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The United States remains the only major industrialized nation without standards to define the skills required for industrial occupations. With few exceptions, our schools have been preparing people for vocations with only vague job descriptions to guide them. This has limited the effectiveness of programs designed to meet the needs of industry. As industry's need for qualified, knowledgeable technicians has increased during the past decade, the opportunities for schools to develop such programs have also increased. The current federal administration's educational initiative is designed to address this and other educational issues. A multifaceted program called Goals 2000: Educate America has as one of its top priorities the development of skill standards for certain key occupations. CORD is administering two of the twenty-two skill standard projects funded by the Departments of Labor and Education.
CORD has developed the National Voluntary Skills Standard for Hazardous Materials Management Technology and the National Photonics Skills Standard for Technicians. These publications identify the knowledge, skill, and level of ability an individual needs to perform successfully in a given occupation. These skill standard projects have been developed with input from industry, regulatory agencies, professional associations, labor organizations, and two- and four-year colleges. The establishment of national skill standards will ensure accurate communication among employers, educators, trainers, and workers regarding the skills needed for different occupations.
National Skills Standards Project for:
 Agricultural Biotechnology
National FFA Foundation
Bernard L. Staller (703) 360-3600
Air-Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration
Vocational-Technical Education Consortium of States
Victor Harville (800) 248-7701
Automobile, Autobody, Medium/Heavy Truck Technician
National Automotive Technician Education Foundation
Pat Linquist (703) 713-0727
Bioscience
Education Development Center
Judith Leff (617) 969-7100 Ext. 2373
Chemical Process Industries
American Chemical Society
Kenneth Chapman (202) 872-8734
Electrical Construction
National Electrical Contractors Association
Charles Kelly (301) 657-3110
Electronics
Electronics Industries Foundation
Irwin Kaplan (202) 955-5814
Emerging Technologies
NorthWest Center for Emerging Technologies
(NWCET)
Grocery
National Grocers' Association
James Williams (703) 437-5300
Hazardous Materials Management Technology
Center for Occupational Research and Development
(254) 776-1822
Heavy Highway/Construction & Environmental Remediation
Laborers--AGC Ed. and Training Fund
John Tippie (203) 974-0800
Hospitality and Tourism
Council on Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Education
Doug Adair (202) 331-5990
Human Services
Human Services Research Institute
Valerie Bradley (617) 876-0426
Industrial Laundry
Institute of Industrial Launderers
David Dunlap (202) 296-6744
Manufacturing/Modernization
Advanced High-Performance Manufacturing
Foundation for Industrial Modernization
Jane Beardsworth (202) 662-8970
Metalworking
The National Institute for Metalworking Skills
Robert Sherman (703) 281-1610
Photonics
Center for Occupational Research and Development
Darrell Hull (817) 772-8756
Printing
The Graphic Arts Technical Foundation
Jack Simich (412) 621-6941
Retail Trade
National Retail Federation
Robert Hall (202) 783-7971
Welding
American Welding Society
Nelson Wall (305) 443-9353
Transformations~~Bridge~~NCATC~~Skills Standards~~Product Development
Postsecondary/Adult Education
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