The ability of manufacturers to succeed in the highly competitive global marketplace depends on access to an educated, flexible and knowledge-based workforce. American employees, in turn, need the education and skills to participate in a high performance workforce for the robust and dynamic U.S. manufacturing economy.
The United States faces the daunting challenge of ensuring every student possesses the appropriate knowledge and skills required to succeed in the 21st century global economy. NAM skills gap surveys consistently underscore how a vast majority of American manufacturers are facing a serious shortage of qualified employees, taking an increasingly negative toll on America’s ability to be innovative and productive. The broadening skills gap is due to several factors, including: the retirement of the baby boomers; advancements in technology that require new skills; increased job competition in the global marketplace; failure to cultivate a highly skilled workforce; a lack of emphasis on the necessary skill sets for advanced manufacturing; and difficulty with retaining skilled talent.
Manufacturers have identified the basic or core competencies necessary for workers to succeed in virtually all entry-level jobs across sectors within manufacturing. NAM believes that a system of industry-recognized skills credentials is necessary to reform education and training for 21st century manufacturing by providing skills assessments, standardized curriculum requirements, and portable credentials that validate the attainment of critical competencies required by industry.
Adopted Fall 2009 Effective until Fall 2013
1.01. General Education Policy
Excellence in education and educational opportunities for all is the best guarantee of meeting the demands of the global economy. The NAM believes in a strong system of high quality early learning, elementary, secondary, higher education including career and technical education that effectively prepares students for the challenges of the 21st century global workforce.
Back to top Adopted Fall 2009 Effective until Fall 2013
Manufacturers operate under the principle that what gets measured gets better. The development of standard objectives and performance measures is an important resource in determining where education systems are achieving and where they are falling short. Student, teacher, and school performance information should be meaningful, clear, and consistent, and made available to the public in an understandable format. Modern management systems should be utilized to evaluate results and develop actions necessary to help schools achieve their full potential.
Back to top Adopted Winter 2008 Effective until Winter 2012
1.02a. Data Systems
Well developed data systems are integral to accountability and measurement of student progress throughout the education and training system. Adopted Winter 2008 Effective until Winter 2012
Closer alignment of education and training programs to marketplace demands is critical to ensure that students and workers are prepared for the challenges of a high-skilled, dynamic workplace. Federal, state, and local education initiatives and programs should be coordinated and developed into a comprehensive learning continuum. The learning continuum must include input from the business community to help develop strategies to address skill and labor shortages and to help prepare students for high growth, high demand fields.
Back to top Adopted Winter 2008 Effective until Winter 2012
1.03a. Curriculum
A consistent, challenging, rigorous curriculum aligned to the highest international standards, especially strong reading, math and science standards, will help prepare students with the basic academic training needed in today’s workforce. Strong curriculum programs must also incorporate career and technical education content that integrates contextual and technical learning within core academic courses. Every student should graduate with both the knowledge and skills necessary to be successful in the global economy.
Adopted Winter 2008 Effective until Winter 2012
1.03b. Industry and Education Cooperation
Key to more relevant education and training programs is an improved linkage between employers and education and training institutions. Business and education partnerships must coordinate to: (1) provide current information on specific areas of educational emphasis necessary to meet the current and future manpower and new knowledge needs of business and industry; (2) assist in the extension and improvement of career and technical education programs; (3) share programs, techniques and methodology developed in industrial training activities with educational institutions; (4) encourage, support, and assist in the establishment of sound business practices in areas of school management, construction, operation and finance; and (5) contribute business support, including equipment and use of facilities, to assist students and faculty in the pursuit of their work.
Back to top Adopted Winter 2008 Effective until Winter 2012
Effective “hands on” learning programs are critical to helping students understand the knowledge behind technology and its application to real world environments and situations. Every student should have access to programs that integrate rigorous curriculum and learning criteria with real world scenarios. High quality programs also incorporate career development and on-the-job training.
Back to top Adopted Winter 2008 Effective until Winter 2012
Effective, quality teachers and administrators are the cornerstone of any education and workforce program. Quality teaching efforts include: (1) teacher and administrator training programs, testing, and certification based on rigorous, high quality standards; (2) professional development programs aligned to content and student performance standards tied to improving student achievement; (3) efficient alternative routes to teacher certification; and (4) high performance teacher standards tied to improving academic progress.
Back to top Adopted Fall 2009 Effective until Fall 2013
1.05a. Career and Technical Education Teachers
Career and technical education teacher certification requirements should reflect the need to better integrate career and academic curriculum and integrate career professionals into the career and technical education teaching corps.
