Manufacturing Skill Standards Council

(MSSC): Certified Production Technician

Presenter: Leo Reddy, CEO

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About the Manufacturing Skill
Standards Council (MSSC)
 An industry-led standards-based, training, assessment
and certification system focused on the core technical
skills and knowledge needed by the nation’s front-line
production and supply chain logistics workers.

 The nationwide MSSC system, based upon industry-

defined and federally-endorsed national standards,
offers both new and incumbent manufacturing workers
(entry-level through first-line supervision) the opportunity
to credential the skills increasingly needed in the
technology-intensive jobs of 21st century advanced
manufacturing: the “Industrial Athlete of the Future.”

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MSSC: What is the Certified Production
Technician (CPT)

Modules:
Safety;
Quality Practices & Measurement;
Manufacturing Processes & Production; and
Maintenance Awareness
Green Production (Available Oct. 2011)

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How it Works
MSSC: Certified Production Technician (CPT)

Skill standards
MSSC National Standards developed 1999-2001 involving 700 companies, 4000
workers, 350 experts at cost of $5 million federal/$4 million industry in-kind.
Endorsed by federal National Skill Standards Board in 2001 and used as research basis
for USDOL Advanced Mfg. Competencies Model and US Dept. of ED Manufacturing
Career Pathway
MSSC National Experts Panel reviews and updates standards annually.
Curriculum
The three types of courses offered by MSSC as follows:
Integrated Course: 140 hours, continuous, intensive study covering all four modules,
with all 4 assessments preferably given at the end of the course. Recommended primarily
for dislocated workers, summer semester students or others who have time for
continuous study, such as continuous study throughout one semester or academic year.
Modular Courses: 35-40 hours, 3-credit equivalent, one course for each of the four
MSSC modules with an assessment given at the end of each course. Recommended
primarily for students and others studying in the framework of academic semesters or
school years.
“Fast Track” Courses: 15-18 hours for each of the four MSSC modules with an
assessment given at the end of each course. Recommended primarily for experienced
incumbent workers with limited available time for study. Not available to HS students.

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How it Works
MSSC: Certified Production Technician (CPT)

Testing Centers/Process

Tests must be given at MSSC-authorized Test Center. Fee for test center
authorization training: $500 per center, $250 per center for statewide initiatives
adding 5+ centers. MSSC issues certificates for success in each Modular CPT
test, but full CPT Certification only for success in all four Modules.

Cost:
Postsecondary Education: One-time registration fee: $60
Test Fee: MSSC Cost - $40 for each of four CPT Modules. Recommended
markup for test center cost: $15 for center.

Secondary Education: One-time registration fee: $25

Test Fee: MSSC Cost: $19 for each of four CPT Modules

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Benefits: MSSC - Certified
Production Technician (CPT)
MSSC benefits both employers and the manufacturing industry as a whole by:
 Decreasing recruitment costs by providing job candidates with industry-
recognized credentials
 Eliminating time and costs associated with providing remedial education
and training
 Meeting employer and industry needs for workers with the right core skills
and knowledge to keep pace with technological change (including math,
science, reading, writing, communications, IT, analysis, problem-solving,
teamwork, organization, planning, and basic technical skills) all in a
manufacturing context.
 Increasing productivity and innovation through reinforcement of core
knowledge and skill sets
 Enabling employers to use a diagnostic tool to benchmark their workers
against high-performance national standards to identify skill gaps and
increase their ROI for training by targeting skill enhancements that close the
identified gaps
 Enhancing the ability to attract, motivate, and retain qualified employees

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NAM-Endorsed Skills Certification System

MSSC Program Elements

Certified Production Technician (CPT)
MSSC Certification System Tools

 National Standards
 Curriculum
 Instructor Training
 Proctor Training
 Assessments
 Credentials
Industry Standards

