training on isco - fourth meeting of the working group on international classifications david hunter...

Training on ISCO- Fourth Meeting of the Working Group on

International Classifications

David HunterDepartment of Statistics

International Labour Office

Introduction to occupation classification – What are occupations and why do we need to classify them?

1

Contents of the presentaion

1. What is ISCO?2. What is ISCO used for?3. Conceptual basis and design of the classification4. The Structure of ISCO-085. Main criteria to distinguish between the Major Groups6. Adapting ISCO-08 for use in national and regional settings7. Areas requiring particular atención in adapting ISCO for use at

national and regional settings 8. Collecting and coding data on occupation in household surveys.

ILO Department of Statistics 2

WHAT IS ISCO?

Introduction to occupation classification – What are occupations and why do we need to classify them? 3

International Standard Classification of Occupations, 2008 (ISCO-08) 4

International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO-08)

• Endorsed by the ILO Governing Body in 2008 it is known as ISCO-08 and replaces ISCO-88• Structure , group definitions and correspondence with ISCO-08 available on ILO Website or on

request• Index of occupational titles will be available very soon, and published as volume 2• Published in English

– And in French, Spanish, Russian and Arabic as soon as possible• Used in European Union (EU) collections from 2010• Structure is available in all EU languages from Eurostat• Hierarchically structured classification comprising:

– 10 major groups– 43 sub-major groups– 130 minor groups– 436 unit groups

The concept of occupation

Occupation– The type of work done by the person employed irrespective of where (the industry), or

under what status in employment, it is being done– A “set of jobs whose main tasks and duties are characterized by a high degree of

similarity” • Not to be confused with:Industry (branch of economic activity)

– The activity of the establishment in which an employed person works – What the establishment does, not what the individual does when working for that establishment

Status in employment– The status of an economically active person with respect to his/her employer– The type of implicit or explicit contract of employment with other persons or organizations as an employer,

employee, own account worker, contributing family helper etc.


Occupation – overview of the concept and uses of occupational information

Occupation– The type of work done by the person employed irrespective of where (the industry), or

under what status in employment, it is being done– An occupation is a “set of jobs whose main tasks and duties are characterized by a high

degree of similarity” – Second most common economic topic asked in Censuses– Almost always asked in Labour force surveys– Widely used in administrative applications such as employment services– Major component of national labour market information– Data are needed for policy formulation and evaluation for

• labour market programmes, • educational planning, • work related migration • ….


Occupation, industry, status in employment as attributes of the job

In labour statistics these 3 concepts relate to a job in which a person is, has been, or may be employed

Job : a set of tasks and duties performed, or meant to be performed, by one person for a single economic unit

Some people have more than one job Occupation is a descriptive characteristic of a job not a person Occupation can relate to job vacancies as well as jobs held by persons


Examples of jobs

• Examples:– Security guard in a department store– Security guard at an airport– Accountant at a hotel– Bus driver who drives passengers to the aircraft at an airport– Bus driver employed by schools authority to drive school bus



ISCO-88 - Background

• Until recently most countries used national occupation classifications related to ISCO-88

• This version was adopted by the 14th International Conference of Labour Statisticians in 1988: – For this reason it is known as ISCO-88– Published in English in 1990 and in French, Spanish and Russian during the 90s– Hierarchically structured classification comprising:

• 10 major groups• 28 sub-major groups• 118 minor groups• 390 unit groups

– Occupations are arranged into groups according to skill level and skill specialization– Use of skill level led to a major break with ISCO-68 and ISCO-58


Framework for Updating ISCO-88

• Mandated by the 17th ICLS in 2003:– An update not a major revision– ILO meeting of experts to evaluate the results and make appropriate recommendations

to the ILO Governing Body• Advice and support from expert groups in classification:

– UN Expert Group on International Economic and Social Classifications– ILO Technical Expert Group on Updating ISCO (TEG/ISCO)

• Reporting of progress to UN Statistical Commission• Completion required by end 2007 to allow for implementation in Censuses from

2010• ISCO-08 adopted by Meeting of Experts in Labour Statistics – Dec 2007• Resolution of MoE endorsed by ILO Governing Body - March 2008


Scope of the work undertaken: What kinds of things were allowed to be changed?

• ‘Conceptual model and Main structure should not be changed’ Existing 10 major groups should remain Concepts of skill level and skill specialization should still be used

• Categories can be merged, split and moved where necessary to reflect occupational change and address known problems with ISCO-88

• New categories for new occupational groups• Size of groups was an important but not overriding consideration• Preserve the time series wherever possible• Definitions of new categories and update definitions of old ones• Review of the index


What was wrong with ISCO-88?

• Seriously out-of-date in some areas: – (Eg. ICT, Office clerks, information clerks)

• Excessive detail in some areas: – (Eg. plant and machinery operators)

• Inadequate detail in some areas: – (Eg. service related occupations and occupations that predominate in the informal

sector)• Wide variation in the size of some sub-major and minor groups• Classification structure for managerial occupations was not useful• Parallel groups in Major groups 2 and 3 due to differences in national education

requirements


Parallel groups in ISCO-88 Major groups 2 and 3 due to differences in national education requirements

• Major group 2, Professionals

• 2230 Nursing and midwifery professionals

• 2331 Primary education teaching professionals

• 2332 Pre-primary education teaching professionals

• 2340 Special education teaching professionals

• 2446 Social work professionals

• Major group 3, Technicians and associate professionals

• 3231 Nursing associate professionals• 3232 Midwifery associate professionals

• 3310 Primary education teaching associate professionals

• 3320 Pre-primary education teaching associate professionals

• 3330 Special education teaching associate professionals

• 3460 Social work associate professionals


ISCO - Some of the more significant changes in ISCO-08 (1)

• Elimination of parallel groups at different skill levels if tasks performed are the same:– Virtually all teaching occupations are classified in Sub-major Group 24, Teaching

professionals– Nurses are classified in Major groups 2 or 3 depending on tasks performed and not on

qualifications alone• Reorganization of managerial occupations in Major Group 1• Major updating and expansion of occupations in information and communications

technology:– 2 new sub-major groups in Major groups 2 and 3

• Improved coverage and upgrading of health services occupations– Identifiable at sub-major group level in Major groups 2 and 3 and at Minor group level in

