National Occupational Standards

National Occupational Standards (NOS) describe the skills, knowledge and understanding needed to do a particular task or job. In other words, they tell you what you must be able to do and what you must know and understand.

NOS can be used to:

• Describe good practice in particular areas of work
• Devise a statement of competence which defines the skills, knowledge and understanding necessary to do the work
• Design and implement workforce management and quality control processes
• Offer a framework for training and development
• Form the basis of qualifications.

Why would I want to use National Occupational Standards (NOS) in my business?

• To identify the skills of my existing workforce
• To identify best practice
• To improve key business processes
• To develop training and recruitment plans to fill any gaps and shortages
• To develop job descriptions
• To identify training needs and set objectives in job appraisals.

Lantra’s role in the development of National Occupational Standards (NOS)

Lantra, as the Sector Skills Council, works with industry to ensure that the NOS for each industry are in place, up to date and relevant. This is done via the Industry Groups, Task and Finish Groups and additional industry contacts. It is vital as an employer-led organisation to have guidance from employers on what is appropriate for the industry or profession.

An NOS development and review comes in four stages:

• Stage 1 – The Occupational Map. This is a report that describes the nature and characteristics of an industry, the key areas of the sector, and the jobs available within that industry.

• Stage 2 – The Functional Map. This identifies the type of activities that people do within a job and the skills they require to do these jobs. Employers and employees identify the main tasks of the job which are then included in the functional map.

• Stage 3 – The Standards development and review. The standards need to make clear what a person has to do, know and understand in order to carry out their job. Because jobs vary, Standards are written as a series of individual functions which may be used in different combinations so that they accurately reflect an individual’s job. Standards are reviewed against the occupational and functional maps. Where job roles have changed, the Standards will be changed, or new Standards or units written. During the review process, the proposed Standards are available on the Lantra website so that anyone involved with industry has the opportunity to comment. The timescale for this stage depends on how many changes need to be made, and can be anything from 3-12 months.

• Stage 4 – The approval of the NOS. Lantra submits the newly developed or revised NOS to the United Kingdom Co-ordinating Group (UKCG) for review and approval. The UKCG is made up of representatives from the Sector Skills Development Agency (SSDA) and Regulators. The UKCG meets twice a month to review and approve NOS. The approval period can take between 1-5 months depending on the volume and complexity of the changes submitted, and the number of NOS that the committee has received for review.

What happens when National Occupational Standards (NOS) have been revised and approved?

Once the NOS have been approved by the UKCG, the new version is posted on the Lantra website and also on the Skills for Business website (www.ukstandards.org).

Industry groups, virtual groups, awarding bodies and all other stakeholders are notified when NOS have been approved, and are sent a link to the most recent version. Previous versions are made obsolete. 

Qualifications and awarding bodies

Awarding bodies are responsible for ensuring that their qualifications and awards are developed from National Occupational Standards.

Existing qualifications should be revised and mapped against the relevant NOS.

For new Awards, units and qualifications should be developed from the relevant NOS.

Awarding bodies who would like their qualifications to be supported and recognised by Lantra will submit the final qualification to Lantra. Lantra checks that the qualification is correctly mapped to the NOS and will then send details to Industry Group members for their comments. This feedback will inform the letter which Lantra then supplies to the awarding body. This letter will either support the qualification or give reasons why support cannot be given, and invite the Awarding Body to make suitable changes.

NOS revision for 2007/8

The following is the timetable for NOS revision for 2007/08. Consultation and meetings will be held throughout the year, and information will be posted on the industry business pages of the Lantra website.