 Developed and nationally validated with 4000 workers, 700

companies, 350 experts (1999-01)
 $5 million federal investment / $4 million private in-kind
investment
 Endorsed by National Skill Standards Board in 2001
 Expanded in 2009 to include Logistics (CLT) and again in
2011 to include Green Production (CPT)
 Reviewed and updated annually by MSSC National Experts
Panels on manufacturing production and logistics
 Based on actual work activities performed and skills and
knowledge needed to perform the work
CPT Key Activities
Safety
 Work in a safe an productive
manufacturing workplace
 Perform safety and environmental
inspections
 Perform emergency drills and participate
in emergency teams
 Identify unsafe conditions and take
corrective action
 Provide safety orientation for all
employees
 Train personnel to use equipment safely
 Suggest process and procedures that
support safety of work environment
 Fulfill safety and health requirements for
maintenance, installation and repair
 Monitor safe equipment and operator
performance
 Utilize effective, safety-enhancing
workplace practices
Quality Practices & Measurement
 Participate in periodic internal quality audit
activities
 Check calibration of gages and other data
collection equipment
 Suggest continuous improvements
 Inspect materials and product/process at
all stages to ensure they meet
specifications
 Document the results of quality problems
 Communicate quality problems
 Take corrective actions to restore or
maintain quality
 Record process outcomes and trends
 Identify fundamentals of blueprint reading
 Use common measurement systems and
precision measurement tools
CPT Key Activities cont’d
Process & Production
 Identify customer needs
 Determine resources available
for the production process
 Set up equipment for the
production process
 Set team production goals
 Make job assignments
 Coordinate work flow with
team members and other work
groups
 Communicate production and
material requirements and
product specifications
 Preform and monitor the
process to make the product
 Document product and
process compliance with
customer requirements
 Prepare final product for
shipping or distribution
Maintenance Awareness
 Prepare preventative
maintenance and routine repair
 Monitor indicators to ensure
correct operations
 Perform all housekeeping to
maintain production schedule
 Recognize potential
maintenance issues with basic
production systems, including
knowledge of when to inform
maintenance personnel about
problems with:
• electrical systems;
• pneumatic systems
• hydraulic systems;
• machine automation
systems
• lubrication systems
• bearings and couplings
Green Production
 Train workers in environmental
issues
 Implement and promote
environmental programs,
projects, policies or procedures
 Conduct environmental incident
and hazard investigations
 Conduct preventive
environmental inspections
 Monitor environmental aspects
at each stage of productions
 Implement continuous
improvement in environmental
assurance
 Use advanced materials in
production to reduce waste
 Reprocess materials by
recycling and reuse
Curriculum

 Blended learning with online and instructor-led classroom

content
 Fully-online with online instructor
 E-learning provides interactive learning experience
http://www.msscusa.org/publications/mssc_elearning_overview_short.wmv
 Includes pre- and post-tests to allow students and
instructors to gauge progress
 Textbooks provide compliment to e-learning
Curriculum Options

2 course formats
 Regular Courses: 35-40 hours, 3-credit equivalent, for
each module
 Fast Track: fully-online, 16-18 hours for each module
(CPT only, does not include Green); designed for
incumbent or dislocated workers with previous
manufacturing experience
Instructor Training

 Authorized Instructors or use of Instructors Package

required
 All Fast-track or fully-online courses require online
instructor
 Instructors able to track individual progress through
learning management system
 Instructor Training available at national training centers,
or if you have 6 or more instructors, we will send our
master trainer to you
• CPT Instructor Training – Jeffersonville, IN
Certification

Individuals who earn

a full-CPTAE
credential will
receive:

• A diploma-style
credential
• Wallet card
• Sew-on patch for
their uniform

Note: “AE” designates

ANSI/ISO Edition
Certification

Qualifying for CPT:

 Individuals earn a certificate for each module passed
 Must earn all four certificates (Safety, Quality, Process and
Production, and Maintenance Awareness) to earn full-CPT
 At this time, Green certificate is not required to obtain full-CPT
certification
How It Works
MSSC: CPT Cost (non-profit)

Per Site (Set-up Costs)

Post-secondary Secondary
Assessment Center Authorization / Proctor Training $500.00 No charge
3-day Instructor Training Class $2200.00 $2200.00
Instructor Package only $1500.00 $1500.00

Per Candidate(Ongoing Costs)

Registration Fee (one-time fee) $60.00 $25.00
Each Regular Course (35-40 hr) $130.00 $65.00
Each Fast-track Course (16-18 hr) $65.00 n/a
Each Assessment $40.00 $19.00
Avg total per candidate (one registration, one regular $740.00 $361.00
course, one assessment)
Benefits to Industry

 Offers a pipeline of highly-skilled knowledge

workers
 Decreases recruitment costs by providing job
candidates with industry-recognized credentials
 Eliminates remedial training costs
 Serves to attract, motivate and retain qualified
employees
 Provides agile workers capable of keeping pace
with technological change
Added Benefits to Industry: ISO
17024
 MSSC only U.S. certification body accredited under
ANSI-ISO 17024 for manufacturing and logistics
 Can be deployed globally by multinationals to
ensure common practice in all plants
 Reduces costs through economies of scale
 Standard for use with foreign governments in
requiring certified job applicants
 Can be used with all suppliers to ensure quality of
their workforces and seamlessness of workforce
training practices
Benefits to Workers

 Document skills and knowledge in short period at low

cost
 Obtain industry-recognized, nationally portable
credential
 Improve career advancement opportunities and
earnings
 Enhances transferable skills applicable to all sectors
of manufacturing or logistics
Benefits to Educators

 Increases industry client base through MSSC

network and nationally recognized certification-
based training
 Increases student enrollment through on-demand e-
learning solutions
 Provides instructor training to increase skills and
opportunities
 Multiple delivery formats allow flexible scheduling
 Enables schools to offer certifications as well as
degrees
Contact Information

Neil Reddy
Executive Director

reddyn@msscusa.org 703.739.9000 x221