This Career Preparation Model addresses various levels of certification recognizing that as the specificity of the certificationincreases, it becomes less portable. These Career Pathways include alternative routes for students based on their choices through Career Development. Framework for Portable Certificates Scope of the Manufacturing Framework Manufacturing includes all companies whose business is to supply commodities ranging from food and chemical products to discrete parts and assembled products. The only type of manufacturing company excluded in this definition is the publishing component of the printing and publishing industry. The proposed manufacturing career pathway framework focuses on manufacturing operations and its interface with the business operations components of a manufacturing company .
Manufacturing refers to both production and production support.
Production support includes those occupations with primary responsibility in production planning and control, quality assurance, product and manufacturing engineering, and maintenance or plant engineering. This definition of Manufacturing Operations includes the following occupational specialties and existing industry and professional certifications. These specialties provide the basis for defining a common core foundation in manufacturing operations. This common foundation would provide the basis for the integration of academic and occupational skills standards. This common foundation could then lead to four occupational concentrations.