Qualifications and work methodology

Country of birth data are classified according to the Standard Australian Classification of Countries (SACC), 2016 (cat. no. 1269.0). 

Australian geographic data are classified according to the Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS): Volume 1 - Main Structure and Greater Capital City Statistical Areas, July 2016 (cat. no. 1270.0.55.001). Remoteness areas are classified according to the Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS): Volume 5 - Remoteness Structure, July 2016 (cat. no. 1270.0.55.005).

Industry data are classified according to the Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification (ANZSIC), 2006 (Revision 2.0) (cat. no. 1292.0). 

Language data are classified according to the Australian Standard Classification of Languages (ASCL), 2011 (cat. no. 1267.0).

Occupation data are classified according to the ANZSCO – Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations, First Revision, Revision 1, 2009 (cat. no. 1221.0).

This survey uses the 2016 Socio-economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA).  

SEIFA is a suite of four summary measures that have been created from 2016 Census information. Each index summarises a different aspect of the socio-economic conditions of people living in an area. The indexes provide more general measures of socio-economic status than is given by measures such as income or unemployment alone.

For each index, every geographic area in Australia is given a SEIFA number which shows how disadvantaged that area is compared with other areas in Australia.
 
The index used in this publication is the Index of Relative Socio-economic Disadvantage, derived from Census variables related to disadvantage such as low income, low educational attainment, unemployment, jobs in relatively unskilled occupations and dwellings without motor vehicles.

SEIFA uses a broad definition of relative socio-economic disadvantage in terms of people's access to material and social resources, and their ability to participate in society. While SEIFA represents an average of all people living in an area, it does not represent the individual situation of each person. Larger areas are more likely to have greater diversity of people and households.

For more detail, see the following: 

• SEIFA Basics: Census of Population and Housing: Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA), Australia, 2016 (cat. no. 2033.0.55.001)
• SEIFA 2016 Technical paper available from the Downloads tab:  Census of Population and Housing: Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA), Australia, 2016 (cat. no. 2033.0.55.001)

Adult migrant

In this survey, any in-scope person born overseas is deemed a migrant. The 'Adult migrants' refer to people who were aged 15–64 years at the time of the survey and were at least 15 years of age when they arrived in Australia. Consequently, tables exclude all migrants who were under 15 years of age on arrival (regardless of their age at the time of the survey). 

Australian citizen

Being an Australian citizen formalises a person's membership of the Australian community. It entitles a person to live permanently in Australia, hold an Australian passport and do such things as vote to elect Australia's governments, stand for parliament, work in the Public Service and serve in the armed forces. A person may acquire Australian citizenship in a number of ways, for example, by birth, adoption, descent, resumption or granting of Australian citizenship (naturalisation). Migrants no longer require a visa once citizenship is granted.

Australian Standard Classification of Education (ASCED)

The ASCED is a national standard classification which includes all sectors of the Australian education system: that is, schools, vocational education and training, and higher education. From 2001, ASCED replaced a number of classifications used in administrative and statistical systems, including the Australian Bureau of Statistics Classification of Qualifications (ABSCQ). The ASCED comprises two classifications: Level of education and Field of education. See Australian Standard Classification of Education, 2001 (cat. no. 1272.0).

Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS)

The Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS), brings together in one framework all of the regions which the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) and many other organisations use to collect, release and analyse geographically classified statistics. See Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS): Volume 1 - Main Structure and Greater Capital City Statistical Areas, July 2016 (cat. no. 1270.0.55.001).

Capital city

Refers to Greater Capital City Statistical Areas (GCCSA) as defined by the ASGS. The GCCSAs represent the socio-economic extent of each of the eight State and Territory capital cities. The whole of the ACT is included in the GCCSA. See Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS): Volume 1 - Main Structure and Greater Capital City Statistical Areas, July 2016 (cat. no. 1270.0.55.001)

Certificate n.f.d. (Certificate not further defined)

Survey responses are coded to Certificate not further defined (n.f.d.) when there is not enough information to code them to Certificate I, II, III or IV in the Australian Standard Classification of Education, 2001 (cat. no. 1272.0), Level of education classification.

