States can judge which occupational programs meet industry standards, which percentage of their graduates pass the national standard exam in their field, and which teachers are able to pass the certificate of mastery examination for the occupational skills they teach. Unions are reluctant to give up their gatekeeper role, concerned that this will undermine union apprenticeship programs and collective bargaining power. Teachers are failing to attend workshops or other programs to help them upgrade their occupational skills and meet a national standard. Employers within each industry are hesitant about taking the time and leadership necessary to require their workers to have national certificates of mastery in occupations for which they exist. A shared commitment to the concept of skill standards and a recognition of the benefits they afford is necessary for the successful implementation of the standards.
Federal support is also important.
The U.S. government is initiating action by offering incentives for three-way collaboration among these stakeholders. National Center on Education and the Economy, 1990. Paper presented at the International Conference of the International Research Network for Training and Development. Milan, Italy, June 1994. Developed with funding from the Office of Educational Research and Improvement, U.S. Department of Education, under Contract No.