[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 18 (Friday, January 26, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8070-8071]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-2405]



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Part V





National Skill Standards Board





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Partnership Organization: Manufacturing Skill Standards Council (MSSC): 
Solicitation of Comments; Notice

  Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 18 / Friday, January 26, 2001 / 
Notices  

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NATIONAL SKILL STANDARDS BOARD


Partnership Organization: Manufacturing Skill Standards Council 
(MSSC): Solicitation of Comments

AGENCY: National Skill Standards Board.

ACTION: Solicitation of comments.

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SUMMARY: The National Skill Standards Board (NSSB) is building a 
voluntary national system of skill standards, assessment, and 
certification that will enhance the ability of the U.S. to compete 
effectively in a global economy. The Manufacturing Skill Standards 
Council (MSSC) is the first of four industry-based Voluntary 
Partnerships that have been recognized by the NSSB to develop proposed 
skill standards. As NSSB requires of Voluntary Partnerships, MSSC seeks 
public comment to improve the product, receive input on potential uses 
of the skill standards in various organizations, and to assist in the 
design of associated assessment and certification systems related to 
the skill standards' full implementation and continuous improvement. 
Comments must be submitted in writing in order to be considered, and 
details on submitting comments via e-mail, fax, or regular mail are 
provided in the Addresses section. Due to the complexity and length of 
the proposed skill standards, only a summary is published in this 
Notice. To obtain the full text of the proposed MSSC Skill Standards, 
see the Supplementary Information section.

DATES: The Manufacturing Skill Standards Council will accept written 
comments on the proposed Manufacturing Industry Skill Standards on or 
before March 27, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Please send comments via regular mail to: MSSC, 1201 New 
York Ave., NW., Suite 725, Washington, DC 20005-3917. To submit 
comments via fax, transmit to Standards Release at 202-289-7618. To 
submit comments via the Web, go to http://www.msscusa.org/. Click on the icon titled ``View and Comment On the Skill 
Standards Here''

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information regarding 
MSSC's development of skill standards, assessment, and certification 
for the manufacturing industry, contact the Manufacturing Skill 
Standards Council (MSSC) at 1201 New York Avenue, Suite 725, Washington 
DC 20005-3917 (202-216-2740), http://www.msscusa.org/. For further 
information on the Voluntary National System of Industry Skill 
Standards, contact the National Skill Standards Board (NSSB): 1441 L 
Street, NW., Suite 9000, Washington DC 20005, 202-254-8628, http://www.nssb.org.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Table of Contents

I. Contact Information for Submitting Comments
II. Background
III. Authorizing Legislation
IV. National Skill Standards Board (NSSB)
V. Manufacturing Skill Standards Council (MSSC)
VI. Mission of the Manufacturing Skill Standards Council
VII. Background for Proposed Standards Release
VIII. Proposed Standards
IX. Resolution of Comments

I. Contact Information for Submitting Comments

    The full text of the proposed MSSC Skill Standards, A Blueprint for 
Workforce Excellence, may be obtained by submitting a written request 
to the following mailing address: Attention, Standards Release, MSSC, 
1201 New York Ave., NW, Suite 725, Washington, DC 20005-3917, or by 
faxed request to Standards Release at 202-289-7618. The full text of 
the proposed MSSC Skill Standards is also available on the MSSC website 
at http://www.msscusa.org/. Proposed skill standards may be viewed on 
the web or downloaded (PDF files). Printed copies of the proposed skill 
standards may also be obtained from the downloadable PDF at http://www.msscusa.org/validation/Standards/Feedback.pdf.

II. Background

    Under a Cooperative Agreement with the National Skill Standards 
Board (NSSB), the Manufacturing Skill Standards Council (MSSC) has 
developed voluntary industry-wide standards covering six (6) broad 
concentrations of work within 14 sectors of manufacturing, and has 
determined and proposes core skill standards common to each of the six 
concentrations. The concentrations are: (1) Production; (2) Health, 
Safety and Environmental Assurance; (3) Logistics and Inventory 
Control; (4) Maintenance, Installation and Repair; (5) Production 
Process Development; and, (6) Quality Assurance. The National Skill 
Standards Act of 1994 defines a skill standard as one that specifies 
the level of knowledge and skills required to successfully perform 
work-related functions within an occupational cluster. The MSSC 
proposed standards describe the work requirements and worker skills 
necessary for a high performance manufacturing environment. These 
standards incorporate a common language that will enhance communication 
among and determine portability of skills for employers, job seekers, 
employees, human resource professionals, union representatives, 
educators, and training providers across all industries in the U.S. 
economy.

