Because of questions like these, industry-based skill standards are a central component of the current education reform agenda.
Standards also tell employers what skills a student has.
These are particularly common for the professions. The current changes in the nature of work are making the jobs of front-line workers take on aspects typical of professions. Therefore, professional standards and certification are often relevant to these new front-line occupations. Indeed, the very process of developing standards can forge new relationships between schools and employers, provide a framework for employers to think about their needs, and in some cases bring about reform in both workplaces and schools. The first project is being carried out by Thomas Bailey and Donna Merritt at Teachers College.