Since 2006, Leo Reddy has served as the first Chairman, former CEO, President, and Co-Founder of the Manufacturing Skill Standards Council (MSSC), an industry-led nonprofit headquartered in Alexandria, VA. Recognized as the national leader in preparing individuals with core technical competencies for advanced manufacturing and distribution-logistics, MSSC delivers its training and certification programs through a growing network of over 2,200 authorized test sites and more than 3,900 trained instructors—primarily at community colleges and technical high schools—supported by 72 technical representatives across all 50 states.
Under its motto, “Certifying the Industrial Athlete of the Future,” MSSC has consistently worked to keep pace with technological change. In 2019, Reddy led a Select Committee of 23 nationally prominent subject matter experts to add nine newly emerging “Industry 4.0 Technologies” to the MSSC national standards for its signature Certified Production Technician (CPT) certification: Artificial Intelligence (AI), 5G, 3D Printing, the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), Autonomous Robots, Data Analytics, Advanced Materials, Augmented Reality, and Nanomanufacturing. In April 2024, he became Chair of an MSSC industry-led Study Group focused on enhancing the AI content of the CPT certification training program for the manufacturing sector.
Manufacturing is swiftly adopting AI, with a 2024 survey indicating an increase from 59% to nearly total adoption in two years. A 2025 survey also shows 68% of manufacturers view AI as crucial for future competitiveness.
