UIS Interagency Meeting on Cultural Employment Statistics, Paris, 21 June 2011

1. International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO 2008) and the measurement of cultural employment UIS Interagency Meeting on Cultural Employment Statistics, Paris, 21 June 2011 David Hunter, Department of Statistics, International Labour Office

2. 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 • Hierarchically structured classification comprising: • 10 major groups • 43 sub-major groups • 130 minor groups • 436 unit groups • Information on ISCO-08 can be found at: http://www.ilo.org/public/english/bureau/stat/isco/index.htm Introduction to ISCO-08 and adapting it for use in National contexts

3. 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 nationalclassifications • National Occupation Classifications are used for: • Statistics from censuses, household surveys, employer surveys and other sources. • Administrative and policy-related activities such as: • matching job seekers with job vacancies • educational planning, • management of employment related international migration Introduction to ISCO-08 and adapting it for use in National contexts

4. Integrated occupational information systems • Framework for provision of careers information • Identification of skill shortages or oversupply • Linking information about job vacancies with statistical and qualitative information about the kind of work performed • 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 David Hunter, Department of Statistics, International Labour Office

5. Components of ISCO-08 Volume 1: • Introduction • Classification structure • Group definitions (explanatory notes) • Correspondence tables with ISCO-88 Volume 2: • Index of occupational titles • Structure and group definitions available on ILO Website or on request • To be published in English, French, Spanish as soon as possible • Will be used in European Union statistical collections from 2010 • The structure is available in all EU languages David Hunter, Department of Statistics, International Labour Office

6. Underlying concepts –ISCO-08 ISCO is concerned withthe type of work performed in a job irrespective of branch of economic activity (the industry of the employing establishment) • Job : a set of tasks and duties performed, or meant to be performed, by one person including for an employer or in self employment. • 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 organised into groups according to skill level and skill specialisation: • 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 specialisation. David Hunter, Department of Statistics, International Labour Office

7. Mapping of ISCO-08 major groups to skill levels David Hunter, Department of Statistics, International Labour Office

8. 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 • National occupation classification 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 • Need for a correspondence table with ISCO-08 for international reporting David Hunter, Department of Statistics, International Labour Office

9. Thematic groups in ISCO-08 • Thematic groups are a standard alternative way of aggregating occupational data classified at the 2, 3 or 4-digit level of ISCO. • It has been proposed to develop thematic groups of occupations for the following areas: • Agriculture • Education • Health • Information and communications technology • Tourism • Cultural employment? • ISCO-08 was designed to facilitate identification, where feasible, of occupation groups within these areas )

10. Identifying cultural occupations within ISCO-08 • Consultation with UIS and OECD cultural statistics units during development to ensure that relevant occupations were adequately identified, grouped and described • Important distinction between cultural occupations and employment within cultural industries • Agree on a suitable definition of the concept of a ‘cultural occupation’ • Agree on which ISCO-08 minor groups and unit groups fall within the definition • Publish and disseminate the definition and agreed groups for use in surveys and compilation of data David Hunter, Department of Statistics, International Labour Office

11. ISCO-08 cultural minor groups 262 Librarians, archivists and curators 264 Authors, journalists and linguists 265 Creative and performing artists • Artistic, cultural and culinary associate professionals 731 Handicraft workers David Hunter, Department of Statistics, International Labour Office

12. Availability of internationally comparable data on employment • Review of ILO Annual collection • Annual data on employment, hours worked, wages and labour costs for: • All ISIC sections and ISCO major groups • 21 ISCO sub-major groups (2-digit) • 20 ISIC divisions (2-digit) • 50 ISCO minor groups (3-digit) within (main) ISIC section • Periodic SEGREGAT collection is also to be reviewed David Hunter, Department of Statistics, International Labour Office