another organization dedicated to workforce development and construction education is nccer (national center for construction education and research). nccer is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) education foundation created in 1996 to develop standardized construction, maintenance, and pipeline curricula with portable credentials and help address the critical skilled workforce shortage. nccer's training process of accreditation, instructor certification, standardized curriculum, national registry, assessment, and certification is a key component in the construction industry's workforce development efforts. nccer is headquartered in alachua, fla., and is affiliated with the university of florida's m.e. rinker, sr., school of building construction.