A resource for unions, their signatory employers and partners in the workforce, education and economic development communities

Competency Models and Skill Standards

As unions, employers, Workforce Investment Boards and other partners embark on an effort to address the workforce challenges outlined in this guide, they will likely need to know the skills and competencies that manufacturers need from their workers in order to stay competitive. Fortunately, the industry has recently come together, under the auspices of the US Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (DOLETA), to identify the specific skills and competencies that are common across all manufacturing sectors. These common competencies have been assembled in the newly released Advanced Manufacturing Competencies Framework. The framework, in conjunction with resources from the Manufacturing Skill Standards Council, provides an excellent starting point for discussions regarding training and certification models for advanced manufacturing. This document provides further detail on what these models are and how they may support career-advancement activities.

Advanced Manufacturing Competency Framework

On May 22, 2006, DOLETA and the National Association of Manufacturers jointly released the Advanced Manufacturing Competencies Framework. The framework was developed because manufacturers increasingly recognized the need to agree on a common understanding of the entry-level and technician-level skills they require to remain competitive. In this way, industry can ensure they are hiring workers who can succeed in a 21st century advanced manufacturing environment. Moreover, prospective workers must understand what skills they need to take the first step towards a successful career in manufacturing. Educators and training providers must know what standards to train to, and that those standards are directly relevant to industry requirements. Finally, government officials must know that the training programs they are supporting and referring customers to are producing workers who will find employment.

In response to these challenges, a working group of industry management leaders, educators, and ETA representatives reviewed hundreds of existing industry standards and curricula to identify the common elements that apply across all manufacturing sectors. In this way, the framework builds on and aligns with the excellent work already done by many groups, but which has never been assembled in a comprehensive model. Such a model framework allows for consistency across industries, customization within sectors, and easy updating to accommodate changing technology and business practices. It provides a common language and a reference tool that will facilitate communication as industry leaders, educators, and other stakeholders, implement a variety of workforce development activities.

The framework does not replace or duplicate existing skills standards, but rather presents the core skills needed across-the-board to be a high-performance worker in today’s advanced manufacturing environment. The framework competencies range from personal effectiveness attributes, such as integrity and motivation, to technical competencies, such as working with spreadsheets, using computer aided design and accessing databases.

The Department sees the framework as a living, dynamic document that is designed to evolve as the skills requirements of manufacturers change. Moreover, it is flexible to serve the needs of a variety of audiences. For example, industry may use it to define requirements for employee success, guide employee development efforts, identify gaps in current training offerings, and establish criteria for the development of professional certifications and licensure. For education and training providers, the framework may be used to design and develop course and program curriculum, eliminate redundancy across courses; improve instructional materials, and serve as a basis for discussions with industry representatives. For the workforce investment system, the framework may be used to select appropriate training offerings, assess the competencies of the local workforce, customize employer profiles and prepare job descriptions, and design programs and provide services to meet the needs of their area employers. Finally, the framework may serve to guide federal, state, and local agencies when devising their investment strategies.

In order to promote the framework, ETA has developed an online, competency model clearinghouse. The Web site provides a space to showcase the advanced manufacturing competencies framework as well as a variety of interactive tools, including a searchable database of other competency model resources by industry and a template for building an industry competency model using the building blocks of the framework model. The clearinghouse will be updated to reflect changing skill requirements and add new resources as they are developed, and is currently available for review at www.careeronestop.org/CompetencyModel.

The Framework consists of nine levels or “Tiers” that cover Foundational Competencies, Industry Competencies, and Occupational Competencies. The model is organized in a pyramid, starting with personal foundational competencies and going up to Tier 9, which contains management competencies. The tiers represent increasing levels of specialization, rather than being hierarchical. It is not necessary that every single competency listed on a tier by acquired before acquiring competencies on an upper tier. Furthermore, competencies are not considered to be higher or lower level skills because of the tier they are placed on—all are important. Reflecting the increased specialization, the Foundational Competencies are covered in the first three tiers, addressing the skills and knowledge necessary for success in school and the world of work. The Industry Competencies covered in Tiers 4 and 5 reflect cross-cutting industry-wide knowledge and skills that are applicable across a number of industries and sub-sectors. The Industry Competencies found in Tiers 6-9 reflect knowledge and skills that are specific to an occupation or a group of occupations. Below is a more detailed description of the Tiers and competencies with examples of how they fit into existing standards, curricula and credentials.