III. Authorizing Legislation

    Public Law 103-227, Title V, National Skill Standards Act of 1994.

IV. National Skill Standards Board (NSSB)

    The National Skill Standards Act of 1994 created ``a National Skill 
Standards Board to serve as a catalyst in stimulating the development 
and adoption of a voluntary national system of skill standards and of 
assessment and certification of attainment of skill standards.'' 
Industry coalitions called Voluntary Partnerships are developing the 
skill standards, assessment and certification systems within fifteen 
NSSB-defined industry sectors.

V. Manufacturing Skill Standards Council (MSSC)

    In March 1998, the National Skill Standards Board formally 
recognized the Manufacturing Skill Standards Council as the first 
Voluntary Partnership established to develop a system of voluntary 
skill standards for the manufacturing industry. This system is 
industry-led with full partnership and full and balanced participation 
of representatives of employees, unions, education, civil rights 
organizations, and community stakeholders. The Manufacturing Skill 
Standards Council (MSSC) is staffed and managed by the National 
Coalition for Advanced Manufacturing (NACFAM), http://www.nacfam.org, 
and the AFL-CIO Working for America Institute, http://workingforamerica.org.

VI. Mission of the Manufacturing Skill Standards Council

    The mission of the MSSC is to develop a nationwide system of 
workforce skill standards for workers in 14 sectors of manufacturing. 
This nationwide Manufacturing Skill Standards System seeks to:
     Enhance productivity and global economic competitiveness 
of U.S.-based manufacturing companies;
     Raise the standard of living and economic security of 
American workers by improving their access to high-skill, high-wage 
employment and career opportunities for those currently in, entering, 
or reentering the workforce;
     Encourage the use of world-class academic, occupational 
and employability standards to guide

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continuous education and training for current and future workers.

VII. Background for Proposed Standards Release

    On November 14-15, 2000, the Manufacturing Skill Standards Council 
reviewed the completed research and final data analyses on the proposed 
Manufacturing Skill Standards. The MSSC Steering Committee approved the 
proposed skill standards in their entirety and formally submitted them 
to the National Skill Standards Board for approval. The proposed MSSC 
Skill Standards are the product of over two years of intensive field 
research involving over 700 companies, 3800 workers, 300 subject matter 
experts and 30 facilitating organizations. Completion of these proposed 
standards for submission to the National Skill Standards Board marks 
the first major step towards developing a nationwide system of 
voluntary skill standards, assessments and certification, as envisioned 
in the National Skill Standards Act of 1994.

VIII. Proposed Standards

    The MSSC Standards include information on the work (i.e., critical 
work functions, key activities, and performance indicators) as well as 
the knowledge and skills (academic, employability, and occupational/
technical) needed in the six broad concentrations of work in 
manufacturing:
     Production;
     Health, Safety and Environmental Assurance;
     Logistics and Inventory Control;
     Maintenance, Installation & Repair;
     Production Process Development; and,
     Quality Assurance.

IX. Resolution of Comments

    The Manufacturing Skill Standards Council shall review and take 
into consideration all comments; will respond in writing to comments as 
appropriate; and, with agreement from the National Skill Standards 
Board, will make revisions as deemed appropriate. At the end of the 
comment period the MSSC will post a summary of comments on the MSSC Web 
site, http://www.msscusa.org/. A summary of the response to comments 
and a notice of revision will be posted at a later date. The summary of 
responses may also be accessed at the NSSB website, http://www.nssb.org, via hyperlink to the MSSC website.

    Signed at Washington DC this 23rd day of January, 2001.
Edie West,
Executive Director, National Skill Standards Board.
[FR Doc. 01-2405 Filed 1-25-01; 8:45 am]
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