Alabama Community College System hosts Manufacturing Skills Standard Council's National Board and Leadership Council Meeting

MONTGOMERY – Last week, the Alabama Community College System (ACCS) served as host for the annual Manufacturing Skills Standards Council (MSSC)’s National Board and Leadership Meeting in Point Clear, AL.  Alabama is the first state in the nation to offer MSSC credentials at community colleges statewide, and the ACCS was selected to host this year’s gathering due to this pioneering effort.
“Under the leadership of Governor Kay Ivey and Jeff Lynn the ACCS state-wide implementation of the Certified Production Technician (CPT) has exceeded any and all expectations,” said Leo Reddy, CEO of MSSC. “Alabama is now the only state in the union to achieve state-wide, post-secondary, implementation of the nation’s leading certification system to prepare front-line workers with 21st century skills in advanced manufacturing.”
An industry-led non-profit, MSSC is the national leader in preparing individuals with the skills needed for front-line jobs in today’s ever-changing, technology-driven advanced manufacturing and distribution-logistics industries.
“The Alabama Community College System is honored to serve as host for this year’s MSSC Board and Leadership Meeting and we’re proud of our partnership as we continue to expand our efforts to provide the kinds of new and innovative training and certifications our workforce needs,” said Jeff Lynn, Vice Chancellor for Workforce and Economic Development for the Alabama Community College System. “Alabama’s manufacturing industry continues to grow and thanks to this partnership, the ACCS is positioned to offer the certifications and training our new and incumbent workers need to be successful.”
The annual Board and Leadership Meeting took place June 13 and 14 at the Grand Hotel Marriott Resort and was attended by the MSSC Board of Directors and Leadership Council as well as workforce development leaders from across Alabama. The meeting focused on the MSSC’s progress towards establishing statewide programs that support the manufacturing and transportation industries.
An Executive Briefing hosted by Jeff Lynn, titled “MSSC Statewide Deployment in Alabama,” featured leaders from Alabama industry, government and education discussing the best practices utilized in rolling out the CPT and CLT certifications across the state. The briefing also focused on strategies to further expand MSSC support in work-based learning and apprenticeships programs, incumbent worker training, efforts to assist at-risk populations, and measuring the impact of MSSC credentialed employees.
The partnership between ACCS and MSSC, gives Alabamians the ability to be certified as a Certified Production Technician (CPT) or Certified Logistics Technician (CLT) through the completion of approved coursework and training. Courses can be offered for credit as part of a degree program or as a non-credit offering. Additionally, the courses are available to high school students participating in dual enrollment across the state. The certifications focus on manufacturing processes and production, safety, quality, and maintenance among other important subject areas needed for success in the technology-intensive industry.
For additional information on the Alabama Community College System’s partnership with the Manufacturing Skills Standards Council, visit almssc.com.
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