ISO Focus - November-December 2009

Continual competence

ISO Focus, November-December 2009

Online version

Today's global workforce has become increasingly mobile. Individuals are more likely to change jobs, organizations, careers and even countries, several times throughout their lifetime. With rising unemployment, skills development and training are one of the few constants needed to obtain, and keep decent work.

The November/December 2009 ISO Focus issue looks at some of the areas where ISO standards are already making an impact. These include training for personnel of non-destructive testing, financial planning, software engineering, cranes and earth-moving machinery, just to name a few. The issue also looks at the "other" aspects of training, such as certifying personnel, auditors competence, and learning services providers.

In an exclusive interview with ISO Focus, Director-General of the International Labour Organization (ILO) Juan Somavia says that skills development are critical. "As more countries produce for the global market, competition has intensified. Raising productivity is the central concern of enterprises, whatever their position on the value added scale. This is placing a new premium on skilled workers, in industrializing and in industrialized countries. Skills development is central to achieving higher productivity, which in turn is pivotal to growth leading to decent work."

Read all about a selection of ISO standards designed to train personnel and improve their competence, including the training services offered by ISO Central Secretariat.