Completed a qualification

A person having 'completed' a qualification means they have successfully passed all the required assessments or examinations to gain an educational qualification.

Country of birth

Country of birth has been classified according to the Standard Australian Classification of Countries (SACC), Second Edition (cat. no. 1269.0). 'Born in Australia' refers to all persons born in Australia or any of its external territories'. 'Born overseas' refers to all persons not 'born in Australia', including those born at sea and persons whose country of birth is unknown. 

Currently working in field of qualification

Indicates that an individual is using their qualification for the purpose of which it was originally intended. It implies the person is a good fit for the job, due to having specific skills and knowledge. This is most likely to occur in specialist fields, such as medicine, nursing and teaching.

Deciles

Deciles divide a distribution into ten equal groups. In the case of Socio-economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA), the distribution of scores is divided into ten equal sized groups. The lowest scoring 10% of areas are given a decile number of 1, the second-lowest 10% of areas are given a decile number of 2 and so on, up to the highest 10% of areas which are given a decile number of 10.

Disadvantage

The ABS defines relative socio-economic advantage and disadvantage in terms of “people’s access to material and social resources, and their ability to participate in society”.

Education

Education data are classified according to the Australian Standard Classification of Education (ASCED), 2001 (cat. no. 1272.0). The ASCED is a national standard classification which can be applied to all sectors of the Australian education system including schools, vocational education and training, and higher education. The ASCED comprises two classifications: Level of Education and Field of Education.

Educational institution

Any institution whose primary role is education. Included are schools, higher education establishments, colleges of technical and further education and public and private colleges.

Employed

Persons who, during the reference week:

• worked for one hour or more for pay, profit, commission or payment in kind in a job or business, or on a farm (comprising employees, employers and own account workers); or 
• worked for one hour or more without pay in a family business or on a farm (i.e. contributing family workers); or 
• were employees who had a job but were not at work and were: 
  • away from work for less than four weeks up to the end of the reference week; or 
  • away from work for more than four weeks up to the end of the reference week and received pay for some or all of the four week period to the end of the reference week; or 
  • away from work as a standard work or shift arrangement; or 
  • on strike or locked out; or 
  • on workers' compensation and expected to return to their job; or
• were employers or own account workers who had a job, business or farm, but were not at work.

Employed full-time

Employed persons who usually worked 35 hours or more a week (in all jobs) and those who, although usually working less than 35 hours a week, worked 35 hours or more during the reference week.

Employed part-time

Employed persons who usually worked less than 35 hours a week (in all jobs) and either did so during the reference week, or were not at work in the reference week.

Engagement in employment or study

The term 'engagement' is used when assessing a persons level of participation in employment and education. People can be Fully engaged, Partially engaged, or Not engaged.

Equivalised household income

Equivalised household income is total household income adjusted by the application of an equivalence scale to facilitate comparisons of income levels between households of differing size and composition. Equivalised total household income can be viewed as an indicator of the economic resources available to a standardised household. 

For a lone person household it is equal to household income. For a household comprising more than one person, it is an indicator of the household income that would be needed by a lone person household to enjoy the same level of economic well-being.

Field of highest educational attainment

The subject matter of the educational activity for the highest achievement a person has attained in any area of formal study.

Field information inadequate

Field information inadequate includes responses which do not provide sufficient information to be coded to any field or where there is no field of education given. 

First qualification

In this survey, the first qualification was based on the earliest year the non-school qualification was completed.

Where two or more non-school qualifications were completed in the same year, then the lowest qualification level is considered to be the first qualification. If they were all completed in the same year and at the same level, then the qualification reported last is the first qualification.

Fully engaged

People who were in either full-time work and/or study, or employed part-time combined with part-time study.

Greater Capital City Statistical Areas (GCCSA)

Represent the socio-economic area of each of the eight state and territory capital cities as defined in the Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS): Volume 1 - Main Structure and Greater Capital City Statistical Areas, July 2016. These boundaries are built from aggregations of whole Statistical Areas Level 4. GCCSA boundaries represent a broad socio-economic definition of each capital city. They contain not only the urban area of the capital city but also surrounding and non-urban areas where much of the population has strong links to the capital city (e.g. through commuting to work). Within each state and territory, the area not defined as being part of the greater capital city is represented by a Rest of State region.

