- 8-Day Intense Course
- - Dutch/English
Green Belt in Lean
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Description
“This 8-day training with certification is the oldest and one of the most comprehensive LEAN programs available in Belgium and the Netherlands.
We approach Lean as a business strategy aimed at delivering greater value, with higher quality, at lower cost, and in less time by improving flow and fostering a continuous improvement (Kaizen) culture. This approach is applicable across various sectors, including manufacturing, office environments, services, and healthcare.
You will gain an in-depth understanding of Lean principles, complemented by a selection of practical Lean techniques. A key focus is placed on creating value for the customer by mapping and enhancing value streams through Value Stream Design. You will learn to streamline processes and eliminate waste using Kaizen and other Lean tools. The goal is to equip you with the skills to lead or support your team in effectively implementing Lean as a strategy. The course blends practice-oriented theory with real-world examples, exercises, and case studies to solidify your learning.
You will also have the unique opportunity to learn directly from several Toyota Master Trainers. Upon successful completion of both a theoretical and practical exam, you will be certified as a “Green Belt in Lean.”
If you are looking to deepen your expertise, you can continue with the advanced modules in our Black Belt in Lean program. We look forward to welcoming you to our program!”
Benefits
With a solid understanding of Lean principles and tools, course participants will be equipped to lean and support Kaizen improvement initiatives within their own organisation.
In this course, you will:
✓ Gain insights into Lean techniques and develop practical Lean skills.
✓ Learn to identify, analyze, and solve problems within your organization.
✓ Apply Lean tools and techniques to streamline activities and enhance performance.
✓ Master the analysis and improvement of processes and value streams.
✓ Explore key techniques such as 5S, Standard Work, Kaizen, Jidoka, Visual Management, TPM, and
Pull/Kanban systems in depth.
✓ Reduce changeover times using our SMED approach.
✓ Learn a structured, effective problem-solving method (TBP – Toyota Business Practice).
✓ Contribute to fostering a culture of continuous improvement and effectively supervise improvement initiatives in your department.
Content
“In 2005, while working at Ghent University, I believed that as a knowledge institution, we needed to set a standard for Lean education. The first edition of our Green/Black Belt in Lean was born: a state-of-the-art pure Lean training and certification program, as closely as possible on the source, the Toyota Production System (TPS), the first in Belgium and the Netherlands.
After I left Ghent university, we continued the program through our Lean Academy by Van Goubergen P&M (Belgium). In 2025 we will celebrate the 20th edition of what is still today the broadest and most in-depth Lean/TPS training in Belgium and The Netherlands: content evolved over the years and was refined based on learnings and deeper insights we got ourselves. We were even able to convince Toyota Master Trainers to provide specific sessions of Toyota content first hand!
Do you want to learn more about improving processes? Working smarter instead of harder? Putting out fewer fires but improving structurally and sustainably? Our Lean/TPS training and certification programs are THE ideal tool for this: increase your own competencies and take your organization to the next level of competitiveness.
higher quality (internal/external),
improved flexibility through faster delivery and response
at a lower cost
AND
with more employee satisfaction!
Practical but with deep insights into the underlying theory. With many group exercises, case studies and examples from practice.”
Dirk van Goubergen
Agenda
DAY 1: LEAN INTRODUCTION
• Introduction to Lean: Origins, Basic Principles, and a LEGO Simulation Exercise with role play. Lean business strategy aims to improve processes through tools and techniques (the ‘hard’ side) and leadership and culture (the ‘soft’ side). Explore Lean as a strategy in four core themes:
• Value vs. Waste, Flow in Value Streams, Visual Management and Striving for Perfection through Kaizen Culture and Lean Leadership.
• We’ll also cover the key pillars of Lean and the foundational tools for implementing Lean, based on the Toyota Production System (TPS).
DAY 2: IMPROVING FLOW – VALUE STREAM MAPPING
• Basic Value Stream Mapping (VSM): how to map a value stream in a manufacturing environment from raw material to finished product delivered to the customer in order to design an improved future state and establish the roadmap with the relevant process improvements to create a breakthrough in value stream performance. This is not a brainstorming exercise looking for waste, but a thinking process based on 8 lean design guidelines for flow.
• A case study will show the power and effectiveness of this approach.
DAY 3: IMPROVING FLOW – VALUE STREAM MAPPING
• Basic Value Stream Mapping (VSM): how to map a value stream in a manufacturing environment from raw material to finished product delivered to the customer in order to design an improved future state and establish the roadmap with the relevant process improvements to create a breakthrough in value stream performance. This is not a brainstorming exercise looking for waste, but a thinking process based on 8 lean design guidelines for flow.
• A case study will show the power and effectiveness of this approach.
