PALM BEACH, Fla.—The Annual Manufacturing Leadership Summit bestowed one of its prestigious "Manufacturing Leadership Awards" today on the Manufacturing Skill Standards Council (MSSC).

"I am delighted to see MSSC recognized by the industry for its singular achievement in workforce skills development," states Michael Packer, Vice President, Advanced Manufacturing Programs, Lockheed Martin. "Since its founding in 1998, MSSC has involved most of the nation's manufacturers in developing and validating the industry-defined national skill standards for front-line work in all sectors of manufacturing."

"MSSC won this award for its outstanding contribution to resolving the persistent shortage of higher skilled production workers through its Certified Production Technician (CPT) training and credentialing system," said Leo Reddy, CEO of MSSC.

Now an American institution, MSSC delivers its instructional materials and certification assessments through a nationwide infrastructure of some 1200 MSSC-authorized Instructors and 625 MSSC-authorized assessment centers in 42 states, mostly at community colleges and high schools.

The annual Manufacturing Leadership Summit, organized by Frost and Sullivan, assembles a cross-section of the nation's leading manufacturers to assess challenges and identify solutions for the industry. The 2014 Manufacturing Leadership Award winners include Boeing, BMW, Lockheed Martin, L'Oreal and Proctor & Gamble.

For more information on the Manufacturing Leadership Awards, visit http://mlawards.gilcommunity.com/