ADVERTORIAL
SETTING THE STANDARD FOR SPORT
Why everyone should be interested in National occupational standards
SkillsActive looks at national occupational standards for the sports
sector, what they are, and why they are so important…
stewards as outlined in the 5th Edition of the
E
very time you go to a sports industry
conference or event there always
Guide to Safety at Sports Grounds ISBN number
seems to be someone sitting at the
978 - 0 - 11 - 702074 - 0. It is published by TSO
bar in the evening talking about the most
(The Stationery Office) and level 3 and 4
boring of subjects, and if that person happens
qualifications will very soon be required for
to be talking about national occupational
supervisors and safety officers.
standards in sport you might think you are in
NVQs based on national standards also make
for a particularly dull night. But would you be
up the main part of the apprenticeship framework
right? Over the last 20 years there have been
for sport which is the flagship government funded
few initiatives that have had the same impact
entry route to the sector for many young people.
on the education, professional practice and
One area of particular success has been the
national infrastructure of the sports industry
Advanced Apprenticeship in Sporting Excellence
standards. Due to this register the fitness sector
than National occupational standards, or NOS
which includes a national qualification which is
has for the first time put in place agreed career
for short.
made up of the NOS for Achieving Excellence for
pathways, gained increased confidence from the
The concept of NOS is actually very
Sports Performance. This is the programme which
public and is now recognised as a significant
straightforward - they simply describe the skills
Rebecca Adlington went through prior to winning
sector in its own right by the government and the
and knowledge needed to do a particular job -
a Gold Medal at the Beijing Olympics.
health sector.
effectively they are a statement of what you have
In addition to NVQs every other vocational
SkillsActive's work to oversee the
to do to work in sport and active leisure. Once the
qualification in sport has had to show links to the
development of National occupational standards
sport sector has put down on paper the skills it
NOS for sport. For the government to approve or
for the sports sector is managed by a committee
needs to succeed in the future by developing NOS
fund vocational qualifications in sport it needs to
known as the Professional Development Board
then they can be used in a variety of important
be sure that those qualifications meet industry
(PDB), the PDB is made up of all the key bodies
ways. NOS are essential for taking sport forward
needs and teach the skills needed by employers.
in the sport sector including Sport England, sports
as a defined sector that can be taken seriously as a
This can all be proved by matching qualifications
coach UK, UK Sport, CCPR, Sports Leaders UK
career path and be trusted by government to
to National occupational standards. NOS are also
and the DCMS as well as representatives from
deliver alongside other sectors such as health and
used extensively in higher education to underpin
further and higher education. The PDB aims for
community development.
degree programmes which aim to produce work-
all areas of the sports industry to have up to date
NOS are developed by SkillsActive, the Sector
ready graduates.
NOS, qualifications which are fit for purpose and
Skills Council for the sport and active leisure
EMPLOYMENT PRACTICE
comprehensive careers guidance for those
sector, which is licensed by government and
As the NOS provide a national benchmark of
wishing to enter and progress through the sector.
represents sports employers. However in reality
good practice for a whole range of jobs in the
A key point about national occupational
SkillsActive merely acts as the facilitator for the
sport sector, they are increasingly being used by
standards is that everyone can get involved in
sport sector to set its' own standards, NOS are
employers to develop their internal structures
their development and they are constantly
developed by the sector, for the sector. Employers
NOS can easily be used to match to job
updated to reflect current practice in the sector. If
are key to the development of NOS as there is
descriptions and person specifications and are
you are interested in qualifications, training and
nobody better placed to state what skills are
also now being used to implement pay structures
professional development, the recognition of
needed for the future of their industry than those
linked to competence and qualifications.
working in sport as a profession or making sure
who employ the people who work there.
NATIONAL SPORTING STRUCTURES
there is a clear career structure in your area of
There are a range of National occupational
Professional bodies and national associations
sport then you should be interested in national
standards across all areas of employment in sport
in sport use National occupational standards in a
occupational standards. The only way that sport
including coaching, sports development, leisure
major way. The UK Coaching Certificate
can move forward as a sector is with appropriate,
management, spectator safety, sports
(UKCC), one of the main pillars in the
employer led, national structures in place - all of
performance, sports leadership, officiating,
development of coaching as a profession, is
these need to be linked to national occupational
groundsmanship and sports administration.
linked to NOS and a project is underway to ensure
standards.
So what are National occupational standards
that matching to the NOS becomes the main
So next time you are at an industry conference
used for?
criteria required for national governing body
and if there does happen to be someone at the bar
VOCATIONAL EDUCATION
coaching awards to receive UKCC endorsement.
in the evening talking about national occupational
A common qualification in some parts of the
In addition ISPAL and ISRM, the professional
standards, they are not being as dull as they first
sports industry is the NVQ, which stands for
bodies in the leisure sector, rely heavily on the
seem, they will be concerned with the future
National Vocational Qualification. NVQs are
NOS in the development of their continuing
development of the sports sector, and that's
entirely based on national occupational standards
professional development programmes and
something everyone should be interested in.
and are achieved through being assessed in the
qualifications structures. One of the most striking
National occupational standards for sport can
workplace. One part of the sector where NVQs
examples of the NOS taking a sector forward is
be found at:
www.skillsactive.com/nos. FSA
are used widely is in spectator safety where
the fitness industry where the Register of Exercise
gaining a level 2 nationally recognised
Professionals now has 27,000 members, all of
For further information contact SkillsActive on:
qualification is now a requirement for football
whom have a qualification based on national
skills@skillsactive.com or 020 7632 2000.
6 | FOOTBALL & SPORTS ARENA | September/October 2008
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