Specifically, the tiers of the pyramid are:

  • Tier 1 Personal Effectiveness Competencies are essential for all life roles and not restricted to those needed in the workplace. But they are included in the model because they are valued by employers who regard them as necessary “soft skills” that are generally learned at home or in the community. Because they represent personal attributes, there are challenges in teaching or assessing them. They include attributes such as: Integrity – displaying accepted social and work behaviors; Motivation – demonstrating a willingness to work; Dependability/Reliability – displaying responsible behaviors at work; and Willingness to Learn – understanding the importance of learning new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
  • Tier 2 Foundation Academic Competencies are generally learned in school; they include cognitive functions and thinking styles and apply in varying degrees to all industries and occupations in manufacturing. They cover: Applied Science – using scientific rules and methods to solve problems; Basic Computer Skills – email, word processing, spread sheets, etc; Applied Mathematics/Measurement – using math to solve problems; Reading for Information – understanding written sentences in work-related documents; Business Writing – using standard business English; Listening to and Following Directions; Locating and Using Information; and Speaking/Presentation – communicating with co-workers and supervisors.
  • Tier 3 Workplace Competencies cover knowledge, skills and personal traits generally applicable to a larger number of occupations and industries in manufacturing. They address Business Fundamentals – how money is allocated to perform the work and how businesses function. Specific competencies include: Teamwork; Adaptability/Flexibility; Marketing and Customer Focus; Planning/Organizing; Problem Solving/Decision Making and Applied Technology – using equipment to produce the product, all in a manufacturing business context.
  • Tier 4 Industry-Wide Technical Competencies cover the technical competencies that cut across all sectors of manufacturing and are necessary for developing an “agile” (what labor might call “high performance’) workforce rather than following a singe occupational career ladder. Technical competencies actually refer to the knowledge and skills important in all sub-sectors of manufacturing. The 6 main competencies on Tier 4 basically align with the MSSC Standards Concentrations, which also identify foundational academic employability, as well as some broad technical and occupational knowledge and skills, for six general functions in manufacturing. The DOL framework has two levels, entry level and experienced technician level. The technician level assumes a more experienced worker and can be used for training entry-level. These competencies build on the previous tiers, and specific skill requirements relate directly to a manufacturing context.
  • Tier 5 Industry-Sector Technical Competencies refer to an additional sub-set of knowledge and skills needed to perform in a specific industry, such as food processing, plastics, etc. Therefore, training for workers who possess the Tier 4 knowledge and skills would be augmented with additional knowledge and skills particular to that industry, its products, processes and equipment.
  • Tier 6 Occupation Specific Knowledge Areas is a further refinement of knowledge and skills needed for an occupation or group of occupations in certain industries and would be seen as further occupational training specific to certain jobs in certain industries. Therefore, they reflect the need for specialized competencies in a particular industry, such as paper, chemical, auto, etc.
  • Tier 7 Occupation Specific Technical Competencies are the technical skills required for a specific occupation. These match most closely to apprenticeship and journey level credentials as well as certain specialty skills such as metalworking. Any training aimed at increasing or broadening the skills of such workers would relate to this tier.

    The Competency Model Clearinghouse Web site links to O*NET OnLine for descriptions of knowledge and skills required for Tier 7. In addition, in a recent grant solicitation the Department provided its perspective by specifically requesting that applicants relate those industry-specific occupational competencies to the needs of the applicant employers and the industry they represent. Thus, partnerships seeking financial assistance from the Department of Labor are advised to define the industry and occupation-specific competencies they wish to address.
  • Tier 8 Occupation Specific Requirements are additional occupation-specific requirements needed for work in a particular occupation. An example would be, holding a state license to operate a high pressure boiler.
  • Tier 9 Management Competencies are the knowledge and skills needed to be a competent manager in a specific industry or firm. Examples would be leadership and supervisory competencies.

Manufacturing Skills Standards Council (MSSC) Skills Standards

Partnerships that are dealing with the foundational skills necessary in manufacturing have a number of resources to guide them. Over 200 industry-recognized certifications were reviewed and synthesized in creating the Advanced Manufacturing Competencies Framework, including apprenticeship work process schedules, state curriculum and skills standards, and as previously mentioned, the Manufacturing Skill Standards Council (MSSC) skill standards for high-performance manufacturing.

