| New Partnership Makes Georgia a Model for NSSB Skill Standards | 
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Pictured Above: Edie West, executive
director of the NSSB (seated, left),
and Dr. Ken Breeden, commissioner, DTAE (seated, right).(Standing, left to right): Bob Jones, president, Columbus Tech; Craig McDaniel, president, Coosa Valley Tech; Mike Moye, president, Moultrie Tech; Diane Harper, president, East Central Tech; Paul Cole, NSSB; Carolyn Warner, NSSB; Jim Burge, NSSB; Kenneth Edwards, NSSB; Ruth Nichols, president, North Georgia Tech; James Bridges, president, Valdosta Tech; Mel Palmer, president, Central Georgia Tech; Jimmy Allgood, DTAE Board; C.B. Rathburn III, president, Savannah Tech; Billy Edenfield, president, Middle Georgia Tech; Randall Peters, president, Heart of Georgia Tech. To strengthen Georgia’s technical education program and deliver national skill standards statewide, the Department of Technical and Adult Education (DTAE) has formed a partnership with the National Skill Standards Board (NSSB). Representatives from both organizations signed a memorandum of understanding as a first step toward implementing industry-recognized, nationally validated skill standards throughout the state’s technical college system. “DTAE and Quick Start, working in collaboration with the Georgia technical college system, provide an ideal delivery system for the standards and certification tools provided by the NSSB voluntary national skill standards system,” said NSSB Executive Director Edie West. “DTAE has a proven track record for meeting local employers’ needs and for designing state-of-the-art curriculum and program delivery.” The agreement, signed as part of Georgia 2001 Manufacturing Appreciation Week Governor’s Award Luncheon, calls on the organizations to develop a process for exchanging information and to prepare for the implementation of nationally recognized skill standards, assessments and certification. Implementation will begin with the standards that have been identified by NSSB’s partner, the Manufacturing Skill Standards Council, and Quick Start’s Certified Manufacturing Specialist (CMS) program. The NSSB pledges to recognize DTAE certifications that meet its requirements and to position Georgia as a model state for implementing the national skill standards system into public workforce education. In her remarks to the audience of manufacturers from throughout the state, West praised Quick Start’s excellent CMS training program, which is well respected throughout the nation. “We look forward to working with the NSSB on a national model for implementation of core manufacturing skill standards in other states. The CMS program, developed by Quick Start and Georgia manufacturers for statewide use, provides graduates with the foundation knowledge and skills to achieve today’s world-class manufacturing skill standards. This is good for Georgia, and good for our nation,” DTAE Commissioner Ken Breeden said.
The NSSB is building a voluntary national system of skill standards, assessments and certification that will enhance the ability of the United States to compete effectively in a global economy. The standards are being based on high performance work and will be portable across industry sectors.
—Portions of a press release from the
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