries, while others may actually require a bachelor’s degree in a field studied that is relevant to the company.

What are the disadvantages of piece rate?

According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median salary as of 2018 for a quality control associate was around $40,000 per year. This can be different, though, if a quality control associate works for a company that pays at a piece rate. Piece rate is a type of pay that is based on how many parts a person can manufacture, or in the case of a quality control associate, how many parts they can inspect, per hour. This system works well on good days when everything is running smoothly because a person can make way more money than their base salary, but there are disadvantages to piece rate pay. One of the main disadvantages is if a person working on a machine that produces parts goes down, it needs to be repaired by the maintenance department of the company. If the maintenance employees are busy with other jobs, the person may only get their base rate of pay for several hours of their shift, which can reduce their normal income significantly. This also applies to quality control associates because if a line goes down, they may have way fewer products to inspect per hour and will get paid less money if their income is based on piece rate.

Why are employees called associates?

Many companies in a variety of different industries refer to their entry-level employees as associates. Many companies consider this to be respectful to their entry-level employees and to let them know that they are valued and that there is room in their company for advancement and raises. Many department stores, such as Target and Walmart, have been referring to their employees as associates for several years. This has also been occurring in many factories throughout the United States because the companies want their employees to feel like they are a more equal part of the team since it increases productivity and loyalty to the company.

What is high day rate system?

While many employees throughout the United States are still paid through a straight salary or flat rate wage per hour, some companies have opted to go with a high day rate system. This is due to the fact that some companies have noticed the drawbacks of having a flat time rate and one of those is that there's no incentive for employees to increase their efficiency or productivity. This is the reason high day rate pay is implemented since it is normally a higher wage than the average pay rate for that particular industry. The rate of employee wages is fixed by the hour or by the day, but it is fixed at a relatively higher rate to be able to attract workers who are more efficient and who can be more easily motivated to produce more products or services per hour.

Contact Us

The professional employment team at Fladger Associates is ready to assist you in securing a position in the industry of your choice. They will implement a testing process to ensure that you are matched with the best employer for your level of education and skill set. Contact us; call today for an appointment.