Major group 5, Sales and Service Workers


ISCO - Some of the more significant changes in ISCO-08 (2)

• Reorganization of the section of the classification dealing with office clerks:– Impact of information and communications technology– Increase from 2 to 4 sub-major groups in Major group 4, Clerical Support Workers

• Reorganization of the aggregate groupings for sales and service workers:– Increase from 2 to 4 sub-major groups in Major group 5

• More detailed categories and greater clarity for some occupational groups involved in agriculture:– Farmers and farm managers are classified in Major group 6, Skilled agricultural forestry

and fisheries workers, with few exceptions


ISCO - Some of the more significant changes (3)

• More detailed categories for occupations providing information and services to clients, including tourism.

• Rationalization and restructuring of groups for plant and machine operators:– Some reduction of detail considered excessive by many observers– New minor group for process control operators in Major group 3

• Extended coverage of occupations that are significant in the informal sector:– Associated increase in the number of sub-major groups in ISCO Major Group 9,

Elementary occupations from 3 to 6.


Major groupsSub-major

Groups

Minorgroups

Unit groups

1 Managers 4 (3) 11 (8) 31 (33) 2 Professionals 6 (4) 27 (18) 92 (55) 3 Technicians and associate professionals 5 (4) 20 84 (73) 4 Clerical support workers 4 (2) 8 (7) 29 (23) 5 Service and sales workers 4 (2) 13 (9) 40 (23) 6 Skilled agricultural, fishery, and forestry workers 3 (2) 9 (6) 18 (17)

7 Craft and related trades workers 5 (4) 14 (16) 66 (70) 8 Plant and machine operators, and assemblers 3 14 (20) 40 (70) 9 Elementary occupations 6 (3) 11 (10) 33 (25) 0 Armed forces occupations 3 (1) 3 (1) 3 (1) Total ISCO-08 (ISCO-88) 43 (28) 130 (116) 436 (390)

Number of groups at each level of ISCO-08(Numbers for ISCO-88 are shown in brackets where different)


ISCO - Support for implementation

• Publication and dissemination in book form and on web:– Introduction– Classification structure– Group Definitions– Correspondence tables with ISCO-88– Index of occupational titles (Volume 2)

• Manual on adapting ISCO for use in national and regional settings• Provision of training on a regional or sub-regional basis• Provision of technical assistance and advice directly to countries, subject to

resource availability• Assistance with and review of correspondences between national classifications

and ISCO-08

Unit Group 5221 Shopkeepers

Shopkeepers operate small retail shops either independently or with support from a small number of others.Tasks include –

(a) determining product mix, stock and price levels for goods to be sold; (b) purchasing and ordering goods for sale from markets, wholesalers and other suppliers;(c) budgeting and maintaining records of stock levels and financial transactions; (d) determining prices and displaying goods for sale;(e) selling goods to customers and advising them on product use;(f) examining returned goods and deciding on appropriate action;(g) taking inventory of goods in stock.

Examples of the occupations classified here:▪ Grocer▪ Newsagent▪ Shopkeeper


Unit Group 5221 Shopkeepers

Some related occupations classified elsewhere:

▪ Shop manager – 1420

▪ Market stallholder – 5211

Note

Only operators of small shops for whom the management and supervision of staff are not a significant component of the work are classified in Unit Group 5221: Shopkeepers. Operators of shops where management tasks and supervision of staff are significant and frequent elements of the work are classified in Unit Group 1420: Retail and Wholesale Trade Managers. Staff who control and direct the activities of shop sales assistants, checkout operators and other workers, but who do not take responsibility for determining product mix, overall setting of prices, budgets, staffing levels, selection and recruitment are classified in Unit Group 5222: Shop Supervisors.


WHAT IS ISCO USED FOR?.

21


What is ISCO used for?

International reporting, comparison and exchange of statistical and administrative data on occupation

A model for the development of national and regional classifications of occupations

Used directly in countries that have not developed their own national classifications


Uses of occupation classifications

• Occupation Classifications are used for: Statistics from censuses, household surveys, employer surveys and other sources.

Detailed observations about jobs are organized into meaningful and useful groups for analysis Administrative and policy-related activities such as:

• matching job seekers with job vacancies• educational planning • management of employment related international migration

• Providing statistics on – job seekers and job vacancies– numbers of places and enrolments in training programmes– Migrant and expatriate labour– Employment numbers, wages, hours worked etc.

Occupation classifications in employment services

• Matching of job-seekers to job vacancies– Job seekers and vacancies coded to National Occupation

Classifications (NOC)– Resumes of matching jobseekers can be sent automatically to

employers- Or job vacancy details sent to clients

- May require more detail than provided by ISCO- Possible need for more detail in NOC


Integrated occupational information systems

Framework for provision of careers information Identification of skill shortages or oversupply When a harmonised classification system is used for all

purposes and in all data sources Provision of integrated information about pay, job

prospects, working hours, nature of work performed, for example: US O*NET: http://online.onetcenter.org/ Australian Job Outlook: http://joboutlook.gov.au/pages/help.aspx


CONCEPTUAL BASIS AND DESIGN OF THE CLASSIFICATION

Elements to consider in classifying to ISCO


ISCO-08 – Conceptual Basis and Design of the Classification 27

Underlying concepts –ISCO-08

• Job : a set of tasks and duties performed, or meant to be performed, by one person for a single economic unit

• Occupation: a set of jobs whose main tasks and duties are characterised by a high degree of similarity: – A person may be associated with an occupation through the main job currently held, a

second job, or a job previously held• Occupations are organized into groups according to skill level and skill

specialization:– Skill level is applied mainly at the top (major group) level of the classification.– Within each major group occupations are arranged into unit groups, minor groups and sub-

major groups, primarily on the basis of aspects of skill specialization.