Higher education institution or organisation

An Australian institution providing higher education courses, eg. universities, colleges or advanced education; institutes of advanced education; institutes of higher education; institutes of tertiary education; agricultural colleges; and some institutes of technology, the equivalent institutions overseas.

Income

Income consists of all current receipts, that are received by the household or by individual members of the household, and which are available for, or intended to support, current consumption.

• wages and salaries and other receipts from employment (whether from an employer or own incorporated enterprise), including income provided as part of salary sacrificed and/or salary package arrangements 
• profit/loss from own unincorporated business (including partnerships)
• net investment income (interest, rent, dividends, royalties) 
• government pensions and allowances 
• private transfers (e.g. superannuation, workers' compensation, income from annuities, child support, and financial support received from family members not living in the same household)

Gross income is the sum of the income from all these sources before income tax, the Medicare levy and the Medicare levy surcharge are deducted. 

Incomplete qualification 

Refers to a non-school qualification that was started and partially undertaken but never completed. Incomplete qualifications excludes qualifications that are currently being studied. 

Index of Disadvantage (IRSD)

The index of Disadvantage is a general socio-economic index that summarises attributes such as income, educational attainment, unemployment and occupation skill level. Unlike the other indexes, this index includes only measures of relative disadvantage. The index ranks areas on a continuum from most disadvantaged to least disadvantaged. A low score on the index (i.e. lowest quintile or decile) indicates a high proportion of relatively disadvantaged people in an area. Such areas include many households with low income, people with no qualifications and many people in low skill occupations. It should be noted that it cannot be concluded that an area with a very high score has a large proportion of relatively advantaged ('well off') people, as there are no variables in the index to indicate this. It can only be concluded that such an area has a relatively low incidence of disadvantage. 

Index of Advantage and Disadvantage (IRSAD) 

The index of Advantage and Disadvantage summarises information about the economic and social conditions of people and households within an area, using attributes such as income, educational attainment, unemployment and occupation skill levels. The index includes both relative advantage and disadvantage measures. A low score indicates relatively greater disadvantage and a lack of advantage in general and a high score indicates a relative lack of disadvantage and greater advantage in general.

Index of Economic Resources (IER) 

The index of Economic Resources ffocuses on the financial aspects of relative socio-economic advantage and disadvantage, by summarising variables related to income and wealth. This index excludes education and occupation variables because they are not direct measures of economic resources. A low score indicates a relative lack of access to economic resources in general and a high score indicates relatively greater access to economic resources in general

Index of Education and Occupation (IEO)

The index of Education and Occupation is designed to reflect the educational and occupational level of communities. The education variables in this index show either the level of qualification achieved or whether further education is being undertaken. The occupation variables classify the workforce into the major groups and skill level of the Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO) and the unemployed. This index does not include any income variables. A low score indicates relatively lower education and occupation status of people in the area in general and a high score indicates relatively higher education and occupation status of people in the area in general.

For further information about the indexes, see Census of Population and Housing: Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA), 2016 (cat. no. 2033.0.55.001).

Industry

Industry data is classified according to the Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification (ANZSIC), 2006 (cat. no. 1292.0).

International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED)

ISCED was developed by the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) to facilitate comparisons of education statistics and indicators within and between countries. It was originally endorsed at the General Conference of UNESCO in 1978. In 2011, the second major revision of this classification was officially adopted by the UNESCO General Conference. The product of extensive international and regional consultations among education and statistical experts, ISCED 2011 takes into account significant changes in education systems worldwide since the last ISCED revision in 1997.

Labour force status

A classification of the civilian population aged 15 years and over, including employed, unemployed or not in the labour force, as defined in Labour Statistics: Concepts, Sources and Methods, Feb 2018 (cat. no. 6102.0.55.001). The definitions conform closely to the international standard definitions adopted by the International Conferences of Labour Statisticians.

