Home > What we do > National occupational standards

National occupational standards

These standards establish the benchmark of competence required in the sector and form the key component of many qualifications.

National occupational standards (NOS) form the basis of qualifications from Apprenticeships and foundation degrees, to vocational qualifications and training programmes.

The standards also help define job roles, measure staff performance and identify and develop routes for progression and professional development.

We work together with employers, partner organisations and experts to develop national occupational standards across the Active Leisure, Learning and Well-being Sector. To find out more about the use of standards in the workplace, we have produced a national occupational standards manual.

The format of national occupational standards

National occupational standards are produced as a suite of units for each occupational area. The unit structure allows for easy identification of the relevant NOS for a particular role.

National occupational standards have been developed for the majority of industrial and occupational sectors in the UK. There are NOS that have been developed which focus specifically on key generic areas of competence including administration, management and leadership, and enterprise.