The National Skill Standards Board (NSSB) was a coalition of community, business, labor, education, and civil rights leaders.
It was tasked with building a national voluntary system of skill standards, assessment, and certification to enhance the ability of the United States workforce to compete effectively in the global economy.
In 2001, the Manufacturing Skill Standards Board (MSSC) released "A Blueprint for Workforce Excellence" the nation's first skill standards developed under a common format and common language for all sectors of manufacturing.
In 2003, federal entity NSSB became The National Skill Standards Board Institute (NSSBI).
David Wilcox, the Deputy Director of the NSSB in 2003, founded a new firm called Global Skills X-Change (GSX), that equips organizations and the workforces they rely on with the tools, programs, and capabilities to adapt to today’s rapidly changing conditions[2] The NSSB categorized the entire United States’ workforce into just 15 industry sectors.