Skill – the ability to carry out the tasks and duties of a job

Skill level : a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties performed in an occupation:– Measured operationally by considering one or more of:

The nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties defined for each ISCO-08 skill level (new for ISCO-08)

The level of formal education defined in terms of the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED-97) required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved

The amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties

28ISCO-08 – Conceptual Basis and Design of the Classification

ISCO-08 skill levels

• Definitions of each of the four ISCO skill levels are provided: – They do not change the boundaries between the skill levels used in ISCO-88.– Each definition provides examples of:

the typical or characteristic tasks performed at each skill level, the types of skill required (in broad terms), and the typical occupations classified at that skill level


Mapping of the four ISCO-08 skill levels to ISCED-97 levels of education

ISCO-08 Skill Level

ISCED-97 groups

46 - Second stage of tertiary education (leading to an advanced

research qualification)5a - First stage of tertiary education, 1st degree (medium

duration)

3 5b - First stage of tertiary education (short or medium duration)

24 - Post-secondary, non-tertiary education3 - Upper secondary level of education 2 - Lower secondary level of education

1 1 - Primary level of education



ISCO-08 major groups Skill Level

1 - Managers 3 + 4

2 - Professionals 4

3 - Technicians and associate professionals 3

4 - Clerical support workers5 - Service and sales workers6 - Skilled agricultural and fishery workers7 - Craft and related trades workers8 - Plant and machine operators, and assemblers

2

9 - Elementary occupations 1

0 –Armed forces occupations 1, 2 + 4

Table 1: Mapping of ISCO-08 major groups to skill levels

Skill – the ability to carry out the tasks and duties of a job

Skill specialization considered in terms of four concepts:

the field of knowledge requiredthe tools and machinery usedthe materials worked on or with: andthe kinds of goods and services produced.


ISCO STRUCTURE


The structure of ISCO-08

• Hierarchically structured classification comprising:– 10 major groups– 43 sub-major groups– 130 minor groups– 436 unit groups

• The concept of skill level is applied mainly at the top (major group) level of the classification, giving more emphasis to the nature of the work performed, than to the formal and informal education and training requirements– In the case of ISCO-08 Major Group 1: Managers, and Major Group 0: Armed Forces Occupations,

the concept of skill level is applied primarily at the second hierarchical level. • Within each major group, occupations are arranged into unit groups, minor groups

and sub-major groups, primarily on the basis of aspects of skill specialization.


ISCO-08 – Classification Structure - Overview 35

ISCO-08 major groups Skill Level

1 - Managers 3 + 4

2 - Professionals 4

3 - Technicians and associate professionals 3

4 - Clerical support workers5 - Service and sales workers6 - Skilled agricultural and fishery workers7 - Craft and related trades workers8 - Plant and machine operators, and assemblers

2

9 - Elementary occupations 1

0 –Armed forces occupations 1, 2 + 4

Mapping of ISCO-08 major groups to skill levels


ISCO-08 Major Group 1 Managers

11 Chief executives, senior officials and legislators 111 Legislators and senior officials 112 Managing directors and chief executives

12 Administrative and commercial managers 121 Business services and administration managers 122 Sales, marketing and development managers

13 Production and specialized services managers 131 Production managers in agriculture, forestry and fisheries

132 Manufacturing, mining, construction, and distribution managers

133 Information and communications technology service managers 134 Professional services managers

14 Hospitality, retail and other services managers 141 Hotel and restaurant managers 142 Retail and wholesale trade managers 143 Other services managers


ISCO-88

CodeISCO-88 Title

ISCO-08

CodeISCO-08 Title

21 Physical, mathematical and engineering science professionals

21 Science and engineering professionals

22 Life science and health professionals

22 Health professionals

23 Teaching professionals

23 Teaching professionals

24 Other professionals 24 Business and administration professionals

25 Information and communications technology professionals

26 Legal, social and cultural professionals

Sub-major groups in Major group 2, Professionals - ISCO-88 and ISCO-08


22 Health professionals

221 Medical doctors 2211 Generalist medical practitioners 2212 Specialist medical practitioners 222 Nursing and midwifery professionals 2221 Nursing professionals 2222 Midwifery professionals223 Traditional and complementary medicine professionals

2230 Traditional and complementary medicine professionals224 Paramedical practitioners

2240 Paramedical practitioners225 Veterinarians

2250 Veterinarians226 Other health professionals

2261 Dentists2262 Pharmacists

2263 Environmental and occupational health and hygiene professionals 2264 Physiotherapists 2265 Dieticians and nutritionists 2266 Audiologists and speech therapists 2267 Optometrists and ophthalmic opticians

2269 Health professionals not elsewhere classified


25 Information and communications technology professionals

251 Software and applications developers and analysts

2511 Systems analysts 2512 Software developers 2513 Web and multimedia developers 2514 Applications programmers 2519 Software and multimedia developers and analysts not

elsewhere classified

252 Database and network professionals 2521 Database designers and administrators 2522 Systems administrators

2523 Computer network professionals 2529 Database and network professionals not elsewhere

classified


ISCO-88

Code

ISCO-88 Title ISCO-08

Code

ISCO-08 Title

31 Physical and engineering science associate professionals

31 Science and engineering associate professionals

32 Life science and health associate professionals

32 Health associate professionals

33 Teaching associate professionals

33 Business and administration associate professionals

34 Other associate professionals

34 Legal, social, cultural and related associate professionals

35 Information and communications technicians

Sub-major groups in Major group 3, Technicians and associate professionals - ISCO-88 and ISCO-08


32 Health associate professionals

321 Medical and pharmaceutical technicians3211 Medical imaging and therapeutic equipment technicians3212 Medical and pathology laboratory technicians 3213 Pharmaceutical technicians and assistants3214 Medical and dental prosthetic technicians

322 Nursing and midwifery associate professionals3221 Nursing associate professionals3222 Midwifery associate professionals

323 Traditional and complementary medicine associate professionals3230 Traditional and complementary medicine associate professionals

