OCCUPATION
JUSTIFICATION
Data about occupation are required for a wide range of social and economic policy and planning purposes. Information is required for small geographic areas and for finely classified occupations.
HISTORICAL INFORMATION
A variety of questions on occupation have been included in all previous Censuses. Occupation data were coded using Australian Standard Classification of Occupations (ASCO) for the first time in 1986. An additional question on the main tasks or duties that a person usually performs in his or her job was included to assist in the coding of occupations at the unit group level. Australian Standard Classification of Occupations (ASCO) 2nd edition, (cat. no. 1220.0) was used to code the occupation data for the 2001 Census.
For the 2006 Census, occupation data were dual coded using the ASCO 2nd edition and the revised classification - Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO) (cat. no. 1220.0).
USER REQUIREMENTS
Detailed occupation data are needed to analyse current and potential imbalances in the supply and demand for labour with varying skills at the national, regional and local area levels. These analyses:
- provide input to the development of policies and programs in the fields of education, training, immigration, industry and industrial relations
- are useful for monitoring changes taking place in specific occupational labour markets
- allow the identification of areas (geographically and in the labour force) of skill shortage, in combination with industry and qualification data.
The usefulness of data on occupation is considerably enhanced when analysed with detailed data on industry of employment and qualifications.
AVAILABILITY OF NON-CENSUS DATA
A question on occupation is included each quarter in the ABS Monthly Labour Force Survey. In addition, unemployed people in this survey are asked each quarter for their previous occupation of employment (if their last job was less than 2 years ago). Results from the survey are released in Labour Force, Australia (cat. no. 6202.0 and associated electronic products 6291.0.55.001 and 6291.0.55.003).
Information is also available from ABS Special Social Surveys and professional registration boards. Occupation of main, second, third and fourth job is collected in the six-yearly Survey of Employment Arrangements, Retirement and Superannuation (results released in Employment Arrangements and Superannuation, Australia, cat. no. 6361.0).
However, survey data are not reliable at the small area level or for small population groups.
2006 CENSUS QUESTIONS
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