Key Asia-Pacific Officials, Experts Discuss Critical Importance of Standards Education

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WASHINGTON, March 4, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In just a few months, millions of young adults will graduate from college and step into productive careers in the global economy. Meanwhile, those already involved in standardization, particularly in the engineering and technology sectors, and increasingly those with policy, legal, and business backgrounds, are working in a new environment where standards play a crucial role in international trade and competitiveness. But according to the attendees of a meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Subcommittee on Standards and Conformance, comparatively few new graduates will begin their careers with a working knowledge of the standardization infrastructure that underpins and impacts more than 80 percent of worldwide-commodity trade. At the same time, a large fraction of new participants in standards rely heavily on on-the-job training to engage in the process.

"Standards education at the university level and in the professional environment is vital because standards and conformance play a critical role in the economy, impacting over 13 trillion dollars in commodity trade on an annual basis," said S. Joe Bhatia, president and CEO of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) in his keynote address to the APEC audience.

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Key Asia-Pacific Officials, Experts Discuss Critical Importance of Standards Education

"Put simply, effective utilization of standards and conformance promotes technological interoperability and drives the global competitiveness of businesses. A new graduate or professional who is familiar with the standards relevant to their industry and how the ...

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