A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

Project Period:

1 June 1993-30 November 1996

Federal Funding Source:

Department of Education

Federal:

$1,098,310

Non-Federal:

1,111,731

Total:

$2,210,041

Occupational Area(s):

Entry level chemical laboratory technicians and process technical operators

Status:

Draft standards were published in November 1994. The final version of the standards will be published in May 1996.

Description of standards document:

The standards for both occupational areas cover employability skill standards, performance-based technical skill standards, and critical job functions. For chemical laboratory technicians, the employability skill standards address: mathematics and statistics; computer literacy skills; communication skills; workplace skills; and general laboratory skills. The critical job functions are to: maintain a safe and clean laboratory adhering to environmental/health and safety regulations; sample and handle chemical materials; conduct physical tests; perform chemical analysis; perform instrumental analysis; plan and design experiments; and synthesize compounds.

For process technical operators, the employability skill standards address: mathematics and statistics; computer literacy skills; communication skills; workplace skills; and general plant skills. The critical job functions are to: maintain safety, health and environmental standards in the plant; handle, store and transport chemical material; operate, monitor and control continuous processes; operate, monitor and control batch processes; provide routine and preventive maintenance and service to processes, equipment and instrumentation; and analyze plant materials.

Description of companion document:

The following companion documents will be developed:

1. Sets of employability and performance-based technical skill standards for two occupations: Chemical laboratory technicians and process technicians.

2. A comprehensive set of over 700 learning objectives divided into appropriate modules for the two occupations cited above.

3. A report with recommendations on local alliances to support human resource development for the occupations cited above.

4. A guide to facilitate the determination of the readiness of post-secondary education programs for chemical laboratory technicians and/or process technicians to "teach to the standards."

5. A report with recommendations that addresses the role of educational technology, and particularly simulations, in providing instruction for developing skills and knowledges that the chemical process industries skill standards have identified.

6. A report with recommendations and models that addresses the issues of marketing communications to bring skill standards information to the attention of appropriate stakeholders for employers and academic organizations.

The American Chemical Society intends to develop a comprehensive book to address the many issues pertinent to human resources development for chemical laboratory technicians and process technicians. The document will include the above materials, perhaps revised to better coordinate with other information included in the book.

Excerpt(s) of a standard:

Chemical Laboratory Technician--General Laboratory Skill: Calibrate containers, flasks, balances, safety testing equipment, air and water monitoring equipment.

Process Technical Operator--Handle, Store, and Transport Chemical Materials Skill: Inspect storage drums and containers, and clean, use, or dispose of them as appropriate.

Partners:

American Association of Community Colleges, American Institute of Chemical Engineers, American Petroleum Institute, American Society for Training and Development, Chemical Manufacturers Association, International Chemical Workers Union, Partnership for Environmental Technology Education, Synthetic Organic Chemical Manufacturers Association, Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry.

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