Status of reliability education

Reliability is an engineering discipline that encompasses a broad array of tools and techniques useful for answering durability and robustness type questions. Product development teams often rely on reliability engineering professionals to guide, advise and manage reliability programs. Reliability is a facet in nearly every function of an organization. This implies the knowledge and skills required for the reliability engineer is comprehensive and the knowledge breadth may have to span aspects of material science in design constraint considerations to warranty reverse logistics. How do engineers become reliability professionals? What are the knowledge transfer options available to the reliability profession? How do we get started and maintain our knowledge? In this short paper, I summarize what's available, a couple of common paths taken to become a reliability professional, and highlight the strengths and a few weaknesses concerning reliability education. Note: This is my view of the state of reliability education.