National Occupational Standards

Clear, objective benchmarks of the skills and knowledge required for workers to perform in a particular occupation.

Overview

National Occupational Standards (NOS) establish clear, objective benchmarks of the skills and knowledge required for workers to perform in a particular occupation. Each NOS reflects a complete list of competencies required to perform a specific job.

The Mining Industry Human Resources Council (MiHR) developed and maintains a suite of seven NOS for the Canadian mining industry. The development and maintenance of each NOS is led by a National Occupational Standard Development Committee (NOSDC) made up of subject-matter experts from various groups across Canada, including industry, labour and education. NOS development committees undertake a regular review (five years) of the NOS to ensure they remain current and relevant to industry.

Understanding the NOS

Competency areas that are common across multiple occupations within the mining industry are referred to as Common Competencies. They are the foundational competencies and skills required to work in the industry, including tasks such as working safely and knowledge of workplace policies and legislation.

Each NOS includes the common competencies as well as additional competencies that are unique to each occupation. Both types of competencies are referenced in the NOS document with multiple tasks and sub-tasks to provide a deeper context and understanding of each area of competency. References and examples of abilities and knowledge are included to ensure adequate interpretation of each sub-task.

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National Occupational Standards (NOS) are inventories of the skills and knowledge required for workers to perform proficiently in a particular job or occupation. The mining industry NOS are set at the proficient level, meaning that they list the competencies a fully experienced worker can perform on the job.

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