The National Skill Standards Board was created by The National Skill Standards Act of 1994 (108 Stat 192, 20 U. S. C. 5933)), signed into law by President Clinton on March 31, 1994. The Board's purpose as stated in the Act is ``to serve as a catalyst in stimulating the development and adoption of a voluntary national system of skill standards and of assessment and certification of attainment of skill standards: (1) That will serve as a cornerstone of the national strategy to enhance workforce skills; (2) that will result in increased productivity, economic growth, and American economic competitiveness; and (3) that can be used consistent with civil rights laws'' by the stakeholders enumerated in the Act: the nation, industries, employers, labor organizations, workers, students, entry-level workers, training providers, educators and government. The Act also states that this voluntary national system of skill standards will serve: (1) to facilitate the transition to high performance work organizations; (2) to increase opportunities for minorities and women; and (3) to facilitate linkages between other components of the national strategy to enhance workforce skills. __________ Source: Federal Register, (March 25, 1996, [61 FR 12109]).