PCC Ranks 1st in State for Manufacturing Credentials Awarded

September 11, 2017

The Manufacturing Skills Standards Council (MSSC) recently released an index of Certified Production Technician (CPT) and Certified Logistics Technician (CLT) credentials in the manufacturing and the logistics industries (M&L) where Piedmont Community College (PCC) was noted as the leader for North Carolina. The report stated, “MSSC delivers its training and certification assessments through a network of 1800+ MSSC-trained Instructors and 1000+ MSSC-authorized Assessment Centers, mostly at community colleges and secondary schools, in 49 states plus D.C. To date, it has given more than 153,000 assessments and issued more than 113,000 credentials to more than 50,000 individuals.” North Carolina ranked 10 out of the 49 states with 2,987 credentials awarded from 43 assessment centers. Of the 43 centers in North Carolina, Piedmont Community College has prepared the highest number of students for this national certification, awarding 519 total credentials to students who have successfully completed Certified Production Technician (CPT) or Certified Logistics Technician (CLT) training.  

 “This ranking shows PCC’s commitment to providing a skilled workforce to our area employers,” commented Dr. Doris Carver, Vice President, Continuing Education at PCC. “I really appreciate the dedication and support of our area employers for letting us know their needs and for hiring our students. The PCC faculty and staff are committed to ensuring student success.”  

Instructor Mike Cobb during PCC’s OSHA Forklift training course.  

According to the document, this MSSC report “is intended as a data-based resource that companies and state agencies can take into account in their decisions to locate a new plant or distribution center. The availability of a robust pipeline of high skilled workers is a key factor in these decisions. A substantial number of MSSC CPT and CLT certified technicians is a solid indicator of the commitment of that location to filling that pipeline.”

Economic Development Director Stuart C. Gilbert shared, “The quality of the workforce is paramount to successful economic development. I am excited that Piedmont Community College ranked number # 1 with the most Certified Production Technician and Certified Logistic Technician credentials of all the assessment centers in North Carolina quantified by the Manufacturing Skills Council in their report that was just released in July 2017. These two certifications are an indicator of the level of front-line workforce certifications for manufacturing and logistics by states and within states to help guide companies in decisions about where to locate plants and distribution centers.”

“This [ranking] is a testament to the superior efforts of the workforce development team at Piedmont Community College and the successful credential holders in Person County,” continued Gilbert. “The data also helps explain why Person County employment figures have increased by 815 new jobs since June 2014 – that’s an 8% growth in Person County’s employment figures in 3 years.”

The top ten states awarding credentials is: Indiana, Florida, South Carolina, Ohio, Wisconsin, Texas, Illinois, California, Kentucky, and North Carolina. Due to the substantial growth in the number of certifications it issues nationwide, the MSSC will update its “M&L Index” semiannually.

About Manufacturing Skills Standards Council (MSSC):

An industry-led, non-profit organization, the MSSC is the nation’s leading training and certification body for the industry-wide core technical competencies for front-line production work (entry-level up to first line supervisory) in advanced manufacturing and for front-line material handling and distribution work in the closely related distribution-logistics industry. MSSC offers the Certified Production Technician (CPT) certification for manufacturing and the Certified Logistics Technician (CLT) for distribution-logistics. Visit http://www.msscusa.org/ for additional information.

About PCC’s Certified Production Technician (CPT) and Certified Logistics Technician (CLT) training/certifications:

The CPT course provides training for national certification in five areas:

• Safety Awareness
• Manufacturing Processes
• Quality Practices
• Maintenance Awareness
• Green Manufacturing

The CLT training provides two national credentials: Certified Logistics Associate and a mid-level Certified Logistics Technician. These certifications are nationally validated skills standards which prepare individuals for:

• Front-line jobs in material handling
• Manufacturing factories
• Warehouses
• Distribution centers
• Transportation

Both programs offer free orientation seminars to help prospective students determine if the full training is appropriate for them. The CPT also offers students an opportunity to transition to an Associate of Applied Science degree at Piedmont Community College through credit by exam. To find out more, visit www.piedmontcc.edu/hrd or call (336) 322-2156.  

This week's post was submitted as a press release from the Piedmont Community College (PCC) Public Information and Marketing Office. For more information about the information provided here, please contact Beth Townsend (elizabeth.townsend@piedmontcc.edu); (336) 322-2104 or Jeanette Godsey, (jeanette.godsey@piedmontcc.edu (336) 322-2156. To learn more about this or other PCC programs, please visit their website.  

Piedmont Community College | PO Box 1197 · Roxboro NC 27573-1197 |  ph: 336.322.2133  |  www.piedmontcc.edu