Dans le prochain numéro :
Novembre 2009

Dossier

Job training and competencies

Our lives are increasingly nomadic. As globalization progresses, the workforce becomes more mobile. Individuals today are likely to change jobs, organizations, careers and even countries, several times throughout their lifetime.

But although this mobility may bring international expertise and talent, it can also pose problems, since education and training varies from country to country. How then can an organization verify the competence of a potential employee ? How can workers prove that they have the required training ? And how can learning institutions guarantee their students internationally recognized qualifications ?

ISO standards for job training and non-formal education can help. By providing internationally harmonized and recognized requirements, they can be used to establish and assert the competence of individuals and the quality of training, everywhere in the world. These standards are not only useful for workers and employers, they are also important tools helping learning institutions to become internationally competitive.

The November issue of ISO Focus, looks at some of the areas where ISO standards are already making an impact. These include professions as diverse as nondestructive testing and financial planning. ISO has also developed standards for personnel of condition monitoring and diagnostics of machines, software engineering professionals, crane personnel and auditors competence. Read all about these standards and more, in our next issue of ISO Focus. And find out the latest developments on the future ISO standard for non-formal education and training services.

The November issue features an exclusive interview with the Director-General of the International Labour Organization (ILO), Juan Somavia, who says “ Improving the quality of training provided is a constant concern of governments. This typically includes increasing accountability of public funding, improving linkages with employers, expanding opportunities for teacher training, and tracking graduates’ employment. ISO can be a partner in this effort, as it provides measurable benchmarks and agreed procedures for documenting institutions’ performance in these and other critical areas.”

The next issue also looks at the training services offered by the ISO Central Secretariat, to promote understanding of International Standards, as tools to support development and trade.

Development and Initiatives

ISO 32nd General Assembly

“Standards build confidence” was the key message at the opening of the 32nd ISO General Assembly. “ The financial crisis has been felt across business sectors and economies worldwide,” said ISO President Alan Morrison. “ A major imperative is the need to restore confidence. International Standards promote business and help to restore the confidence essential to economic development.”

The first ISO General Assembly to be held on the African continent took place in Cape Town, South Africa in September 2009, and was hosted by the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS).

The event brought together 363 delegates from 108 ISO member countries, and representatives of ISO’s extensive partnership network of more than 700 international, regional, governmental and nongovernmental organizations.

Learn more about the discussions at the General Assembly, as well as the highlights of the open session on “ Energy – why International Standards are vital,” in the November issue of ISO Focus. And find out who are the recipients of the 2009 Lawrence D. Eicher Leadership Award, and the ISO Award for Higher Education in Standardization.