324 Veterinary technicians and assistants3240 Veterinary technicians and assistants

325 Other health associate professionals3251 Dental assistants and therapists3252 Medical records and health information technicians3253 Community health workers3254 Dispensing opticians3255 Physiotherapy technicians and assistants3256 Medical assistants3257 Environmental and occupational health inspectors and associates3258 Ambulance workers3259 Health associate professionals not elsewhere classified


Major group 4, Clerical support workers: Sub-major and minor groups

41 General and keyboard clerks411 General office clerks412 Secretaries (general)413 Keyboard operators

42 Customer services clerks421 Tellers, money collectors and related clerks422 Client information workers

43 Numerical and material recording clerks431 Numerical clerks432 Material-recording and transport clerks

44 Other clerical support workers441 Other clerical support workers


Sales and Service Workers

51 Personal service workers511 Travel attendants, conductors and guides512 Cooks513 Waiters and bartenders514 Hairdressers, beauticians and related workers515 Building and housekeeping supervisors516 Other personal services workers

52 Sales workers521 Street and market salespersons522 Shop salespersons523 Cashiers and ticket clerks524 Other sales workers

53 Personal care workers531 Child care workers and teachers' aides532 Carers in health services

54 Protective services workers541 Protective services workers


Major group 6, Skilled agricultural, forestry and fishery workers

• ISCO-08 has three sub-major groups instead of the two included in ISCO-88– Market-oriented agricultural workers are identified in a separate sub-major

group from forestry and fishery workers;• Virtually all farmers are classified in Major Group 6, whereas ISCO-

88 classified some farmers in Major Group 1;• More detailed categories are provided for subsistence workers;• More detailed categories are provided for agricultural, forestry and

fishery labourers.


61 Market-oriented skilled agricultural workers

611Market gardeners and crop growers6111 Field crop and vegetable growers6112 Tree and shrub crop growers6113 Gardeners, horticultural and nursery growers6114 Mixed crop growers

612 Animal producers6121 Livestock and dairy producers6122 Poultry producers6123 Apiarists and sericulturists6129 Animal producers not elsewhere classified

613 Mixed crop and animal producers6130 Mixed crop and animal producers


62 Market-oriented skilled, forestry and fishery and hunting workers

621 Forestry and related workers6210 Forestry and related workers

622 Fishery workers, hunters and trappers6211 Aquaculture workers6212 Inland and coastal waters fishery workers6213 Deep-sea fishery workers6214 Hunters and trappers


63 Subsistence farmers, fishers, hunters and gatherers

631 Subsistence crop farmers6310 Subsistence crop farmers

632 Subsistence livestock farmers6320 Subsistence livestock farmers

633 Subsistence mixed crop and livestock farmers6330 Subsistence mixed crop and livestock farmers

634 Subsistence fishers, hunters, trappers and gatherers6340 Subsistence fishers, hunters, trappers and gatherers


Major group 7, Craft and related trades workers: overview of changes

• New Sub-major group 74, Electrotechnology trades workers • New minor group for all handicraft workers• Printing trades workers brought up-to-date• Less detail in some areas


7 Craft and related trades workers

71 Building and related trades workers711 Building frame and related trades workers712 Building finishers and related trades workers713 Painters, building structure cleaners and related trades workers

72 Metal, machinery and related trades workers721 Sheet and structural metal workers, moulders and welders, and related workers722 Blacksmiths, toolmakers and related trades workers723 Machinery mechanics and repairers

73 Handicraft and printing workers731 Handicraft workers732 Printing trades workers

74 Electrotechnology trades workers741 Electrical equipment installers and repairers742 Electronics and telecommunications installers and repairers

75 Food processing, wood working, textile and other craft and related trades workers751 Food processing and related trades workers752 Wood treaters, cabinet-makers and related trades workers753 Textile, garment and related trades workers754 Other craft and related workers


8 Plant and machine operators, and assemblers

81 Stationary plant and machine operators811 Mining and mineral processing plant operators812 Metal processing and finishing plant operators813 Chemical and photographic products plant and machine operators814 Rubber, plastic and paper products machine operators815 Textile, fur and leather products machine operators816 Food and related products machine operators818 Other stationary plant and machine operators

82 Assemblers821 Assemblers

83 Drivers and mobile plant operators831 Locomotive engine drivers and related workers832 Car, van and motorcycle drivers833 Heavy truck and bus drivers834 Mobile plant operators835 Ships' deck crews and related workers


Major group 9, Elementary occupations: overview of changes

• Increase from 3 to 6 in the number of sub-major groups• Improved visibility and coverage of low skilled, low paid occupations

– Including in the informal sector• More detail for agricultural labourers• Movement of building caretakers, and most doorkeepers and watchpersons to

Major group 5


92 Agriculture, forestry and fishery labourers

• More detail in Minor group 921, Agricultural, forestry and fishery labourers. – Labourers on crop farms, livestock farms, and mixed crop and livestock farms are

identified separately– A separate unit group for Garden and horticultural labourers.

92 Agricultural, forestry and fishery labourers921 Agricultural, forestry and fishery labourers

9211 Crop farm labourers9212 Livestock farm labourers9213 Mixed crop and livestock farm labourers9214 Garden and horticultural labourers9215 Forestry labourers9216 Fishery and aquaculture labourers


9 Elementary occupations

91 Cleaners and helpers 911 Domestic, hotel and office cleaners and helpers 912 Vehicle, window, laundry and other hand cleaning workers

92 Agricultural, fishery and forestry labourers 921 Agricultural, fishery and forestry labourers

93 Labourers in mining, construction, manufacturing and transport 931 Mining and construction labourers 932 Manufacturing labourers 933 Transport and storage labourers

94 Food preparation assistants 941 Food preparation assistants

95 Street and related sales and service workers 951 Street and related service workers 952 Street vendors

96 Refuse workers and other elementary service workers 961 Refuse workers 962 Other elementary service workers


Major group 0, Armed forces occupations

• New sub-major groups for Commissioned and Non-commissioned armed forces officers, and for Armed forces occupations, other ranks

• Each sub-major group is at a different skill level

0 Armed Forces occupations01 Commissioned armed forces officers

011 Commissioned armed forces officers

02 Non-commissioned armed forces officers021 Non-commissioned armed forces officers

03 Armed forces occupations, other ranks031 Armed forces occupations, other ranks

MAIN CRITERIA TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE MAJOR GROUPS

55

Boundaries between the skill levels

• Definitions of each of the four ISCO-08 skill levels are provided – These definitions do not change the boundaries between the skill levels used in

ISCO-88. – They clarify these boundaries – Deal with cases where formal educational requirements may not be the most

suitable method of measuring the skill level of a particular occupation. • Each definition provides examples of:

– the typical or characteristic tasks performed at each skill level; – the types of skill required (in broad terms); and – the typical occupations classified at that skill level.