A History of Skill Standards

Since the 1990s, many states, industry groups and trade associations have developed skills standards and credentialing programs. These programs range from core or foundational skills identified for key industries in a given state to industry-specific and occupation-specific for a number of sub-sectors in manufacturing. Examples of Industry-specific skill standards include those developed for the following industries: Chemicals; Computers and Electronic Products; Food Processing; Electrical Equipment and Appliances; Printing; Wood and Paper; Shipbuiliding and Repair and Metalworking. Those developed for specific sub-sectors and occupations fit into Tiers 5-8 of the Competencies Model. The core or foundational programs fit into Tier 4. These programs vary greatly in scope, depth and the methodologies used to develop them. Some are valid for specific states, others are valid for specific industries nationwide. The clearinghouse will facilitate accessing these programs for your review. The application of these programs will depend on what your training program hopes to accomplish and should be viewed in relationship to your training and credentialing goals.

Beginning in 1998 an effort was launched to create a national system for developing standards and credentials in manufacturing under the auspices of the National Skill Standards Board. Two systems developed under this effort are particularly relevant to manufacturing - the National Institute for Metalworking Standards (NIMS) and the Manufacturing Skill Standards Council Skill Standards (MSSC). They were both designed to fit into a national system for developing standards and assessments that included a common nomenclature framework and methodology for setting the standards. This framework includes academic and employability skills as well as occupational and technical knowledge and skill. In this system, NIMS is a specialty standard for a specific industry (metalworking) and the MSSC standards are core or foundational standards that cut across all 14 sub-sectors of manufacturing. Registered apprenticeship programs fit into this system as specialty standards. NIMS has an apprenticeship component while the MSSC are core or foundational standards that fit into a hierarchy that range from entry level to skilled trades programs. Because the MSSC is nationally validated as a core skills program that complements existing apprenticeship and specialty standards, the Working for America Institute believes that it is of particular relevance to manufacturing training efforts. It is also important to note that although the MSSC Standards are considered “core” or “foundational” standards for all sub-sectors of manufacturing, they were intentionally designed as high performance work organization standards – forward-looking and set specifically to prepare and/or assess workers for high performance work settings. The standards and assessments are set at a high level to measure a broad range of knowledge and skills across the manufacturing enterprise. Experienced, skilled production workers whose job descriptions are narrow will need to learn additional knowledge and skills to do well on these assessments.

Indeed, the MSSC standards and the Tier 4 Industry Wide Competencies Framework for Advanced Manufacturing are in close alignment. The MSSC is a nationwide, industry-led organization that focuses on the foundational skills and knowledge needed by workers in the nation's advanced manufacturing sector. The MSSC Certification System offers manufacturing production workers the opportunity to demonstrate that they have mastered the skills increasingly needed in the high-growth, technical jobs of the 21st century. The Working for America Institute has been actively involved in the development and marketing of the certification system, working with manufacturing unions and their signatory employers.

The MSSC skill standards represent one example of a system for workers to obtain higher levels of industry-recognized certification that will allow for career advancement while meeting the needs of their employers. These skill standards are particularly applicable for high-performance work organizations that implement new models of production processes and work organization. The standards are divided into six concentrations or process functions that are key to a manufacturing enterprise. These concentrations were designed to fit into an overall framework that identified core and specialty competency levels. The concentrations are: Production; Health, Safety & Environmental Assurance; Logistics and Inventory Control; Maintenance, Installation and Repair; Production Process Development; and Quality Assurance. These are the same categories contained in the Competencies Framework, except that Supply Chain Logistics is used in place of Inventory Control.

The MSSC standards template contains information about the work and about the worker. Critical Work Functions, Key Activities and Performance Indicators describe the work that must be done; Academic & Employability knowledge along with Occupational and Technical skills describe the competencies needed by a worker to accomplish that work. While the MSSC Standards address all six concentrations, at this time the MSSC system offers assessments, certifications and curriculum only for the Production Concentration. However, it is estimated that nearly 80% of all manufacturing workers fall into the Production and Production Support categories. The following paragraphs will focus on the Production Technician Certification. To access information about all of the MSSC standards for all the concentrations, go to: www.msscusa.org.

The MSSC System awards the Production Technician Certification to new and incumbent workers who pass the four manufacturing-related modules: Manufacturing Processes and Production; Quality Assurance; Maintenance Awareness; and Safety. The Visteon case study in this guide is an example of the use of this certification. Applicable to all sectors of manufacturing, the MSSC System has the potential to certify millions of production workers in accordance with industry-recognized, federally-endorsed standards.