Level not determined

The level not determined includes qualifications with missing or inadequately described responses.

Level of highest educational attainment

Level of highest educational attainment identifies the highest achievement a person has attained in any area of formal study. It is not a measurement of the relative importance of different fields of study but a ranking of qualifications and other educational attainments regardless of the particular area of study or the type of institution in which the study was undertaken. For more information regarding how Level of highest educational attainment is derived see Explanatory Notes, Classifications, Decision Table: Level of highest educational attainment. It is categorised according to the Australian Standard Classification of Education, 2001 (cat. no. 1272.0) Level of education classification. Level of education is also classified according to the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED), 2011.

Level of highest non-school qualification 

A person's level of highest non-school qualification is the highest qualification a person has attained in any area of formal study other than school study. It is categorised according to the Australian Standard Classification of Education, 2001 (cat. no. 1272.0) Level of education classification.

In this survey, a respondent's non-school qualifications (up to five qualifications) were ranked by their ASCED code (level of education) to determine which was their highest non-school qualification. Where a respondent had more than one non-school qualification at the same level, then the qualification reported first was ranked higher. 

Note: Not further defined levels were ranked lower than the defined levels eg. Certificate n.f.d. was ranked lower than the defined Certificate levels IV to Certificate level I. Responses that did not provide sufficient information to be coded to any level, or there was no level information provided were ranked last.

Long term health condition

A condition that has lasted or is likely to last six months or more, excluding pregnancy, and cancer where the respondent received a false positive test result. Respondents were specifically asked whether they had any of the following conditions:

• arthritis or osteoporosis
• asthma
• cancer
• diabetes
• a heart or circulatory condition
• a mental health condition, including depression or anxiety
• a long term injury
• any other long term health condition.

Main field of education 

The main subject matter of the study undertaken by a person in completing an education activity. Where a qualification covered multiple fields (e.g. a double degree) the 'main' field is the one considered most important. It is categorised according to the Australian Standard Classification of Education, 2001 (cat. no. 1272.0) Field of education classification. Main field of education is also classified according to the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED), 2011.

Migrant

Migrant refers to any person not born within Australia or the Australian external territories.

Most recent qualification

In this survey, the most recent qualification was based on the most recent year that the non-school qualification was completed.

Where two or more non-school qualifications were completed in the same year, then the higher qualification level is considered to be the most recent. If they were all completed in the same year and were at the same level, then the qualification reported first is considered to be the most recent qualification.

Most relevant qualification

In this survey, the most relevant qualification to their main/current job or business was sourced from employed persons.

Where an employed person had completed one non-school qualification, the qualification was considered to be most relevant if the person:

• was working in the same field as their qualification main field
• was employed but not working in the same field but reported that the qualification was highly relevant, relevant or somewhat relevant to their main/current job or business.

Where the employed person had completed more than one non-school qualification, the most 'most relevant' qualifications was:

• the qualification nominated by the respondent as being 'most relevant' to their main/current job or business. Qualifications nominated as most relevant but reported elsewhere as 'not at all relevant' were not included in the 'most relevant' category
• ascertained even if the respondent indicated 'none of the above', but provided other information to indicate otherwise.

Non-school qualification

Non-school qualifications are awarded for educational attainments other than those of pre-primary, primary or secondary education. They include qualifications at the Postgraduate Degree level, Master Degree level, Graduate Diploma and Graduate Certificate level, Bachelor Degree level, Advanced Diploma and Diploma level, and Certificates I, II, III and IV levels. Non-school qualifications may be attained concurrently with school qualifications.

In this survey respondents were asked to provide details of up to five non-school qualifications they may have completed, starting with their highest non-school qualification and followed by their second/third/fourth/fifth highest non-school qualifications completed.

Not engaged

Persons who were not employed and not studying.

Not in labour force

Persons who were not in the categories ‘employed’ or ‘unemployed’.

Not working in field of qualification

Indicates that an individual is not using their qualification for the purpose for which it was originally intended.