Skill Level 1

• Simple and routine physical or manual tasks. – May require the use of hand-held tools, such as shovels, or of simple electrical equipment, such as

vacuum cleaners– Cleaning; digging; lifting and carrying materials by hand; sorting, storing or assembling goods by

hand ; operating non-motorized vehicles; picking fruit and vegetables. • Many occupations may require physical strength and/or endurance• For some jobs basic skills in literacy and numeracy may be required

– If required these skills would not be a major part of the work. • For competent performance in some occupations completion of primary education or

the first stage of basic education (ISCED-97 Level 1) may be required.• A short period of on-the-job training may be required for some jobs.• Occupations classified at Skill Level 1 include office cleaners, freight handlers, garden

labourers and kitchen assistants.


Skill Level 2

• Tasks such as operating machinery and electronic equipment; driving vehicles; maintenance and repair of electrical and mechanical equipment; and manipulation, ordering and storage of information.

• For almost all occupations the ability to read information, make written records of work completed, and accurately perform simple arithmetical calculations is essential. – Many occupations require relatively advanced literacy and numeracy skills and good

interpersonal communication skills.• Many occupations at this skill level require a high level of manual dexterity.• The knowledge and skills required for competent performance in occupations at

Skill Level 2 are generally obtained through completion of the first stage of secondary education (ISCED-97 Level 2). – Some occupations require the completion of the second stage of secondary education

(ISCED-97 Level 3),


Skill Level 2

• May include a significant component of specialized vocational education and on-the-job training. – Some occupations require completion of vocation-specific education

undertaken after completion of secondary education (ISCED-97 Level 4). – In some cases experience and on-the-job training may substitute for the formal

education. • Occupations classified at Skill Level 2 include butchers, bus drivers,

secretaries, accounts clerks, sewing machinists, dressmakers, shop sales assistants, police officers, hairdressers, building electricians and motor vehicle mechanics.


Skill Level 3

• Complex technical and practical tasks that require an extensive body of factual, technical and procedural knowledge in a specialized field. – ensuring compliance with health, safety and related regulations; preparing detailed

estimates of quantities and costs of materials and labour required for specific projects; coordinating, supervising, controlling and scheduling the activities of other workers; and performing technical functions in support of professionals.

• Occupations at this skill level generally require a high level of literacy and numeracy and well-developed interpersonal communication skills. – may include the ability to understand complex written material, prepare factual reports and

communicate verbally in difficult circumstances.


Skill Level 3

• The knowledge and skills required are usually obtained as the result of study at a higher educational institution for a period of 1–3 years following completion of secondary education (ISCED-97 Level 5b). – In some cases extensive relevant work experience and prolonged on-the-job training may

substitute for the formal education.

• Occupations include shop managers, medical laboratory technicians, legal secretaries, commercial sales representatives, diagnostic medical radiographers, computer support technicians, and broadcasting and recording technicians


Skill Level 4

• Tasks require complex problem-solving, decision-making and creativity based on an extensive body of theoretical and factual knowledge in a specialized field. – analysis and research to extend the body of human knowledge in a particular

field; diagnosis and treatment of disease; imparting knowledge to others; and design of structures or machinery and of processes for construction and production.

• Occupations generally require extended levels of literacy and numeracy, sometimes at a very high level, and excellent interpersonal communication skills. – ability to understand complex written material and communicate complex ideas

in media such as books, images, performances, reports and oral presentations.


Skill Level 4

• The knowledge and skills are usually obtained as the result of study at a higher educational institution for a period of 3–6 years leading to the award of a first degree or higher qualification (ISCED-97 Level 5a or higher). – In some cases extensive experience and on-the-job training may substitute for

the formal education, or may be required in addition to formal education.– In many cases appropriate formal qualifications are an essential requirement

for entry to the occupation.• Occupations include: sales and marketing managers, civil engineers,

secondary school teachers, medical practitioners, musicians, operating theatre nurses and computer systems analysts


ADAPTING ISCO-08 FOR USE IN NATIONAL AND REGIONAL SETTINGS

3 possible scenarios

• Depending on national circumstances there are three main ways in which ISCO-08 may be adapted for national use:– minimal adaptation of ISCO-08 for national purposes;– development or review of a national classification based on ISCO-

08;– an existing national classification, different from ISCO-08 is

mapped to ISCO-08 to facilitate the production of internationally comparable data.

65Adapting ISCO-08 for use in national and regional settings

Models for developing or adapting national classifications based on ISCO

• Adopt ISCO directly for national use– Much less than ideal– Some small countries with limited resources have no other choice– Collaborating with similar neighbouring countries may be an option

• Adapt ISCO to suit national circumstances– A popular choice– May start from scratch– One or more classifications may already be used in the country

• National occupation classification NOC is not based on ISCO– A common situation for countries with own tradition or history of occupation classification– May make adjustments to national classification to improve comparability with ISCO or

take advantages of new features in ISCO

Adapting ISCO-08 for use in national and regional settings 66

Adopting ISCO-08 with minimal change

• Where countries do not have the resources, capacity or time to develop a national occupation classification designed to suit the country’s own needs and requirements, there may be little choice other than to adopt ISCO-08 with minimal change.

