Manufacturing Logistics

Recognized Skill Standards
June 10, 2016

Background

These national skill standards were developed by the Manufacturing Skill Standards Council (MSSC) in voluntary partnership with the National Skill Standards Board in the late 1990’s. The MSSC is a national industry group that is highly recognized by its constituent industry. It involved approximately 4,000 workers, 700 companies and 300 subject matter experts in the skill standards’ development. Originally, the skill standards were organized around six major job concentrations in manufacturing, including logistics and inventory control.

In 2011, the MSSC conducted an extensive review and update of its entire suite of six skill standards, which included: Health, Safety, and Environmental Assurance; Maintenance, Installation, and Repair; Production Concentration; Production Process Development; Quality Assurance; and Logistics and Inventory Control. Five of these six specialty areas were consolidated into the Manufacturing Production skill standards. During the same review and update effort, the final skill standards specialty area, Logistics and Inventory Control, was revised, consolidated, and re-titled as the Manufacturing Logistics skill standards.

Importance to Texas

According to Texas Workforce Commission data, the manufacturing logistics industry is a strong employer in the state. Average annual employment for all transportation and material moving occupations in 2020 was 1.08 million, which is projected to grow 22 percent by 2030 to nearly 1.32 million workers, with an estimated 172,287 openings per year. The average annual wage in 2021, the latest data available, was $40,766. In addition, the average annual employment for first-line supervisors of these workers is projected to increase 18 percent between 2020 and 2030, to an estimated 57,723. These managers earned an average annual wage of $58,149 in 2021.

Recognition

The original Manufacturing Logistics and Inventory Control skill standards were granted recognition in July 2001. In October 2006, the recognition was extended, based on MSSC’s assurance of the standards’ ongoing validity as indicated by continued industry support and the skill standards’ use in MSSC’s training, assessment, and credentialing system.

In 2012, the updated Manufacturing Logistics skill standards were recognized in Texas. In 2015, the MSSC’s national review resulted in some updates, which the Texas Workforce Investment Council recognized in June 2016. In 2020, the MSSC's review resulted in the updated 2021 "Industry 4.0" edition of the standards, which the Council recognized in June 2023.