What are National Occupational Standards (NOS)?
National Occupational Standards (NOS) are statements of the skills, knowledge and understanding needed in employment and clearly define the outcomes of competent performance. National Occupational Standards are not training courses or programmes of study, but state what are considered to be critical aspects of competence at work, and balance innovation and established best practice. Competence includes skills, knowledge and understanding. Standards must be flexible enough to accommodate changes in future skills needs. Find out more on our NOS pages.
National Occupational Standards (NOS) define the level of competence needed for a particular job role or occupation. They cover the key activities undertaken within the occupation in question and under all the circumstances the job holder is likely to encounter. NOS are viewed by modern managers as an indispensable tool for managing a highly skilled workforce. They are used widely to support individual and organisational development and quality assurance at all levels. They provide benchmarks of good practice across the UK. National Occupational Standards form the basis of qualifications, most commonly National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) and Scottish Vocational Qualifications (SVQs). National Occupational Standards can also be used to: Develop qualification specifications and apprenticeship frameworks Develop Foundation Degrees Develop training programmes and learning materials Accredit training courses and course materials Define job roles Measure staff performance and identify
National Occupational Standards are statements of performance, which describe what competent people in particular occupations, are expected to be able to demonstrate. They cover all the main aspects of an occupation, including current best practice and the knowledge and understanding which underpins competent performance. How often will the National Occupational Standards change? The standards reflect current practice in the sector. It is impractical to change the standards every time a piece of legislation changes or when a particular procedure becomes obsolete. Therefore the standards are reviewed usually every year and major reviews usually take place every three years. What levels of N/SVQ are there? The N/SVQs in Housing and Council Tax Benefits and Local Taxation are at level three, which reflects the range of technical and supervisory skills, knowledge, and experience that candidates should have as they progress in their sector. Each N/SVQ is designed to fit into a broad qualifi