DAY 4: STRUCTURAL AND EFFECTIVE APPROACH TO SOLVE PROBLEMS WITH TBP
• How to analyse and address problems in an effective way using TBP (Toyota Business Practice). This 8-step methodology based on PDCA, 5xWhy and A3 thinking will be taught by a Toyota Master Trainer in the same way as how Toyota trains its own team members and leaders. Participants will practice and apply this methodology on a case study as a group exercise. Details that make the difference, as well as pitfalls will be discussed. DAY 5: PULL SYSTEMS AND OPERATIONAL STABILITY
• Kanban/Pull systems: origins – what are the different Kanban/pull systems, how to choose, design and implement the appropriate pull system in order to obtain shorter, more consistent lead times and lower inventories
• Operational stability – improving the performance of equipment used in value streams with TPM (Total Productive Maintenance. OEE: Overall Equipment Effectiveness
DAY 5: PULL SYSTEMS AND OPERATIONAL STABILITY
• Kanban/Pull systems: origins – what are the different Kanban/pull systems, how to choose, design and implement the appropriate pull system in order to obtain shorter, more consistent lead times and lower inventories
• Operational stability – improving the performance of equipment used in value streams with TPM (Total Productive Maintenance. OEE: Overall Equipment Effectiveness
DAY 6: STANDARD WORK AND BUILT IN QUALITY
• How to create standards for operational stability and as a starting point for Kaizen for workplace organisation (5S) and work methods (Standardized Work)
• Jidoka: Quality from the TPS/Lean perspective: Autonomation, Andon, Poka Yoke and Visual Control.
DAY 7: LEAN IN NON-MANUFACTURING ENVIRONMENTS
• How to use Lean/TPS in non-manufacturing environments (administration, service, healthcare and supporting processes). What are the differences? What are the challenges?
• Business Process Value Stream Mapping (BPVSM): Mapping and improving service and transactional value streams based on an 8 step design methodology in order to identify the relevant process improvement initiatives that are needed for a breakthrough results.
DAY 8: SMED
• Reducing changeover/Set-up times with SMED (Single Minute Exchange of Dies). Flexibility is essential in Lean. Short set-up times are an effective enabler for cost reduction, inventory reduction en flexibility improvements. The strength of SMED is in the way how changeover activities are analysed and reduced, leading to great improvements, often with very small investments. In this session we will teach and show results of our proven approach, based on SMED and a few other supporting techniques, which we successfully applied in more than 150 SMED improvement initiatives.
Target Audience
This program is ideal for professionals across various sectors within manufacturing, office, healthcare, services:
❖ Operational Managers, Functional Managers, Supervisors, Team Leaders
❖ Supply Chain and Logistics Managers
❖ Business Process Owners, Business Process Experts and Business Process Analysts
❖ Engineering Staff
❖ Continuous Improvement Leaders and Specialists
❖ Lean Coaches/Engineers
❖ Employees interested in learning Lean/TPS to manage or support improvement teams
❖ Anyone interested in analytics and improving operational environments
Testimonials
Trainers
DIRK VAN GOUBERGEN
Program director and owner of Lean-Academy
Prof. dr. ir Dirk van Goubergen has trained and coached hundreds of students and PhDs in the field of industrial engineering, operations management, lean/operational excellence and value stream design.
JAN HERMANS
Former HR Manager and Master Trainer Toyota Motor Europe N.V.
Jan is a master trainer for all Toyota Global Content training courses, including PDCA, Performance Management, A3 Consensus Building & Communication, and Problem Solving. Jan was a Management & Leadership Development specialist at Toyota Motor Europe. He currently serves on the board of directors of a Dutch company.
GEERT AERTS
Sr. Trainer/Coach Van Goubergen P&M – Lean Academy
Geert draws on more than 22 years of experience in logistics, supply chain and management at Toyota Motor Europe where he was also a Master Trainer. Geert provides the training session on 5S/Standaard Werk and Jidoka, among other things.
HERMAN DE ROM
Sr. Trainer/Coach van Goubergen P&M – Lean Academy
Herman worked at Volvo Cars as Head of Logistics Engineering, as Operations Director and as Group Senior Lean Director. At INEX, he worked as Operations Director. Herman provides, among other things, the training sessions on Total Productive Maintenance (TPM).
Certification
Theory exam
✓ 40 multiple choice questions – 75 minute (physical presence)
✓ Incl 1 re-examination
Practical exam
✓ Effective application of 1 or more treated Lean Tools in your own work environment. This application is judged by a jury.
✓ Problem Definition, Analysis, Countermeasures, Implementation (PDCA). According to the principles and logic of TBP (see class day 4)
✓ Incl. 1 re-examination
✓ Optional: 4 x 1h coaching for the practical case/participant
Subside
FOR BELGIUM
KMO Portefeuille (Belgium) Approval number DV.O10045. Number of training hours : 48 hours. Maximum amount to be applied for subsidy: 3,665 euros. Click here for more information.
Vlaamse Opleidingsincentives. This training is also registered for the Flemish Training.Incentives (VOV – Vlaams Opleidingsverlof) under code ODB-0003206. More information here.
For Belgian companies in the food industry: we are a registered training provider. Pleas indicate on the registration form if you wish to request the support of Alimento.
Optional
COACHING
Additionally to our open training we offer optional individual off-line coaching after the training. The cost is 400 euros excluding VAT for 4 sessions of 0,5 hours. Alternatively we can provide, on simple request, a time budget for the (on/offline) coaching and further follow-up.
BLACK BELT
After completing the Green Belt in Lean, trainees have the opportunity to enter the Black Belt in Lean program. This is available for €5.975,00, excluding VAT.
Upcoming Sessions
Green Belt in Lean
Language: NL
Price: 3825,- ex VAT
Location: Blankenberge / Waasmunster, BE
Date(s): 15 Sept. 2025
Waiting List
Contact
Feel free to contact us for questions related to our training. You can also check out our FAQ. Are you looking for in-company training?
Drop us a message on academy@vangoubergen.com and we will get back to you.