1232.0 - Information Paper -- Census of Population and Housing: Link Between Australian Standard Classification of Occupations (ASCO) Second Edition and Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO), 2006  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 26/03/2008   
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MAIN DIFFERENCES BETWEEN ANZSCO AND ASCO SECOND EDITION

SKILL LEVEL

While the classification criteria for ANZSCO are essentially the same as those used for ASCO Second Edition, the application of the skill level criterion has changed. In ASCO Second Edition, the skill level required for entry to an occupation was considered. In ANZSCO, it is the skill level required for competent performance of the set of tasks associated with the occupation which is used.

In ASCO Second Edition each of the nine major groups was assigned to one of five broad skill levels. In ANZSCO, the major groups were designed by considering a combination of skill level and skill specialisation. Consequently, each major group in ANZSCO is not necessarily homogenous in terms of skill level.

The use of both skill level and skill specialisation to define the major groups in ANZSCO compared to just skill level in ASCO Second Edition has resulted in major groups which are more intuitively appealing and useful than their ASCO Second Edition predecessors. Accordingly, there have been changes to the way some occupations are classified in ANZSCO.

Associate Professionals
This ASCO Second Edition major group has been discontinued in ANZSCO. These occupations have been spread across a number of ANZSCO major groups. The major changes are:

Science, Engineering and Related Associate Professionals, ASCO Second Edition Sub-Major Group 31, are classified to ANZSCO Major Group 3 Technicians and Trades Workers, Sub-Major Group 31 Engineering, ICT and Science Technicians.

Finance Associate Professionals, ASCO Second Edition Minor Group 321, are classified to ANZSCO Major Group 2 Professionals, Minor Group 222 Financial Brokers and Dealers, and Investment Advisers.

Office Managers, ASCO Second Edition Unit Group 3291, and Project and Program Administrators, ASCO Second Edition Unit Group 3292, are classified to ANZSCO Major Group 5 Clerical and Administrative Workers, Sub-Major Group 511 Office Managers and Program Administrators.

Managing Supervisors (Sales and Service), ASCO Second Edition Sub-Major Group 33, are mainly classified to ANZSCO Major Group 1 Managers, Sub-Major Group 14 Hospitality, Retail and Service Managers.

Health and Welfare Associate Professionals, ASCO Second Edition Sub-Major Group 34, are classified to ANZSCO Major Group 4 Community and Personal Service Workers, Sub-Major Group 41 Health and Welfare Support Workers.

Clerical, sales and service occupations
ASCO Second Edition Major Group 5 Advanced Clerical and Service Workers, Major Group 6 Intermediate Clerical, Sales and Service Workers, and Major Group 8 Elementary Clerical, Sales and Service Workers have been disaggregated and reorganised in ANZSCO into three intuitively appealing major groups.

There is now one major group which covers all clerical occupations - Major Group 5 Clerical and Administrative Workers, one major group which covers all sales occupations - Major Group 6 Sales Workers, and one major group which covers all service workers - Major Group 4 Community and Personal Service Workers.

Information and community technology (ICT) occupations
ANZSCO identifies a greater number of ICT unit groups and occupations compared to ASCO Second Edition.

In ANZSCO, there are 13 ICT unit groups and 36 ICT occupations. This compares to three unit groups and nine occupations in ASCO Second Edition.

Apprentices, trainees and supervisors
ASCO Second Edition identified a number of apprentice, trainee and supervisory occupations. ANZSCO does not separately identify such occupations.

In ANZSCO, apprentice and trainee occupations are classified together with their 'parent' or future occupation. Supervisory occupations are classified together with the occupations whose tasks they supervise.

Other changes
Other changes reflected in the ANZSCO structure are the result of the emergence and decline of occupations in the Australian labour market. The increased significance of various industry sectors to the economy, in particular the service and information technology sectors, has led to the emergence of a number of new occupations. Conversely, technological and structural changes in the Australian work force have also resulted in the decline of some occupations.