Standards education vital for global business needs, says Asia-Pacific Economic Group
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 standardisation, 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 standardisation 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 relies heavily on on-the-job training to engage in the process...