Subd. 1. Duties; goal.

The commissioner of labor and industry shall identify competency standards for dual training. The goal of dual training is to provide current employees of an employer with training to acquire competencies that the employer requires. The standards shall be identified for employment in occupations in advanced manufacturing, health care services, information technology, and agriculture. Competency standards are not rules and are exempt from the rulemaking provisions of chapter 14, and the provisions in section 14.386 concerning exempt rules do not apply.

Subd. 2. Definition; competency standards.

For purposes of this section, "competency standards" means the specific knowledge and skills necessary for a particular occupation.

Subd. 3. Competency standards identification process.

In identifying competency standards, the commissioner shall consult with the commissioner of the Office of Higher Education and the commissioner of employment and economic development and convene recognized industry experts, representative employers, higher education institutions, representatives of the disabled community, and representatives of labor to assist in identifying credible competency standards. Competency standards must be consistent with, to the extent available and practical, recognized international and national standards.

Subd. 4. Duties.

The commissioner shall:

1. (1) identify competency standards for entry level and higher skill levels;
2. (2) verify the competency standards and skill levels and their transferability by subject matter expert representatives of each respective industry;
3. (3) develop models for Minnesota educational institutions to engage in providing education and training to meet the competency standards established;
4. (4) encourage participation by employers and labor in the standard identification process for occupations in their industry; and
5. (5) align dual training competency standards with other workforce initiatives.

Subd. 5. Notification.

The commissioner must communicate identified competency standards to the commissioner of the Office of Higher Education for the purpose of the dual training competency grant program under section 136A.246. The commissioner of labor and industry shall maintain the competency standards on the department's Web site.