Building the Standards-Ready Workforce: Why Industry Belongs at ANSI’s Standards Education Workshop

As experienced standards professionals retire, filling positions with people knowledgeable in standards is a key priority. This December, ANSI’s Committee on Education workshop will bring together industry leaders, standards developing organizations, universities, and government agencies to tackle this challenge directly. The goal: to inform a practical roadmap for building the standards talent pipeline, with an opportunity for employers to help shape it.

Building a Standards-Ready Workforce
When: December 9, 2026
Where: American Petroleum Institute (API) headquarters in Washington, DC
Registration: Open Now

Why Companies Should Attend

Participating in standards development gives companies a voice in how their industries evolve, from tech to manufacturing. The challenge is finding and developing talent with the right skills.

• Shape what the next generation learns. Tell educators directly which standards competencies your teams need and help inform a roadmap for standards education.
• Build a recruiting pipeline. Connect with faculty and programs developing standards-literate graduates, and explore internships, applied projects, and mentoring partnerships.
• Strengthen your own workforce. Discover practical tools, including games and simulations, for training new hires and early-career staff in standards work.
• Understand the global picture. Learn how Europe and China are approaching standards education, and what that means for companies competing internationally.

What’s on the Agenda

The day opens with welcoming remarks from ANSI president and CEO Dr. Laurie E. Locascio. The agenda includes a fireside chat on industry–academia partnerships with perspectives from Microsoft and university engineering programs. Speakers also include standards education leaders from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), ASTM International, UL Research Institutes and UL Standards & Engagement, the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI), and Workcred, a division of ANSI. A panel will explore gamification and simulation in standards training, and a facilitated brainstorming session invites attendees to identify priorities and next steps for the roadmap.

Who Should Attend

The workshop is designed for standards and regulatory managers, engineering leaders, technical committee participants, and professionals in university relations, early-career recruiting, and learning and development.

Please contact Lisa Rajchel at [email protected] with any questions.