A new four-part video series, Standardization and Workforce Credentials, sheds light on the role of voluntary standards in supporting quality certifications for the U.S. workforce.
Certifications have the potential to be useful tools in addressing re-employment, re-deployment, and re-education challenges that workers face in the current labor market. In 2020, more than 8,100 different certifications were awarded to millions of workers nationally. Yet, many employers, workers, students, policymakers, and education and workforce development practitioners lack knowledge on how to distinguish quality certifications from those of lesser value—and how standards help assure quality, effectiveness, and market value.
Featuring insights from credentialing experts Roy Swift, Workcred executive director; Cynthia Woodley, vice president, chief operating officer, and psychometrician at Professional Testing, Inc.; and Rob Pedigo, head of Pedigo and Associates, the series highlights how credentials that meet standards gain credibility with industry and have been proven as effective in the workplace. As one example, CDC data show that the number of food safety incidents in establishments, restaurants, and supermarkets declined within the food safety industry once certification programs were incorporated—specifically accredited certification programs.
“Standards play such a critical role in certification in this country, and when we look at quality credentials, we recognize that the quality is based on adherence to standards,” said Roy Swift, executive director of Workcred. “We are proud to debut this video series to help people understand the importance of voluntary standards that strengthen the nation’s safety and workforce—as well as aspects of everyday life.”
The four-part series is accessible on Workcred’s website and YouTube channel:
About Workcred
Formed in 2014, Workcred is an affiliate of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). Its mission is to strengthen workforce quality by improving the credentialing system, ensuring its ongoing relevance, and preparing employers, workers, educators, and governments to use it effectively. Workcred's vision is a labor market that relies on the relevance, quality, and value of workforce credentials for opportunities, growth, and development.
About ANSI
The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) is a private non-profit organization whose mission is to enhance both the global competitiveness of U.S. business and the U.S. quality of life by promoting and facilitating voluntary consensus standards and conformity assessment systems, and safeguarding their integrity. Its membership is comprised of businesses, professional societies and trade associations, standards developers, government agencies, and consumer and labor organizations.
The Institute represents and serves the diverse interests of more than 270,000 companies and organizations and 30 million professionals worldwide. ANSI is the official U.S. representative to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and, via the U.S. National Committee, the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). For more information, visit www.ansi.org.