National Occupational Standards

A Guide to NOS

What are National Occupational Standards?

National Occupational Standards (NOS) describe the skills, knowledge and understanding required when carrying out jobs in the workplace. They are set by industry across the four nations of the UK and used to define the competency requirements for the workforce and develop training.

Lantra as a Standard Setting Organisation oversees the development and review of National Occupational Standards (NOS) for the Land-based and Environmental Sector.

How NOS could help you as an Employer

National Occupational Standards are designed to help enhance your business, contributing to a professional and competitive industry by:

• Defining the skills you need in your workforce
• Discovering the skills of your current employees
• Identifying skills gaps and shortages
• Developing training and recruitment plans
• Recruiting staff with the necessary skills

Lantra’s role in NOS

Lantra has worked with industry to develop over 800 National Occupational Standards across 24 Suites.

Browse the full Lantra NOS library

Reviewing NOS

To ensure that NOS remain relevant for today and the future, they need to be periodically reviewed. If we fail to do this they will become out of date and lose their effectiveness in enabling people to gain the right skills and knowledge to work in the industry. NOS need to reflect the latest legislation, working practices and technology.

To do this, we engage with people in all parts of the UK who work in the industry and can offer their expertise. Volunteers are asked to review and comment on changes needed to existing standards and help to develop new standards where required. They may be invited to attend online or face-to-face working group meetings. Otherwise, contact will be through email, phone, face-to-face meetings or visits.