• This approach is far from ideal:– occupational structure of the labour market will vary greatly between countries– national policy concerns will also differ


Adopting ISCO directly for national use

• Some work at national level still required– Translate to national language(s) if necessary– Identify where national occupational groups/titles fit

• Eg for nursing occupations– Develop national index of occupational titles

• Needed to code responses in statistical and other data collections• ISCO index can be adapted but national index should be based on terms

used in your country– Methods for implementation in national collections

• Questions, coding procedures, presentation of output


Adapt ISCO to suit national circumstances: (1) Starting from scratch

• In addition to everything on the last slide:– Understand user needs– Understand the occupational structure of your labour market

• May require field work and to identify occupations available• Dependent on resources, expertise and time available


Adapt ISCO to suit national circumstances: Existing national classification

• In addition to almost everything on the previous two slides:– Map old classification to ISCO-08 and identify features of each you want to

retain or not use, to create a new national classification structure• For national classifications based on ISCO-88 the ISCO correspondence table will

be a useful tool• National features from old classification you want to retain are reflected within an

overall framework based on ISCO-08


Adapt ISCO to suit national circumstances: starting from scratch or from an existing national classification

– Decide at what level of ISCO-08 you will provide internationally comparable data (Eg 3 or 4 digits)

– Collapse ISCO categories that are too detailed for national requirements• Eg by making a minor group into a unit group.

– Create more detailed categories where needed to suit national labour market, user requirements:

• For example by adapting the 4th level or creating a 5th level– Adjust the classification code structure as needed while maintaining correspondence

table with ISCO-08 and old classification– Develop update national index of occupation titles containing new and old national and

ISCO codes (2, 3 or 4 code sets may be needed)– Develop definitions of new or changed categories– Review and amend ISCO-08 definitions to ensure national relevance

• Eg lists of included occupations


National occupation classification NOC is not based on ISCO

• Understand what your users need• Identify features of ISCO-08 that you want to incorporate in

NOC• Adjust NOC structure to facilitate reporting to ISCO and

incorporate new features• Develop correspondence table and possibly dual-or tri-

coded index.


What is a coding index?

• The key instrument for matching information about jobs with classification codes• It can be in the form of a durable printed publication, a loose-leaf binder, computer

printout, or a machine readable file within a computer system– The same index can be used in all of these forms

• Formal names for classification categories (Eg education manager) are not usually the same as terms normally used to describe jobs and industrial activities

• The index entries usually include a code for one or more classification systems, and some words based on responses given in censuses and surveys

• The index is searched alphabetically but can also be sorted in code order for updating and query resolution


Developing and updating a coding index

• Index must be in place before the coding operations start• Basis should be responses to similar questions in the last census, labour force

survey, household survey and census tests• The same index should be used in all household based collections• Collection and coding of elements to be included in the index should be done by

experts in the classification concerned• It should be anticipated that the index will be updated during the Census process

– This is an extension of the query resolution process– The form of the index should reflect its need to be updated frequently– Earlier versions should be destroyed, except for those held by the index maintenance

and quality control staff


Sources of information for constructing and updating an occupation coding index

• Organization of work and names used for jobs is in constant state of evolution– Reviews of responses from recent survey operations and census tests– Job vacancy reviews (newspapers, internet, employment services)– Full-scale job monitoring exercises– ISCO index may be a good starting point in the absence of any national index or a

useful source to assess completeness of a national index– Do neighbouring countries with similar languages have indexes you could share or

adapt?– Index needs to reflect language as used in your country in response to questions in

statistical collections


AREAS NEEDING SPECIAL ATTENTION IN ADAPTING ISCO-08 FOR USE IN NATIONAL AND REGIONAL SETTINGS

Supervisors – Type 1

• Supervisors who:– carry out the same tasks and duties as in the jobs they supervise – control the professional or technical quality of the work done by others

Are classified with the workers they supervise/lead. – often called “foremen/-women” or “lead / team leaders”

77ISCO-08 – areas needing special attention

Supervisors Type 2

• Supervisors who:– mainly plan, organize, co-ordinate, control and direct the work done by others – most of the time do not perform the tasks performed by those they supervise.

• Separate categories have been created in those areas where this type of work is known to be common: – 3121 Mining supervisors – 3122 Manufacturing supervisors – 3123 Production supervisors– 3341 Office supervisors– 5151 Cleaning and housekeeping supervisors in offices, hotels and other

establishments– 5222 Shop supervisors

• there are clear occupational titles for these occurring occupations• supervisors not included above should be classified in the same unit group as the main occupation

supervised.


Major group 1 Managers

• Managers may also plan, organize, co-ordinate, control and direct the work done by others – either directly or through the mediation of supervisors.

• In addition managers control and make decisions about:– budgets– the overall strategic and operational direction of a business (or

organizational unit) – hiring and firing.

• Supervisors do not perform these tasks but may provide advice and assistance to managers, especially in relation to hiring and firing.



ISCO-08 Major Group 1 Managers- General principles

11 Chief executives, senior officials and legislators 111 Legislators and senior officials 112 Managing directors and chief executives

12 Administrative and commercial managers 121 Business services and administration managers 122 Sales, marketing and development managers

13 Production and specialized services managers 131 Production managers in agriculture, forestry and fisheries

132 Manufacturing, mining, construction, and distribution managers

133 Information and communications technology service managers 134 Professional services managers

14 Hospitality, retail and other services managers 141 Hotel and restaurant managers 142 Retail and wholesale trade managers 143 Other services managers

Major group 1, Managers

• Farmers and farm managers are all to be classified in major group 6, with exceptions only for those who manage agricultural production in large scale enterprises that typically have hierarchies of managers


Owner operators of small enterprises

• Mechanic who owns garage, works as a mechanic and employs 3 other mechanics?– Not relevant whether or not the person owns the business. – If the main work performed involves the tasks of a motor vehicle mechanic, or

directly supervising the work of mechanics Unit group 7231, Motor vehicle mechanics and repairers

If, however, the main work performed relates to managementUnit group, 1439 Service managers not elsewhere classifiedonly the case for the managers of workshops in the largest of vehicle

dealerships or transportation companies


Owner operators of small enterprises - special cases

• Hoteliers – Unit group 1411, Hotel managers – But note: Operators of small establishments

• some bed and breakfast establishments and small guest houses, • providing accommodation and limited meal services to clients effectively as

paying guests in private households• For whom management and supervision of staff is not a significant

component of the work, are classified in unit group 5152, Domestic housekeepers.