Adopted Winter 2008 Effective until Winter 2012
1.05b. Counselors
Adequate training and support should be provided tocounselors so they are able to provide proper career guidance and counseling services for students, recognizing and emphasizing that industry-recognized certifications, two-year, four-year, and advanced degrees are all valid career pathways. A counselor’s responsibility is to advise students on all viable education, training, and career options and to help prepare and plan the appropriate coursework necessary.
Adopted Winter 2008 Effective until Winter 2012
1.05c. Technology Training
Technology use in the schools is critical to preparing students for a technologically advanced world. Schools and teachers should incorporate technology into everyday teaching methods to help students develop a mastery over modern technology and improve delivery of curriculum.Adopted Winter 2008 Effective until Winter 2012
1.05d. Performance Incentives
Comprehensive performance-based evaluation systems should reward teachers and principals that raise student academic achievement and meet high standards of performance.
Back to top Adopted Winter 2008 Effective until Winter 2012
1.06. Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)
The strength of U.S. manufacturing and the continued growth of high-technology industries are dependent on the availability of high-quality personnel, especially in the scientific, technological, engineering, and mathematical disciplines. U.S. manufacturing leads the world in global innovation, but it is essential to inspire a continuing pipeline of students to pursue STEM careers to sustain our technological edge and compete in the global economy.
The extent and quality of education in STEM at the elementary, secondary and post-secondary levels is a matter of national concern. The situation is aggravated by shortages in the pool of interested students as well as shortages of qualified STEM teachers, and of faculty in universities and colleges, especially in many of the engineering disciplines.
Government, academia and industry need to intensify cooperation in programs to encourage the highest quality STEM education at the K-12 level to fill the talent pipeline. Institutions of higher education can do more to plug the holes in the pipeline by developing better STEM retention programs for students who indicate an interest in a STEM career field.
Back to top Adopted Winter 2008 Effective until Winter 2012
1.07. Career and Technical Education (CTE)
Critical to any student learning program is the integration of career and technical education (CTE). CTE provides students with real-world job skills and is a vital component of a 21st century workforce. All students should take CTE courses that integrate contextual and technical learning with core academic courses.
Large numbers of high school students either drop out, or for those that graduate, do not wish to pursue a postsecondary education. CTE programs that integrate and incorporate rigorous academic programs can promote both work readiness and a link between learning and real life applications.
Well developed CTE initiatives can encourage students to complete school work and pursue more advanced skills training at the postsecondary level.
Every student should graduate from high school ready for work AND ready for college. CTE programs should require the ACT National Career Readiness Certificate to ensure graduates have the core academic and workplace competencies for employment.
Industry-recognized skills certifications provide guidelines for an educational pathway to achieve credentials ensuring workers have the required occupational foundational competencies in health and safety, quality assurance and continual improvement, manufacturing process, development and design, production and supply chain logistics as well as training and credentials in specific sector and/or occupational areas in demand in their regional economies.
Schools should offer a diverse array of CTE programs that are up to date and reflect current technology. They should also promote CTE career programs to students and encourage completion of industry-recognized certification programs.
Back to top Adopted Fall 2009 Effective until Fall 2013
1.08. Early Education and Learning
Access to high quality early education and learning opportunities is integral to helping today’s children prepare for the highly competitive, fast-paced global economy. A number of high quality independent studies and reports overwhelmingly demonstrate the benefits of early learning programs in the development of a child’s social and cognitive skills, creativity and emotional resilience. These skills are often developed prior to a student’s arrival in the elementary school setting placing a great emphasis on the need for high quality early child development and support services that can improve school readiness.
Back to top Adopted Winter 2008 Effective until Winter 2012
1.09. Elementary and Secondary Education
Elementary and secondary education programs should improve student graduation rates, increase alignment of education programs and standards, prepare students for the challenges of college and the workforce, and be held accountable for student progress.
Back to top Adopted Winter 2008 Effective until Winter 2012
America’s system of higher education provides access and opportunity to achieve advanced training and skills for students and workers. Increased alignment, accountability, and accessibility of higher education programs are important to continued economic innovation and productivity.
Increased transparency of college costs and less-complex student financial assistance forms can bring accountability to college pricing and increase access to higher education for low-income and first-generation students. Institutions of higher education should work in cooperation with business to develop services and supports for nontraditional students and workers seeking to increase their training or skills.
Back to top Adopted Winter 2008 Effective until Winter 2012
1.10a. Community Colleges
Community colleges play an integral role in the link between employer needs and the academic community. Through partnerships with manufacturers and other employers, community colleges tailor programs to meet changing employer skill demands. Closer cooperation between community colleges and employers in establishing performance objectives and curricula in occupational programs should be encouraged and supported.
