National Occupational Standards define competences required by work. These NOSs provide three main functions .They

Define the National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) for particular jobs.
Provide basis for Awarding Bodies to create vocationally related awards and qualifications.
Help organisations provide Continuing Professional Development (CPD)

Sector Skills Councils (SSCs)
SSCs produce National Occupational Standards (NOSs) of competence.

Three SSCs, LANTRA, Employment NTO, SEMTA have produced NOSs for a range of job functions improving health and safety and environment. There are as yet no NOSs for Sustainable Development (latest see SD News)

The SDEP Guide for SSCs spells out the role of SSCs in promoting sustainable development.

NOSs cover three notional levels at work - Levels 2, 3 and 4. Level 2 is for supervised workers, level 3 for autonomous workers and level 4 is for managers .

SEMTA (Sector Skills Council for Science, Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies) has produced NOSs at level 2 in Environmental Effectiveness to demonstrate competence in making suggestions to reduce negative environmental impacts. More details from EAL (EMTA Awarding Body Ltd)

Employment NTO have produced eight independent units for NOSs on Health and Safety, which include one unit ensuring your own actions protect the Environment. Other Units include Developing Procedures to Control Risks to Health and Safety and Promote a Health and Safety Culture within the Workplace. Both these

LANTRA have produced NOSs in Environmental Conversation at levels 2 & 3. Units at Level 2 include: Maintain environmental good practice at work (mandatory), Communicate environmental information (optional). Units at Level 3 include: Implement environmental good practice at work (mandatory). Monitor and report on environmental change (optional). Full details in pdf

Awarding Bodies
These standards inform Awarding Bodies in setting out awards and qualifications. Awarding Bodies are required to demonstrate that their awards match with NOSs when submitting the award to the Quality and Curriculum Authority for approval to become a qualification. The awards/qualifications that promote the new environment and health and safety skills, are called Vocationally Related Qualifications. While using the same structure as NVQs, they provide generic skills that can be acquired anywhere at work.

Wherever possible our learning materials follow National Occupational Standards. If this is not possible we follow their general direction.

For more on Systems...

© 2003 EP@W Publishing Co Ltd