You can use NOS in a number of ways. They are particularly useful for defining competency requirements for the workforce and identifying training and development needs. They are also used by awarding organisations to underpin qualifications in your industry.
NOS can be used to define the job roles of staff, write and review job descriptions, measure staff skills and to identify training and development needs. They are also helpful tools to design and develop training programmes and materials, to measure how effective the training is and to develop your industry’s qualifications.
NOS are important for business large and small.
Using them can help:
- Describe the skills you need in your workforce
- Discover the skills of your current employees
- Identify skills gaps and shortages
- Develop training and recruitment plans
- Recruit staff with the skills you need
- Improve your business processes.
This will not only help enhance your business but will make sure we have a professional and competitive industry.
What’s more, by getting involved with developing and reviewing NOS, you can help make sure they best describe the skills, knowledge and understanding needed by your industry.
The National Occupational Standards developed by Lantra can be accessed and downloaded from the UK Standards website.