CISC Occupational Standards 1998

The original CISC National Occupational Standards were developed and published in 1994. They were then the result of long and detailed development and scrutiny by hundreds of practitioners from across the higher levels of the built environment sector. Since their publication much has happened to warrant a fresh look. The two most important influences for change are:

• extensive testing of the CISC standards by groups developing NVQs and SVQs;
• two national reviews of occupational standards, NVQs and SVQs - the Beaumont Review and the Review of all NVQs.

Following a further comprehensive review over the last year, CISC has re-issued its National Occupational Standards, which now appear in an improved format (in terms of content, language and presentation, which has been informed by feedback from a wide variety of sources.

The Standards can be used for a wide variety of individual, organisational and industry purposes. The application of Standards is covered in two sister publications - ‘Using standards to raise performance - A User’s Guide’ and ‘Guidelines for the Design of National and Scottish Vocational qualifications’ - both of which are commended to you. CISC has always championed the use of occupational standards by employers, individual practitioners, educators, trainers, professional institutions and other industry bodies. The ‘User’s Guide’ sets out practical ways in which the standards can be used for a wide variety of organisational and individual purposes (quite separately from NVQs/SVQs).

CISC have not only updated the standards, but also the way in which they are presented and distributed. The review process was helped considerably by the use of a database, which enabled rapid searching and comparison of standards and the qualifications developed from them.

It became clear that the database could also be used by CISC for continued development and as a means of distributing the standards to users - offering considerable advantages over a printed version. Thus, in addition to the printed version there is now the CISC Database of Occupational Standards - available on CD-ROM and online.

As well as providing direct access to individual standards, the database enables users to examine all the CISC standards, or parts of the standards that are to do with particular topics. Having selected relevant standards, they can be saved and then retrieved later to examine in detail. One can also see which of the standards have been used in NVQs or SVQs - and examine the changes on screen.

Naturally standards can be printed - lists of titles, detailed standards, as desired - and one can also export the standards to develop particular useful applications, like training plans, job descriptions and appraisal formats. The CD-ROM also contains CISC’s counterpart publication ‘Using standards to raise performance - a User’s Guide’.

CISC acknowledges both the voluntary input of the industry contributors, and the expertise of our consultant Bob Mansfield (Prime Research and Development Ltd.), to the production of this most important development tool for the industry. CISC hopes that these Standards, which are now the culmination of eight years work by hundreds of contributors from the industry, will contribute in large measure to the enhancement of the performance of individuals, companies, the industry and the economy as a whole. These Standards were created by industry people and belong to the industry. Without their efforts, these Standards would not exist. Finally, CISC acknowledges its debt to the Department for Education and Employment, Qualifications and Curriculum Authority and Scottish Qualifications Authority for their support and vision in enabling these Standards to be produced.  

Order the CISC Occupational Standards in hard copy format.