Number of qualifications

Refers to number of non-school qualifications completed. Detailed information was collected on only up to five of the highest non-school qualifications.

Occupation

Occupation data is classified according to the Australian Standard Classification of Occupations, First Edition, Revision 1 (cat. no. 1220.0).

Partially engaged

People who were employed part-time and not studying, or in part-time study and not employed.

Part-time status of work

Part-time work is less than 35 hours per week. The number of hours can be calculated based on the amount usually worked or the number actually worked during the week before interview.

Personal income

This relates to gross personal income.

Proficiency in spoken English

A self-assessment by persons who speak a language other than English at home, of whether they speak English very well, well, not well or not at all.

Qualification

Formal certification, issued by a relevant approved body, in recognition that a person has achieved an appropriate level of learning outcomes or competencies relevant to identified individual, professional, industry or community needs. Statements of attainment awarded for partial completion of a course of study at a particular level are excluded.

Qualification(s) completed before and/or after arrival

Qualification(s) completed by a migrant before and/or after arrival in Australia are based on the five highest completed qualifications reported. These may have been completed before arrival, after arrival or a combination of both.

Qualification(s) completed before arrival

Out of the five highest qualifications reported, the qualification(s) completed by a migrant in any year prior to the year of their arrival in Australia. Also see 'Qualification(s) completed after arrival'.

Qualification(s) completed after arrival 

Out of the five highest qualifications reported, the qualification(s) completed by a migrant in the same year as their arrival in Australia as well as any qualification(s) completed in subsequent years.

Quintiles

The distribution of income into five equal sized groups are referred to as quintiles.

Reference week

The week preceding the week in which the interview was conducted.

Relative standard error

A measure of the extent to which an estimate might have varied by chance because only a sample of dwellings was surveyed, and not the entire in-scope population. Relative standard error (RSE) is obtained by expressing the standard error as a percentage of the estimate. For more details refer to the Technical Note.

Relevance of qualification to current job

Relevance of qualification to current job is specific to people who are not working in the field of their non-school qualification. It refers to how useful the skills and knowledge gained by having completed the qualifications are to performing the specific tasks required as part of their job.

Remoteness

The Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS) was used to define remoteness. Remoteness Areas divide Australia into 5 classes of remoteness on the basis of a measure of relative access to services. The Remoteness Structure is described in detain in the Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS): Volume 5 - Remoteness Structure, July 2016 (cat. no. 1270.0.55.005).

Rest of state/territory

Comprises the remainder of each state/territory not included in a Capital City. See Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS): Volume 1 - Main Structure and Greater Capital City Statistical Areas, July 2016 (cat. no. 1270.0.55.001).

Self-assessed health

A person's impression of their own health against a five point scale from excellent through to poor. 

Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA)

Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA) is an ABS product that ranks areas in Australia according to relative socio-economic advantage and disadvantage. The indexes are based on information from the five-yearly Census of Population and Housing. 

The four indexes used in this publication were created from Census 2016 data. Each index is a summary of a different subset of Census variables and focuses on a different aspect of socio-economic advantage and disadvantage. Each index ranks geographic areas across Australia in terms of their relative socio-economic advantage and disadvantage. It is therefore likely that the same area will have different ranking on each index. See indexes above for more information.

Statistical significance

Differences between population estimates are said to be statistically significant when it can be stated with 95% confidence that there is a real difference between the populations (see the Technical Note for more information).

Underemployed

Employed people aged 15 years and over who want, and are available for, more hours of work than they currently have. They comprise:

• People employed part-time who want to work more hours and are available to start work with more hours, either in the reference week or in the four weeks subsequent to the survey; or
• People employed full-time who worked part-time hours in the reference week for economic reasons (such as being stood down or insufficient work being available). It is assumed that these people wanted to work full-time in the reference week and would have been available to do so.

Unemployed

People aged 15 years and over who were not employed during the reference week, and:

• had actively looked for full-time or part-time work at any time in the four weeks up to the end of the reference week and were available for work in the reference week; or 
• were waiting to start a new job within four weeks from the end of the reference week and could have started in the reference week if the job had been available then.