National Occupational Standards (NOS)

National Occupational Standards

National Occupational Standards (NOS) describe the skills, knowledge and understanding needed to undertake a particular task or job to a nationally recognised level of competence. They are agreed statements of competence that describe the work outcomes required for an individual to achieve the standard expected. The NOS for Archaeological Practice has been in place since 2003.

How they are used

NOS are the building blocks of NVQs and describe good practice in particular areas of work. They provide managers with a tool for workforce management and quality control and can be used to write job descriptions or to identify skills needs and plan training.

Further information

Downloads (PDF files)

Case studies (PDF files)

A searchable database of National Occupational Standards is available on the UK Commission for Education and Skills website.