NWSA to Provide National Assessment/Certification Program for the National Wireless Skills-Based Training Standard
(Lake Buena Vista, Florida) – The leadership of the Wireless Industry Safety Task Force today announced that the official articles of incorporation have been filed for the National Wireless Safety Alliance (NWSA). The NWSA is a 501(c)(6) assessment and certification organization that is being created as the governance arm of the Task Force’s National Wireless Skills-Based Training Standard.
The mission statement of NWSA is to provide thorough, independent assessments of knowledge and skills and provide verifiable worker certification in order to enhance tower safety, reduce workplace risk, improve quality, encourage training, and recognize the skilled professionals who work on towers.
“This is an exciting day in the industry,” said Pat Moore, Vice President of Operations at Velocitel, Inc. “Creating a national assessment and certification entity is the next logical step in order to ensure that industry workers in the future will be trained in accordance to the various worker categories outlined in the National Wireless Skills-Based Training Standard,” added Moore.
The National Wireless Safety Alliance model will be based on free-market principles as industry companies and workers are encouraged to continue utilizing the training pathways of their choice. For example, companies and individuals who currently utilize private training options, offer their own internal training programs or go to a local community college for their training will continue to be able to do so. The NWSA will serve as the official national assessment and certification arm after industry workers receive their training.
In order to accomplish its objectives, NWSA is in the process of developing written and practical assessments for various levels of worker categories outlined in the National Wireless Skills-Based Training Standard. NWSA is also forging strategic partnerships with a nationally renowned third party testing firm and a prominent website certification database firm. A Board of Governors representing a broad cross-section of industry stakeholders will be appointed in the near future to provide oversight for the organization.
“Bechtel initiated 100% Tie-Off in 1995 and since then we have been committed to implementing this requirement on all of our projects around the world”, said Greg Corbitt, construction manager for Bechtel’s communications business. “We’re keen to see this become commonplace in the industry, which is why we’ve been helping to develop the National Wireless Skills-Based Training Standard. We look forward to continuing our involvement and bringing the NWSA assessment and certification offerings to market”.
“Ericsson has been a proud member of the Wireless Industry Safety Task Force since its inception and believes this free-market national assessment and certification organization will ultimately help raise the bar on industry safety and quality,” exclaimed Dieter Schifferdecker, an Environmental Health and Safety Manager for Ericsson.
Members of the Wireless Industry Safety Task Force have pledged to provide transparent, timely and relevant updates to the industry as key benchmarks are achieved in the establishment of the NWSA assessment and certification program.
“NATE is excited to play a leadership role in the establishment of the NWSA,” said Chairwoman Pat Cipov. “There is a lot of work in front of us but we have the subject matter experts and industry partners to develop a first class national assessment and certification organization,” added Cipov.
Participating Wireless Industry Safety Task Force companies and organizations include:
Alcatel-Lucent, American Tower, AT&T, Bechtel, Black & Veatch, BlueStream Professional Services, Crown Castle, Ericsson, General Dynamics, Goodman Networks, Jacobs, MasTec Network Solutions, Motorola Solutions, Members of the National Association of Tower Erectors, Nexius, Nokia Networks, SAI Communications, Samsung, SBA Communications Inc., Sprint, T-Mobile, U.S. Cellular, Velocitel, and Verizon Wireless.
