Career Experience Survey

This survey has ceased

CONTACT

Labour Supplementary Surveys Section
Australian Bureau of Statistics, Canberra
Telephone (02) 6252 6504

DESCRIPTION

The Career Experience Survey collected information on the career experiences of employees including details of current job, changes in the job such as promotions and transfers, and training opportunities. Other information collected included breaks away from work for six months or more, reasons for the break, educational attainment, number of dependent children, type of leave taken when the youngest child was born and child care arrangements.

Scope

The survey was restricted to persons aged 15 years and over who were employees in their main job, and excluded the following:

• persons aged 15 to 19 still at school;
• members of the permanent defence forces;
• certain diplomatic personnel of overseas governments;
• overseas residents in Australia;
• members of non-Australian defence forces (and their dependants);
• patients in hospitals, residents of homes, and inmates of prisons; and
• boarding school students.

The survey was conducted in both urban and rural areas in all states and territories, but from 1997 it excluded persons living in certain remote and sparsely settled parts of Australia. This has only a minor impact on any aggregate estimates produced for individual States and Territories, with the exception of the Northern Territory.

Reference Period

November

Frequency of Collection

This survey has been discontinued.

Method of Collection

The Career Experience Survey was a supplementary survey to the Labour Force Survey. The sample was restricted to no more than half of the LFS sample, and included approximately 35,000 persons. Information was collected from a responsible adult on behalf of household members. Interviews were conducted over the phone by trained interviewers.

DISSEMINATION

Release schedule

Results of the 2002 Career Experience Survey were released in September 2003.

Publication

Career Experience, Australia, 2002 (ABS cat. no. 6254.0) (final issue)

Geography

Data are available for Australia, each state and territory, capital city/balance of state (excluding territories), and may be available for the standard Labour Force Survey dissemination regions within each State.

Data service

Customised tables are available on request. This is a charged service.

DATA ITEMS

Demographic
State or territory of usual residence
Area of usual residence
Region of usual residence
Sex
Age group
Marital status
Relationship in household
Country of birth

Education
Level of highest educational attainment
Level of highest non-school qualification
Level of highest school educational attainment
Whether has a non-school qualification

Details of employment
Full-time or part-time status in main job
Leave entitlements in main job
Provision of paid sick leave
Provision of paid holiday leave
Provision of paid maternity/paternity leave
Occupation of current job
Industry of current job
Sector
Hours worked in reference week in main job
Usual weekly earnings in main job
Size of location
Whether had one or more periods of employment with current employer
Whether had one or more positions with current employer
Length of time with current employer
Length of time in current position
Reason expected duration of main job was less than 12 months
Whether work performance formally assessed by current employer in the last 12 months

Changes in work with current employer in the last 12 months
All changes in work
Whether promoted
Whether transferred
Whether promoted or transferred
Whether changed hours usually worked
Whether changed location of employment
Whether changed hours or location
Whether new, different or extra duties
Whether had more responsibility
Whether had any change in work

Study/Formal training
Whether studied or attended formal training with current employer in the last 12 months
Whether studied or attended formal training
All types of training received in the last 12 months
Training supported by employer
Whether had study or training with current employer in the last 12 months

Children and breaks from work
Age of youngest child
Whether has child(ren) aged under 12 years
Type of childcare used
Main reason did not use formal childcare
Number of employees in household
Whether had a break from work of six months or more
Whether had a break from work of six months or more while working with current employer
Number of breaks from work
Number of breaks from work while working with current employer
Length of most recent break from work of six months or more
Main reason for most recent break from work of six months or more
All types of leave taken for most recent break from work of six months or more
Type of leave taken for most recent break from work of six months or more
Break taken when youngest child was born
Length of break taken when youngest child was born
All types of leave taken when youngest child was born
Type of leave taken when youngest child was born

Historical Data

The survey was conducted in 1993, 1996, 1998, and finally in 2002. While comparison between the surveys is possible, a number of changes need to be taken into account. In 1998 different industry and occupation classifications were used, and a number of data items were amended. In 2002, the Australian Standard Classification of Education (ASCED) replaced the ABS Classification of Qualifications (ABSCQ). ASCED, the current national standard classification, comprises two classifications: Level of Education and Field of Education.

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