Owner operators of small enterprises - special cases 2

• Shopkeepers


5221 Shopkeepers


Shopkeepers operate small retail shops either independently or with support from a small number of others.Tasks include

(a) determining product mix, stock and price levels for goods to be sold; (b) purchasing and ordering goods for sale from markets, wholesalers and other suppliers(c) budgeting and maintaining records of stock levels and financial transactions; (d) determining prices and displaying goods for sale;(e) selling goods to customers and advising them on product use;(f) examining returned goods and deciding on appropriate action;(g) taking inventory of goods in stock.

Examples of the occupations classified here:- Shopkeeper- Grocer- Newsagent

NotesOnly operators of small shops for whom the management and supervision of staff is not a significant component of the work are classified in Unit group 5221, Shopkeepers. Operators of shops where management tasks and supervision of staff are significant and frequent elements of the work are classified in Unit group 1420, Retail and wholesale trade managers. Staff who control and direct the activities of shop sales assistants, checkout operators and other workers, but who do not take responsibility for determining product mix, overall setting of prices, budgets and staffing levels, selection and recruitment are classified in Unit group 5222, Shop supervisors.


52 Sales workers

521 Street and market salespersons5211 Stall and market salespersons5212 Street food salespersons

522 Shop salespersons 5221 Shop keepers5222 Shop supervisors5223 Shop sales assistants

523 Cashiers and ticket clerks5230 Cashiers and ticket clerks

524 Other sales workers5241 Fashion and other models5242 Sales demonstrators5243 Door to door salespersons5244 Contact centre salespersons5245 Service station attendants5246 Food service counter attendants5249 Sales workers not elsewhere classified


63 Subsistence farmers, fishers, hunters and gatherers

• ISCO-88 Sub-major group 62, Subsistence agricultural workers has been retained

– Name and code change – Extra detail to reflect the minor group structure of 61

• The definitions for this group and for Sub-major groups 61, 62 and 92 have been improved to make it clear that:

– Workers engaged in agricultural, forestry and fisheries activities should be classified in Sub-major group 63 if the main aim of the production is to provide goods (mainly food) for consumption by the workers’ own household

– Those who only perform simple tasks requiring little judgement or experience should nevertheless be classified in Sub major group 92, Agricultural, forestry and fishery labourers

– Subsistence hunters, trappers and collectors should also be classified in Sub-major group 63

Nursing and related occupations

222 Nursing and midwifery professionals 2221 Nursing professionals 2222 Midwifery professionals322 Nursing and midwifery associate professionals

3221 Nursing associate professionals3222 Midwifery associate professional

532 Personal care workers in health services5321 Health care assistants5322 Home-based personal care workers5329 Personal care workers in health services not elsewhere classified


But be careful

• Skill level : a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties performed in an occupation:– Measured operationally by considering one or more of:

The nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties defined for each ISCO-08 skill level;

The level of formal education defined in terms of the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED-97)required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved; and

The amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.


COLLECTING AND CODING DATA ON OCCUPATION IN HOUSEHOLD BASED COLLECTIONS

Collecting and coding data on occupation in household based collections 90

Occupation – information needed for coding

• For accurate coding to any level of ISCO (and related national classifications) information is needed on:– Name or title of occupation– Main tasks or duties usually performed in the job

• The following may information may also be useful– The type of economic activity of the establishment (industry)– Whether or not the main aim of the activity is own consumption (subsistence)

• Information about the level of skill or qualifications of an individual is not necessary and not useful


Occupation – types of question

• Three types of question on occupation have typically been used. – One or two pre-coded questions – One write-in question to obtain occupation-relevant information

about an individual’s job– Two or more (write-in) questions, a basic question on the title of

the position held with follow-up on main tasks of the individual in the job


Occupation – closed versus open ended questions

• Closed ended pre-coded questions– Have limited accuracy as names for groups in occupation classifications do not equate

with real world terms to describe jobs– Are limited to a small number of categories and do not meet the needs of most data

users– Take up a large amount of space on questionnaires

BUT– The responses can be processed quickly and at a low cost

• If this approach is unavoidable due to cost limitations:– Separate response categories can be provided for high priority groups– Accuracy can be improved through testing and refinement of questions– The names of categories from broad classification groups should not usually appear on

the questionnaire


Occupation – open-ended questions

• If designed well they can provide sufficient information to assign a 4-digit ISCO code

• Adequate space must be provided for a written response of several words• Should collect information about both job title and main tasks or duties performed• Examples of suitably detailed responses should be provided• Good interviewer training is essential• Responses have to be assigned classification codes using an index of occupation

titles (a coding index)• Relatively quick and cost effective coding methods are possible, but require

development effort


Occupation – single open-ended questions

• A single question such as:a) What is the main occupation of (the person) in this workplace?b) What kind of work did (the person) do?

may provide adequate information from some but not all respondents– But may yield responses such as ‘Manager’, ‘Consultant’, ‘Farm work’ that

can not be coded accurately to any level of ISCO• Interviewers need to be trained to probe when information provided is

insufficient


Occupation – multiple open-ended questions

• Use of separate questions on job title and tasks performed generally assures that sufficient detail is provided

• Asking for two different types of information helps the respondent to respond fully, for example:

Title: Sales managerTasks: Selling used cars

Title: Customer service consultantTasks: Selling used cars


Occupation question – agricultural activities

• Occupation title is often sufficient for some occupations• Task question helps to ensure sufficient detail is required• Distinction between skilled farm workers (Major group 6) and Farm labourers

(Major group 9) can be difficult • Special attention should be given to subsistence farming:

– Are separate job titles used for subsistence farmers?– If subsistence farming is significant consider an additional question:

• E.g. ‘Does your farm produce goods mainly for sale or mainly for your own or family use’

– Any information on own-use production work is collected in the survey this should be used in occupation coding


Hypothetical questions recommended for testing and use (part 1)

(In the main job held last week) what was (your) work or occupation?

