About NICET Industry Partner Initiative
NICET conducts its business in a world that is ever changing. Government regulations, new technology, public safety, levels of security, workforce quality and training, and competitive pressure are examples of the complex issues facing the field of engineering technology. NICET must be able to predict what the future is likely to bring, and prepare to deal with situations proactively and creatively, so that the organization can continue to provide value to industry as the most recognized and respected leader in engineering technology certification.
The environment in which NICET operates has changed radically over the years. Rapid growth in technology affects the way the educational pipeline attracts and trains engineering technologists and technicians. An increased demand for highly-skilled workers changes the way corporations recruit new employees and train their workforce. A growing trend for accountability creates an insistence on certifying the skills and knowledge of prospective and current employees. It is in response to this progression that NICET authorized and established a new operating unit, called Industry Partner Initiatives, to provide a new level of support for a new level of relationship — NICET Industry Partners.
NICET maintains connections with corporations, associations, foundations, and government agencies across the spectrum of engineering technologies in order to keep its certification requirements accurate and current, and its programs valuable. The goal of the new Industry Partner Initiatives program is to galvanize the support of these organizations for NICET's mission and to recognize them for their support for quality in the technical workplace.
Who Benefits the Most from Industry Partner Initiatives?
These organizations and employers who connect every day with engineering technologies:
- Corporations that hire NICET certificate holders
- Associations whose members hire or hold NICET certificates
- Foundations with a focus on technology
- Government agencies that oversee workforce development
Advantages of Industry Partner Initiatives
Industry Partner Initiatives are about relationships — the right relationships. The initiatives are about connections — connections that result in keeping NICET tests current with standards, technology, expectations of the employer and requirements of customers. Key players in the initiatives include…
- National associations representing all of the industry groups covered in more than 30 NICET certifications, clustered in career paths within large sectors such as fire protection, transportation, construction materials and security systems/life safety systems.
- Corporations in the entire supply chain, from original equipment manufacturers, to distributors, to integrators/contractors/consultants, and on through the chain to the technician who provides services to the purchaser or end-user.
- Foundations and government agencies that are significant players in areas covered by NICET certification programs and test topics.
The Future with Industry Partners
Building strong and successful relationships with Industry Partners is vital to the future of NICET. Industry Partners will provide resources and industry points of view needed for NICET to develop new certification programs, update and validate existing programs, and drive increasing recognition for the quality companies that hire and promote certified technicians. Industry Partners' backing for the qualifications represented by NICET certification will result in increased numbers of applicants and certificate holders, and industry-wide recognition of NICET.
For decades, many organizations and companies have been invited to participate in the setting of nationwide, industry standards and creating the highest-quality tests in more than 30 engineering technology areas. Now it's time to formalize those relationships into longer-term commitments and formal agreements where NICET's mission and objectives overlap and complement the mission and objectives of specific players in the industry. This will help both the industry partners and NICET to fulfill their missions in an increasingly competitive 21st Century marketplace.
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