The two areas are pilot demonstrations of standard-setting in industries, a major effort now underway under the aegis of the National Skill Standards Board. It was directed by Congress to identify "broad clusters of major occupations" and stimulate the development and adoption of a voluntary national system of skill standards. The 27-member Board has divided the economy into 16 sectors. It began its work in three areas--manufacturing, installation and repair; wholesale/retail sales; and business and administrative services. These three sectors employ about one-half of all front-line workers.

Those employed in community support services, such as youth development, mental health, and work with the aged and disabled, "have been thought of as throw-away workers," Marianne Taylor, senior research associate at the Human Services Research Institute, told a session on Capitol Hill here. Not much attention has been given to educating or training entry-level workers in this area, she said. As a result of deciding on standards, those involved realized major changes were underway that require training and retraining of workers.

Taylor listed these as: creating small, homegrown services rather than institutional ones; empowering people to help them- selves rather than be dependent; and using people's strengths to build services rather than focusing on deficits. These changes, she said, means that young people need to be prepared to work in communities and networks and to respect the need of people to participate in decisions being made about them.

Similarly, the high turnover rate in retailing, which employs the majority of young people looking for jobs, is partially due to the sector's lack of standards, according to Kathy Mannes, manager of workforce initiatives for the National Retail Institute. "We can reduce that turnover if we can convince young people that they are investing in a career path." The coalition that worked on standards in the retail area created, she said, a system that lays out how to become a "professional sales associate." The standards are now being used in competitive events by the Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA), and the process has developed partnerships in 27 states.

Taylor told the session, sponsored by the American Youth Policy Forum, that the community support skill standards already were aeing used in some high schools to introduce students to human services and to strengthen curriculum in some technical colleges.

Edie West, executive director of the National Skills Standards Board, anticipates that all 16 sectors will have voluntary national skills standards by 1999. However, the Board predicts a national certification system will take a long time to accomplish in this country. It expects 60 percent of industry usage of the standards by the year 2015.

The Board, she said, will endorse a basic skills standards certificate applicable across all of the sectors. The specialty certificates, however, will be set and endorsed by each industry.

For more information, contact the Board at 1441 I St., NW, Washington, DC 20005; 202/254-3512; http://www.nssb.org