National Occupational Standards Guides
Standards Help Improve Education, Recruitment, Management and Performance
National Occupational Standards (NOS) were developed to provide a general standard for various occupations in the sector. They identify the skills and knowledge needed for workers to perform competently in the workplace. The standards serve as a foundation for developing a better qualified workforce, managing staff and enhancing workers’ performance.
The NOS detail the tasks, subtasks and supporting knowledge and abilities required to perform in a specific occupation, thereby providing employers with a basis for the development of comprehensive job descriptions, performance assessments, employee management and more, by:
- Providing performance benchmarks
- Helping fill labour requirements more effectively
- Furthering the development of skills recognition for a particular occupation.
WMC has developed NOS for several occupations in the advanced wood manufacturing industry (finisher, machine operator, supervisor, assembler, operations manager, product designer and installer). The creation of NOS mean employers can focus recruitment efforts on the specific workers they need, and make better matches between employees and available positions. Not only are the NOS a valuable tool to recruit new employees, they also assist with developing interview guides, defining industry and job requirements, introducing certification programs and establishing succession plans. For educators, the NOS mean students are better served thanks to curriculum development and adaptation that is based on clear, consistent training requirements and broad industry input into current occupational skills requirements.
The NOS benefit workers as well, by providing detailed descriptions of the qualifications required to gain employment and advance in the industry. Employees are better able to plan and prepare for a career path thanks to the identification of skills requiring upgrading. They set benchmarks for skills and knowledge in key occupations and provide a common definition of an occupation to support labour mobility.
More Skilled Workers Means Better Productivity
All the NOS were designed by the WMC in collaboration with industry and occupational experts to accurately reflect realistic, best-practice standards of performance. There is also an employers’ guide that outlines how to use the NOS most effectively. These documents are intended to be used by business owners or HR managers to help develop a solid human resource strategy, facilitate improved job performance and reap the benefits of increased productivity.
