The Secretary's Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills (SCANS) was
asked to examine the demands of the workplace and whether today's young
people are capable of meeting those demands.
Specifically, the Commission was directed to advise the Secretary on the
level of skills required to enter employment. In carrying out this
charge, the Commission was asked to:
- Define the skills needed for employment;
- Propose acceptable levels of proficiency;
- Suggest effective ways to assess proficiency; and
- Develop a dissemination strategy for the nation's schools, businesses, and homes.
This report results from the Commission's discussions and meetings with
business owners, public employers, unions, and workers and supervisors in
shops, plants, and stores. It builds on the work of six special panels
established by the Commission to examine all manner of jobs from
manufacturing to government employment. Researchers were also
commissioned to conduct lengthy interviews with workers in a wide range
of jobs.
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