The MSSC System provides industry with a new set of tools to ensure that both entering and incumbent workers are highly involved and motivated knowledge workers in high-performance work organizations. The MSSC assessments require mastery of foundational subjects such as math, science, reading, writing, communications, IT, analysis, problem-solving, teamwork, organization, planning, and basic technical skills – all in a manufacturing context. Just as “ASE” (Automotive Service Excellence) certification is the standard for quality in the automotive repair sector, as its use increases, the MSSC Production Technician Certificate will set the quality standard in our nation’s factories.

The MSSC was federally recognized in 1998 as the Voluntary Partnership for Manufacturing. It is a unique business-labor partnership whose governance members are drawn from major companies, unions, and national associations. Development of the MSSC’s industry-led, federally-endorsed standards, and subsequent assessment, involved a public-private investment of some $9 million and the participation of over 700 companies, 4,000 workers, and 300 subject matter experts. The U.S. Department of Labor’s National Skill Standards Board formally endorsed MSSC standards in May 2001.

The comprehensive MSSC Certification System includes the following elements:

Standards-setting – As described above, the MSSC developed and validated national standards for all concentrations of production and production support work.

Assessment – The MSSC completed development of an on-line assessment of the MSSC production standards in May 2004.  For national validation purposes, the MSSC piloted 1500 tests nationwide between September 2004 and February 2005.  They tested four modules: (1) processes and production; (2) safety; (3) quality practices and continuous improvement: and (4) maintenance awareness.  Each module is composed of a timed multiple choice and simulation section.  Individuals are given 180 minutes to complete each assessment.  Now that this assessment has been nationally validated, MSSC offers it commercially.  Developing and piloting this assessment has involved an additional $1 million public-private investment, plus the participation of 600 workers and students, 200 companies, and 25 assessment centers.

Documentation and Certification of Individuals – The fully designed MSSC documentation system consists of the following:

  1. Documentation for each assessment taker that includes the scores for each module taken and a “Recognition Award” that lists the skill areas for each module passed.
  2. A formal “MSSC Production Technician” Certificate suitable for framing for individuals who pass all four modules.
  3. A detailed score report identifying areas for improvement for each test-taker.
  4. A detailed “Employer Diagnostic Tool,” documenting the strengths and weaknesses of a minimum number of 10 test-takers whose aggregate results are compared against national scores.

Certification of Assessment, Education and Training Centers – MSSC uses a standardized procedure for determining the capability of an assessment center to deliver the MSSC assessment and training site proctors.  The MSSC Assessment Center Certification Process has been established in order to ensure the integrity of the assessments, the privacy of participants, and consistency in testing environment and administration.  Currently, the MSSC has approximately 45 certified assessment sites in 19 states.

Curriculum – To prepare both workers and students to acquire the skills and knowledge needed for MSSC Certification, MSSC worked with partner organizations to develop two types of curriculum. These are: (1) intensive, short courses for each of the four modules in the assessment designed especially for incumbent workers; and (2) a more academic curriculum for use in both two-year colleges and high schools especially designed for students without the experience of incumbent workers. The curriculum consists of both classroom and on-line learning components.

MSSC Textbook and Supplements – In April 2005, Glencoe/McGraw-Hill, one of the nation’s largest publishers of technical textbooks, released an illustrated textbook entitled, High-Performance Manufacturing: Portable Production Skills.  Authored by the MSSC and bearing its logo, this book is based on MSSC standards and serves as a valuable reference for building curriculum based on MSSC’s industry-led standards.  Glencoe/McGraw-Hill also published two supplementary items: a Manufacturing Applications Booklet and an Instructor Resource CD.  The MSSC community is using these materials to build curriculum and training, seeking to link them into the public workforce training system.

Teacher Development – In partnership with other organizations, MSSC has developed a course to train a new cadre of teachers capable of teaching MSSC’s foundational standards, based on basic and cross-cutting academic, employability, and technical skills and knowledge, rather than on instruction in traditional occupations (e.g., machinist, welder, metalworking, tool and dye maker, electronics technician, et al.).  The Glencoe/McGraw-Hill Instructor Resource CD is another tool for teacher development.  

System Coordination and Quality Control –MSSC produces standardized, copyrighted materials for skill standards, assessments, documentation and certification.  It is also working with strategic partners, like Glencoe/McGraw-Hill, to build education and training materials, teacher development programs, assessment center criteria, teaching-training center, and other aids.  The MSSC has recently produced an authorized MSSC Curriculum, which is ready for use.  Ongoing review of MSSC standards, assessments and certification practices will ensure currency and state-of-the-art relevancy of the MSSC system for future generations of workers.