PREFACE
This product presents the Second Edition of the Australian Standard Classification of Occupations (ASCO). It is the product of a review jointly undertaken by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) and the Department of Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs (DEETYA).
The development of this Second Edition of ASCO was made necessary by structural changes in the Australian labour market since the release of the First Edition of ASCO in 1986. The changes include widespread industry and award restructuring, technological change and competency-based approaches to career entry and progression. The revised classification will have important applications in statistical surveys, labour market analysis, vocational education and training, job placement activities and careers guidance.
This product contains an account of the conceptual basis of ASCO, the structure of the revised classification, the full occupation and group definitions, and information on the conceptual and structural differences between the First and Second Editions.
A single volume publication, ASCO Australian Standard Classification of Occupations, Second Edition (Cat no. 1220.0) is also available in hard copy.
Users wishing to assign ASCO Second Edition codes to occupation information are advised to use the Windows-based computer-assisted coding system provided on the ASCO Australian Standard Classification of Occupations, Second Edition on CD-ROM (Cat no. 1220.0.30.001). The coding system enables occupation responses to be coded with a high degree of accuracy and consistency. The coding index (in both alphabetical and numerical order) is also provided as a rich text format (rtf) file for users requiring a hard copy of the index.
In the course of the review many individuals, government and private organisations, professional associations, industry training bodies and unions were consulted. The ABS and DEETYA would like to express their appreciation to these individuals and organisations for their assistance.
W. McLennan
Australian Statistician
Australian Bureau of Statistics
and
S.T. Sedgwick
Secretary
Department of Employment, Education,Training and Youth Affairs
July 1997
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