A new suite of National Occupational Standards (NOS) submitted by the ECITB for Project Controls has been accepted by the devolved nations of the United Kingdom.
These are now live on the UK Standards website: NOS Finder – National Occupational Standards
NOS are documents that specify the required skills, knowledge, and understanding for competent performance in various jobs and sectors.
They serve as benchmarks for vocational training, apprenticeship frameworks and qualifications across the UK.
The previous suite of 73 documents was reviewed by the ECITB and experts from across industry. Together, they modernised, streamlined and condensed the suite to 18 documents.
“Demand for project controllers is increasing due to the growth in planned construction and infrastructure projects, especially those related to the government’s goal to become a clean energy superpower. So, the timing to update and refine the NOS couldn’t be better.
“We are now in a great position to use the new NOS suite to build on our work with industry and ensure all project controls-related training material continues to meet the needs of industry in the coming years.
“I would like to thank the industry experts from across the engineering construction industry for their support in reviewing and inputting into the revised suite of NOS for project controls, estimating, planning, scheduling and cost control.
“Their input means the NOS are tailored specifically to meet the needs of our industry and will ensure training and qualifications in Project Controls remain relevant and future-proofed.”
Andrew Hockey
CEO at the ECITB
Companies involved in the project include:
20/20 Project Management Training, Aker Solutions, AtkinsRéalis, Babcock, Browning Consultancy, CASA (formerly ACostE), Costain, GO FORTH, Jacobs, Magnox, Nichols, Petrofac, Sellafield, Sodexo, Subsea7, Wellingtone, Wood PLC and Worley.
The new NOS incorporate modern working practices, the use of AI within the profession, optimising resource management and how roles can drive innovation and support net zero.
What are NOS and why are they important?
NOS are developed by standard-setting organisations that consult with employers and other stakeholders across each of the UK nations (Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and England).
The ECITB is the standard-setting organisation for engineering construction NOS (see more below).
This consultation process allows any specific requirements to be considered by each nation and the result is a set of NOS that are suitable for use across the UK.
The NOS are set out in a common format and must be approved on a four-nation basis. Content is scrutinised by the regulators across all four nations of the UK.
Although NOS are developed as individual measures of competence, they are grouped into suites which identify the sector they relate to. There are around 900 suites listed by the UK Standards Agency covering a wide range of sectors.
The updated suite of National Occupational Standards for project controls, estimating, planning, scheduling, and cost control
- Leadership and management in project controls
- Fulfil requirements for project governance
- Maintain working relationships, communicate effectively and support diversity and inclusion
- Interpret project scope and develop the project controls plan
- Develop coding structures to meet project requirements
- Develop a project schedule
- Prepare estimates for a defined scope of work
- Manage risks
- Apply assurance techniques
- Identify, suggest and report on optimisation and performance improvement activities
- Generate baseline and gain approval
- Prepare budgets
- Provide information and insight from data outputs to enable informed decision-making
- Make forecasts to predict project out-turns for cost and time
- Implement change management processes
- Drive innovation and net zero in project controls
- Manage commercial, contractual, and procurement requirements
- Learning from experience and project close-out
Project Control roles and how the National Occupational Standards can be used
Project controllers provide data analysis and insight, which requires skills such as estimating, planning, scheduling, cost control and risk management. The role involves setting detailed objectives against which progress is tracked, analysing progress and then providing robust recommendations and recovery plans.
The NOS can be used for developing skills and knowledge through vocational and other qualifications, frameworks for training programmes, measures of workplace competence and influencing job descriptions. All training material must reflect what is on NOS.
Read more on Project Control training, qualifications and careers
Other engineering construction National Occupational Standards
In addition to the updated suite for project controls, estimating, planning, scheduling, and cost control, the ECITB is the custodian for the following engineering construction NOS:
- Installing Plant & Systems – Mechanical | Pipefitting | Small bore tubing
- Maintaining Plant and Systems – Electric | Instrument and Controls | Mechanical
- Fabricating Steel Structures – Plating
- Constructing Capital Plant Steel Structures – Erecting
- Moving Loads
- Supporting Activities in Engineering Construction
- Design and Draughting
- Welding Plate and Pipework
- Welding Supervision
- Onsite Machining
- Installing, testing and commissioning electrical systems and equipment (plant)
- Condition Monitoring
- Non-Destructive Testing (NDT)
- Project Management
- Expediting
- Monitoring Engineering Construction Activities
