Engage the standards​

This page details the WorldSkills Occupational Standards (WSOS), specifying the knowledge, understanding, and skills that underpin international best practices in technical and vocational performance. These standards embody a shared global perspective on the work roles and occupations they represent in industry and business, supporting the preparation of students and apprentices for international competitions.

To assist educators in further and higher technical education, we have developed a suite of WorldSkills UK National Standards of Excellence, designed to bridge the gap between UK and international standards.

 

Aspect: 

Total number of Marks (%) 

A: Design implementation  25 
B: Frontend Development   25 
C: Backend Development  40 

The WorldSkills Occupational Standard (WSOS) specifies the knowledge, understanding, and specific skills that underpin international best practice in technical and vocational performance. It should reflect a shared global understanding of what the associated work role(s) or occupation(s) represent for industry and business. 

A:  Design Implementation 

What does competence look like in this area? 

  • design principles – apply design principles and patterns for creating visually appealing, creative, and accessible interfaces 
  • contextual awareness – understand cognitive, social, cultural, accessible, technological, and economic contexts in design 
  • graphic formats – use appropriate graphic formats for implementing designs effectively 
  • target markets – tailor design elements to satisfy different target markets 
  • corporate identity – follow protocols for maintaining corporate identity, brand and style guides 
  • technical standards – adhere to W3C standards for HTML, CSS, and WCAG, ensuring usability, cross-browser, and multi-device compatibility 
  • SEO and optimisation – implement SEO, performance optimization, and integrate animations, audio, and video as needed 
  • accessibility – ensure accessibility for users with additional learning needs. 

What does excellence look like in this area?  

  • visual communication – develop visual responses to communication problems, focusing on hierarchy, typography, aesthetics, and composition 
  • image optimisation – create, manipulate, and optimise images for the internet 
  • target market concepts – identify target markets and design concepts tailored to them 
  • responsive design – implement responsive designs that work on multiple screen resolutions and devices 
  • user experience design – create wireframes, interactive prototypes, and user interfaces considering user experience, including colour and typography choices  
  • standards compliance – write code that conforms to W3C standards and accessibility guidelines 
  • web accessibility – develop accessible and usable web interfaces for various devices and screen resolutions 
  • CSS usage – use CSS and pre/post-processors to modify web interfaces, create animations, and improve user experience and search engine performance. 

B:   Frontend Development 

What does competence look like in this area  

  • JavaScript – good understanding of ECMAScript (JavaScript) 
  • integration – integrate libraries, frameworks, and other systems or features with JavaScript 
  • workflow optimisation – use JavaScript pre/post processors and task running workflows 
  • coding best practices – apply best practices, including troubleshooting, unit testing, and test-driven development 
  • deployment – follow best practices for application deployment 
  • Linux CLI – utilize the basic Linux command line interface effectively. 

What does excellence look like in this area?  

  • website animations – create animations and functionalities to enhance context explanations and visual appeal 
  • JavaScript enhancement – develop and update JavaScript code to improve website functionality, usability, and aesthetics 
  • data and media manipulation – use JavaScript to manipulate data and custom media 
  • modular code – create modular and reusable JavaScript code 
  • documentation – write comprehensive documentation, including comments in code  
  • libraries utilisation – use open-source JavaScript libraries 
  • element manipulation – manipulate graphical and content elements using JavaScript  
  • automated testing – write test cases and perform automated testing for JavaScript implementations 
  • error handling – handle errors, debug code, and fix bugs 
  • Linux CLI for deployment – use the Linux CLI to interact with remote servers and deploy applications 
  • deployment documentation – document deployment steps for applications as required. 

C:  Backend Development 

What does competence look like in this area? 

  • object-oriented programming – good understanding of object-oriented programming principles 
  • server-side scripting – skilled in PHP and/or NodeJS 
  • libraries and frameworks – utilise open-source server-side libraries and frameworks 
  • server connectivity – connect to servers through SSH, including SFTP 
  • file system management – manage file system permissions and ownership 
  • database design – design and implement databases 
  • data exchange – manage data exchange between server and client systems 
  • software design patterns – apply software design patterns, including MVC (Model View Controller) 
  • web security – implement web application security practices 
  • coding best practices – follow best practices in coding, troubleshooting, unit tests, and test-driven development 
  • application deployment – adhere to best practices for application deployment 
  • Linux CLI – proficient in using the Linux command line interface. 

What does excellence look like in this area? 

  • data manipulation – use programming skills to manipulate data effectively 
  • security – protect against security exploits 
  • API Integration – integrate with existing code using APIs, libraries, and frameworks 
  • database management – create and maintain database tables, ensuring data normalisation, key constraints, and correct data types 
  • modular code – develop modular and reusable code  
  • documentation – write comprehensive documentation and code comments 
  • automated testing – write test cases and execute automated testing for back-end implementations 
  • debugging – handle errors, debug code, and fix bugs 
  • Linux CLI for deployment – use the Linux CLI to interact with remote servers and deploy applications 
  • deployment documentation – document application deployment steps as required 
  • webserver configuration – configure the webserver for given applications.  

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