Adopted Winter 2008 Effective until Winter 2012
1.10b. Early College Enrollment/Dual Credit
Early college enrollment/dual credit programs serve a vital role in helping to prepare students and to establish an effective, clear transition between secondary and postsecondary education. In addition, these programs can help increase the academic rigor of a student’s final years of secondary education.
Back to top Adopted Winter 2008 Effective until Winter 2012
2.01. General Workforce Policy
A skilled labor force is a basic requirement for economic growth and prosperity. Employment and retraining efforts should be based on future market demand for jobs and should be directed towards private sector needs. For their part, employees must undertake their own initiative to use the education and training programs that are available and invest their own time and resources to improve their skill
Back to top Adopted Winter 2008 Effective until Winter 2012
2.02. Workforce Development and Training
Workforce training programs should be consolidated and coordinated into a comprehensive and adaptive system centered on the needs of regional economic development and accountable for results. The workforce system should be easily understandable, accessible, and responsive to the needs of both the business community and job seekers. Increased outreach and involvement of local communities and governments should be encouraged and supported.
Partnerships between government agencies, business, training providers, and institutions of higher education should be strengthened and administrative burdens and complexities reduced. In addition, the workforce system should continue to be led by the business community.
The expenditure of public funds supporting educational programs of study and job training/workforce development for students in career and technical education, unemployed workers, dislocated workers, trade-impacted workers, and separating military personnel should ensure such education and job training result in attainment of industry-recognized skills certifications as postsecondary credentials with value in the workplace.
Back to top Adopted Fall 2009 Effective until Winter 2012
Effective development, which includes training programs and education for all levels of personnel, means advancement for individuals and industry as a whole. Business efforts to further the development of employees, including apprenticeship, on-the-job, up-grading, and other types of training, should be promoted and supported through the workforce system. Greater business partnership in education and training efforts at all levels should be stimulated and incentives for increased cooperation explored.
Back to top Adopted Winter 2008 Effective until Winter 2012
2.02b. Lifelong Learning
Education and training do not stop once an individual graduates, completes a training or certification program, or attains a job. Workers need access to lifelong learning and training programs to enable them to attain, maintain, or upgrade skills to adapt to changing workforce needs. Job training and education programs should be streamlined, coordinated and supported to help facilitate workers’ professional development and ongoing lifelong learning.
Back to top Adopted Winter 2008 Effective until Winter 2012
2.02c. Adult Education
Adults who have not completed high school and/or lack other basic skills have limited job opportunities and the ability to climb the economic ladder. Federal programs aimed at helping these individuals must be rigorous and able to demonstrate measurable improvement in the attainment of basic skills and high school completion rates (or an equivalent) with an emphasis on further learning that may lead to industry-recognized credential(s) or other postsecondary degrees.
Back to top Adopted Fall 2009 Effective until Fall 2013
Change is an integral part of a competitive, global economy. Business tries to minimize adverse effects on employees through internal company practices. If displacement is unavoidable, business works to ease the burden through activities such as job counseling, job search assistance, retraining, and outplacement assistance.
Worker training, retraining, and education programs can be more effective if they are better coordinated and include the following characteristics: cost-effectiveness, broad coverage, easy access, simplicity, limited red tape, individual choice, flexibility and linkages with existing programs. Unemployment programs should encourage workers to actively seek re-employment or retraining in a timely manner. Employment services must be coordinated through other workforce training programs.
Back to top Adopted Winter 2008 Effective until Winter 2012
Reform of U.S. immigration law regarding legal immigrants is essential to the nation’s competitiveness. Such reform should include fundamental changes in the method of determining the number of employment-based visas, creating a system with an emphasis on market demands. Reforms would improve the employment-based green card system to keep talent within the United States, streamline and simplify the procedures for the temporary or non-immigrant visa, allow for temporary workers and immigrants to meet the needs of employers without displacing American workers and create other changes to enhance flexibility in responding to demands for the skills necessary to grow America’s economy.
Employers need a reliable, accurate and efficient employment eligibility verification system that also provides fair enforcement of the laws. The current employment verification system creates undue liability for employers, causes increased administrative burdens, and does not deter identity fraud. There is a need for an efficient and reliable process, and should include the following principles:
- A shared responsibility among employers, employees and the federal government;
- Fair enforcement program for those who use the system in good faith with strong safe harbor provisions for employers;
- A system that is accurate, reliable and timely;
- A consistent system that provides a coherent hiring process across all states;
- A verification process that is simple to use and easy to understand; and
- The use of up-to-date technology to make the process as effective, efficient and safe as possible.
Adopted Winter 2010 Effective until Winter 2014