As an integral part of NPT2's activities and results, the National Network developed national skill standards for plant operators in the U.S. Pulp and Paper Industry.

National Skill Standards support:
     • Alliances between industry, academe and government
     • NPT2's Scholarships – Internships – Jobs strategy with industry-specific skill sets
        needed for the workplace
     • American Forest and Paper Association's (AF&PA) Technologically Advanced
        Workforce (TAW) initiative
     • Job Profiling
     • Job/Task needs analysis
     • Targeted workforce instruction
     • Career path development
     • NPT2's Operator Certification Initiative
     • Continuous workforce development/improvement

Benefits to industry and workers:
     • Employers will be able to make better hiring decisions
     • Workers will be able to demonstrate to employers that they meet industry
        standards for excellence
     • Helps workers in obtaining jobs and promotions
     • Since the standards are industry-wide, the worker is more portable in the work place
        and less venerable to lay offs and downsizing
     • Workers would be able to measure their own skills against national standards,
        thus identifying skill and knowledge opportunities
     • Training departments would be better enabled to measure in-house skill capabilities
        and adjust training to meet specific needs

Benefits to two-year college Pulp and Paper AAS programs and students:
     • Alliances between industry and two-year colleges will be able to conduct GAP analyses
        that provides a road map for curriculum development and ensure that the curriculum
        meets local-area industry needs
     • Faculty can crosswalk existing and new curricula with national skill standards
     • Colleges and students are assured that the training and education received is
        what the local industry needs

For reference to existing related sources see:
American Chemical Society
Center for the Advancement of Process Technology
ACT WorkKeys
National Council for Advanced Manufacturing: Manufacturing Skill Standards Council (MSSC)