Your chance to influence Hospitality National Occupational Standards
We are inviting you to join us in reviewing the National Occupational Standards (NOS) and qualifications for hospitality, so that when you recruit people for specific roles you can be sure of consistent standards and skills that meet your business needs.
Standards must be regularly reviewed. The hospitality industry faces ongoing changes – new products emerging, changing customer expectations, more complex forms of service being offered. These need to be reflected in the occupational standards and resulting qualifications.
We particularly need your input on the following:
- food service
- drink service
- front office housekeeping
- professional cookery
What are National Occupational Standards
National Occupational Standards are critical to your business. You need to know that people in specific posts have the necessary skills and competencies at the level required in their role.
They are industry benchmarks of good practice and are used as the basis for qualifications such as National and Scottish Vocational Qualifications which, in turn, form a significant part of Apprenticeship education and training programmes. Simply, they are the standard to which thousands of people in our industry are trained every year.
Food and Drink Service and Accommodation standards
These standards were developed to ensure that all aspects of food and beverage service and accommodation provision offered by our industry were of the highest quality. These standards are targeted at everyone who provides food and drink service; waiters, bar staff, sommeliers in restaurants, cafes, hotels and high street restaurant chains. Reception staff and housekeepers have also benefited from training programmes based around the NOS.
Professional Cookery standards
These are aimed at those working in fine dining establishments and kitchens where produce requires preparing using a range of tools and techniques. The final standards will be applicable across all types of cuisine, including western European, Asian and Oriental. Since the last revision of these standards, a number of changes have taken place in the industry; notably new working patterns, multi-skilling and, in some cases, more complex forms of service being offered in our industry.
Role of People 1st in developing National Occupational Standards People 1st, the sector skills council for hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism is working with key industry employers, professional and trade associations, awarding organisations and training providers, to review and update the NOS and their related qualification structures, to make sure that they are accurate and in line with the industry's current and future demands. The only people who fully understand industry jobs are those from the industry and we need your input to make the NOS truly fit for purpose. Your input with this review helps shape the training and development of tens of thousands of people over the next five years and in doing so, you will help to improve standards across our industry.
These are an important part of how we consult with employers and other interested parties. It's the method we use to get your views and comments and to help shape future national occupational standards. By attending an Expert Working Group, you will be asked to:
- comment on the proposed draft units and suggest ways in which we can improve the NOS
- think about the existing NOS and identify any units, or even bits of units, that need to be changed, added or removed
The sessions are interactive, quite lively and you will be taking part with other people from the industry. Although there is a job to do, we like the Expert Working Groups to be informal and honest. We can't improve the quality of the NOS without your input.
The Expert Working Groups last for two hours and take place across the UK. We have tried to get as good a geographic spread as possible, so we hope you can attend one near you.
Morning sessions will focus on Professional Cookery and the afternoon sessions will focus on Food & Drink Service, Front Office & Housekeeping. You are welcome to attend one or both sessions.
