Careers
Working in Trading Standards provides a varied and rewarding career.
There are two main roles in the service depending on your skills and qualifications and the interests you have: Trading Standards Officer (TSO) and Authorised Officer (AO).
A leaflet is available entitled A Career in Trading Standards, and can be obtained by contacting us. More information is also available on the Trading Standards Institute Website and on the Trading Standards Careers Website.
Trading Standards Officers
Trading Standards Officers are legally qualified officers who have obtained the Diploma in Trading Standards (DTS) or the Higher Diploma in Consumer Affairs & Trading Standards.
They can enforce the full range of consumer legislation and will visit most types of business to ensure they comply with the law.
To become a qualified TSO you can obtain an accredited degree in the field of Consumer Protection followed by a further period of training with a Local Authority Trading Standards Department, or you can sometimes train whilst employed by a Local Authority via distance learning.
Authorised Officers
An Authorised Officer does not possess the Diploma in Trading Standards but often obtains the Diploma in Consumer Affairs or the recently developed Diploma in Consumer Affairs & Trading Standards. This is usually studied via distance learning while employed by the Local Authority.
The job is similar to that of a TSO except that they are not involved in enforcing the full range of legislation.
An Authorised Officer will sometimes specialise in one particular enforcement area and will often be involved in giving legal advice to consumers on problems with goods and services they have purchased.
An Authorised Officer can also study to become a Trading Standards Officer by obtaining the Higher Diploma in Consumer Affairs & Trading Standards.
