Organizations announce plan to create career pathway program for manufacturing and logistics
SALT LAKE CITY, October 22, 2015 – Graduation Alliance, leaders in alternative education and postsecondary planning technologies, and The Manufacturing Skills Standards Council (MSSC), an industry-led training, assessment and certification body, today announced their partnership to create career pathway programs for manufacturing and logistics. Together, the organizations intend to address the sector’s talent gap by scaling their complementary solutions.
The partnership will focus on putting former high school dropouts on a clear path to diploma completion, professional training and industry certification. Students will be better prepared to pursue viable career opportunities amidst the demand of today’s manufacturing and logistics fields.
“At its core, the Workforce Diploma program was designed to transform the lives of individuals. Our goal is to empower every program participant through education and training enabling them to break the cycle of poverty which has historically plagued high school dropouts,” said Rebekah Richards, chief academic officer and co-founder of Graduation Alliance. “We’re excited to partner with groups like the MSSC because they help us present a fully integrated path to our students – one which connects those dots between today’s coursework, tomorrow’s career, and their future.”
Through the partnership, Graduation Alliance will continue to engage its Workforce Diploma program participants through a flexible, online learning environment while expediting completion of the coursework required to earn a high school diploma via proven coaching and support models. Qualified participants will then be directed to MSSC’s nationally recognized Certified Production Technician (CPT) or Certified Logistics Technician (CLT) credentialing program.
“There are presently more than 30 million working-age high school dropouts in America,” said Neil Reddy, Executive Director of MSSC. “Manufacturing and logistics represent over 12 million frontline jobs that pay a living wage, and our leadership is mindful of the critical role reengaging this population can play toward meeting the industry’s skills gap.”
Graduation Alliance and MSSC will formally begin working together on marketing initiatives and community partnerships to connect Workforce Diploma graduates to education and career pathways in manufacturing and logistics. The partners plan to announce the launch of their first program later this year.
For more information about Graduation Alliance’s Workforce Diploma Program, visit https://www.graduationalliance.com/workforce-diploma.html.
About Graduation Alliance
Graduation Alliance strengthens communities, states and the economy by preparing and empowering tomorrow’s workforce. Through highly effective postsecondary planning, alternative education and training programs, Graduation Alliance ensures every student has an opportunity to succeed during and after high school. For more information about Graduation Alliance, visit https://www.graduationalliance.com.
About The Manufacturing Skill Standards Council
The Manufacturing Skill Standards Council (MSSC) is a 501(c)3 non-profit, industry-led, training, assessment and certification system focused on the core skills and knowledge needed by the nation’s front-line production and material handling workers. The nationwide MSSC System, based upon industry-defined and federally-endorsed national standards, is the gold standard for front-line industrial training. For more information about MSSC, visit http://www.msscusa.org.
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— Dina Igoe, MSSC, digoe@msscusa.org, 703-739-9000, ext. 2226