ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The Manufacturing Skill Standards Council's (MSSC) industry-recognized, nationally portable certifications are creating real opportunities for veterans to get the skills they need to access in-demand advanced manufacturing jobs.
MSSC is a participant in The Get Skills to Work Coalition launched in late 2012 under the leadership of GE, Alcoa, Lockheed Martin, and Boeing. The Coalition is conducting a series of pilots to train and credential up to 100,000 vets within the National Association of Manufacturers-endorsed Skills Certification System. Cincinnati State Technical and Community College (CSTCC) was the site of the first pilot, which is still in its early stages.
Cincinnati State has just reported that 71 percent of those who secured MSSC's Certified Production Technician (CPT) certification thus far have found jobs within 60 days of graduation or have enrolled in college to pursue further studies. More than two dozen veterans have found employment, including some who saw their starting pay increase by $2.00 an hour for having the CPT credential.
For this pilot, Cincinnati State has tapped into its network of relationships to enlist the support of approximately 30 manufacturers throughout the region. Four employers have hired multiple graduates of the Get Skills to Work program.
The College utilized the winning combination of the National Career Readiness Credential (NCRC) and the CPT certification to prepare veterans for jobs in advanced manufacturing. This combination worked well in earlier training and credentialing programs in Ohio.
"MSSC is proud to play a key role in getting vets into high-wage/high-benefits manufacturing jobs," said Leo Reddy, CEO of MSSC. "By augmenting the skills veterans developed in the military with the CPT credential, we are pleased that our contribution continues to strengthen the manufacturing workforce pipeline in OH, which is now the second highest-ranked state in adopting MSSC credentials."
About MSSC
The Manufacturing Skill Standards Council (MSSC) is an industry-led, non-profit training, assessment and certification organization focused on the industry-wide core technical competencies needed by the nation's front-line production and material handling workers. The nationwide MSSC certifications, based upon industry-defined and federally endorsed national skill standards, offer both entry-level and incumbent workers the opportunity to demonstrate that they have acquired the knowledge and skills increasingly needed in the technology-intensive jobs of the 21st century. For more information, visit www.msscusa.org.