Please give full job title and be specific, for example: Fruit pickerLegal secretary Restaurant manager Secondary school teacherCattle farmerRegistered nurse

Occupation:

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………


Hypothetical questions recommended for testing and use (part 2)

What are your main tasks or duties in that job?

Please give details. For example:Picking and carrying oranges and peachesPreparing legal documents Managing the operations of a restaurant Teaching mathematicsManaging a cattle farmCaring for the sick and administering medications

Main tasks or duties:……………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………


Coding occupation

• Responses to open ended questions have to be assigned to the appropriate category in an occupation classification

• Not a simple process• Responses to questions on occupation (title and tasks), industry and

name and address of workplace are relevant for coding both occupation and industry

• Coding should be done using indexes occupational titles– A coding index– Mapping directly to the classification is error prone and inefficient


Occupation coding

• The main aim of the coding process– To determine and record correctly to which category in the

classification the job should be classified• at the most detailed level of the classification possible on the basis of the

information provided in the responses• at the level of detail required to satisfy important user needs in the national

context, as well as for international reporting• Generally this should be at ISCO 4-digit level


Strategic coding and processing options - Field or office coding?

The following choices are available:1. The respondent codes himself/herself to a predefined category

• Implies pre-coded questions• Inadequate quality but less expensive than other options

2. The enumerator codes in the field, either during the interview or before the questionnaire is forwarded for further processing

• A variation on pre-coded questionsOR• Enumerator writes down the response (or keywords) and codes the

response after the interview using an index.3. Specially trained coders code in connection with consistency checks of

the questionnaire and data entry• Office coding – the preferred option in most cases


Coding in the field by the enumerator

• Enumerator writes down the response (or keywords) and codes the response after the interview using an index.– Allows coding to detailed categories– Over time and as part of training enumerators become aware of the type of information

required to code correctlyBUT– Coding becomes one of many tasks for a large number of enumerators– Enumerators cannot be given the same amount of training, supervision and support as

specialized coders– Quality and consistency of coding are likely to be poor

• Can work in a continuous Labour Force Survey with a permanent field staff and good training and communication

• For large-scale infrequent operations such as the Census, coding of occupation and industry as part of the central processing operation is preferred


Office coding

• Can be done manually with a paper index, or with computer assistance

• Can be combined with automatic coding• Coders may specialize in the coding of one (or a few) variables or

deal with the whole form• Coders need to be thoroughly trained and tested before they start

coding• Quality of coding operations can and should be rigorously controlled• Specialists in classification should be involved in training and quality

assurance


At what level of the classification should responses be coded?

• It is sometimes decided that responses should be coded to an aggregate level of the classification structure (Eg 3-digit level of ISCO)

• Arguments for this include:– Perceived cost of coding to a larger number of categories in terms of errors and staff

hours required– It was thought that the responses would not support coding to more detailed categories– In sample surveys the detailed results may not be publishable


At what level of the classification should responses be coded?

• But the experience of statistical agencies has shown– Marginal costs of coding to a larger number of categories are small– Error rate does not significantly increase and may improve for aggregate groups– Many responses support detailed coding, while some do not– Coding to an arbitrary specific level of the classification involves unnecessary loss of

information– Some groups at detailed levels of classification may be larger than others at higher

levels• Statistics on the top 10 or twenty detailed occupation groups can and should be

published – Coding at a higher level limits options for tabulation, international reporting, production

of flexible non-standard aggregations


Coding of vague and difficult responses

• Some responses may be too vague and imprecise to allow the coder to determine to which category the job belongs

should be coded to the level in the classification structure supported by the information available

should not be forced into any particular detailed category Residual groups (not elsewhere classified) should not be used for vague responses

A common method to with this type of response is to provide entries in the coding index for commonly occurring vague responsesSuch responses are assigned the code for the relevant higher category, followed by trailing zeros.

– responses can be allocated proportionally to the more detailed categories in a transparent manner

– or they can be released in publications labelled as : ‘Group name not further defined’


Occupation title: SalesTasks performed: Selling

52 Sales workers5200 Sales workers not further defined

521 Street and market salespersons5211Stall and market salespersons5212Street food salespersons

522 Shop salespersons 5221Shopkeepers5222Shop supervisors5223Shop sales assistants

523 Cashiers and ticket clerks5230Cashiers and ticket clerks

524 Other sales workers5241Fashion and other models5242Sales demonstrators5243Door to door salespersons5244Contact centre salespersons5245Service station attendants5246Food service counter attendants5249Sales workers not elsewhere classified


Other difficult responses

• Indicate that the job the job involves tasks and duties that cut across the distinctions made in the classification

• Represent a type of work not covered by the classification or not listed in the coding index

Should be referred as queries to expert coders and ultimately to those responsible for maintaining the classification and index– Strategies to deal quickly with commonly occurring difficult responses and

update the coding index or procedures are essential


Coding tools

• Coding instructions– A single document specifying the procedures the coder is to

follow• Coding index

– Translates verbatim terms used in responses into classification codes

• Query resolution procedures– How to deal with responses that can not be coded using the index

and standard coding procedures


Automatic and computer assisted coding

• Both use computing to speed up process of searching an index, identifying matching responses, following coding rules and recording the correct code

• In Computer assisted coding (CAC) the coder enters a small number of characters from key and qualifying words– Matching index entries are displayed and coder selects matching entry– Correct code is recorded by coder or the computer or a query is raised

• In automatic coding (AC) responses are key entered or captured photographically, then matched automatically by the computer– Match rates of up to 70% have been achieved– Remaining entries are coded using CAC– Requires a high degree of sophistication and a very well designed index

• Software solutions are available at low cost but cost of integration into larger processing systems may be high


training on isco - fourth meeting of the working group on international classifications david hunter...

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