Career fields are groups of related occupations. A career field may contain many associated occupations.
Occupations are grouped into career fields on a number of bases:
- a specific industry or group of industries
- the skills needed to perform the tasks involved
- the knowledge required to be effective in the field
- the level of the occupation, from entry-level to senior management.
There is a great deal of crossover between different sectors and industries and the career fields within them. For instance, clerical workers are needed in every industry and sector.
Levels of occupations
Each of these levels requires a certain amount of education and experience:
- Management level positions (e.g. sales manager, IT manager, construction manager) require a university degree (often a postgraduate qualification) or equivalent relevant experience.
- Professional occupations (e.g. doctor, teacher, lawyer) require a university degree.
- Technical, paraprofessional and skilled work (e.g. hairdresser, boilermaker, pilot) requires relevant qualifications, often gained through an apprenticeship and recognised by associate diplomas and trade certificates.
- Intermediate work (e.g. sales assistant, truck driver, machine operator) requires on-the-job training and possibly a licence or certificate.
- Labouring (e.g. builder’s labourer, cleaner) requires no formal qualifications other than on-the-job training.
People who run their own business often combine work from several of the levels in this list. For example, a farmer may do labouring tasks, operate machines, manage business matters and test soils and crops.