That's a fair point Jude and I think you have helped redefine the question into one with more relevance. However, there was a time when engineers did not pursue a four-year degree prior to beginning their career (much less education was required). Also, in my experience, quality engineering and technology programs are becoming more available. In my graduate work, the quality engineering discipline was taught within the industrial & systems engineering department. This seems appropriate as industrial engineering is where engineering and management meet. As to the greater question, don't many career paths develop by necessity? Employers tells individuals that they need quality engineers or improvement engineers (e.g., Six Sigma Black Belts) and employees accept these positions because they want to remain or become employed.

Greg, I share your thought that quality is not a stand alone industry but a catalist to bring out the best in any industry. Sometimes it may mean existence or non existence of a company in a regulated industry. Even nowadays, poor quality products or services is fast disapprearing due to force of competition, customers' improved taste and wide range of choices for needed goods and services. However, majority of those practicing quality functions today have not gone to university to study quality as a course, thus the question what motivates people from all fields of life into different quality roles. This knowledge may help motivate the next generation on the value of quality of goods, services and practices of quality functions.

While not part of the target audience for this network, I disagree with the premise of the question. Quality is neither a niche or an industry. Instead, it is a function or priority applicable to every product and service industry. It is one of the few relevant factors for organizational survival in all time frames--short, medium, and long term. However, it is more pervasive in some industries than it is in others (e.g., regulated industries, such as pharmaceuticals, food, and medical devices). For those in manufacturing, people do not "end up" having quality as a concern. Production people not formally involved in the function will have to pay attention to it too if an organization is going to be successful.