Statistics and Indicators on the Labour Market in the eEconomy

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Practical experience with the STILE occupational
coding exercise in Ireland
Nicola Tickner
Statistics and Indicators on the Labour Market in
the eEconomy
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CSO occupation coding

• The CSO standard for occupation coding is
  currently the UK system SOC 90 (Standard
  Occupation Code)
• Areas that code occupations include
• Census of Population
• QNHS (Irish LFS)
• HBS (Household Budget Survey)
• EU-SILC (Survey on Income and Living
  Conditions)
• NES (National Employment Survey)
• Currently the standard is under review
• Both ISCO 88 and SOC 2000 are being considered
  for new standards
• Any change from SOC 90 may have timeliness and
  cost effects

Statistics and Indicators on the Labour Market in
the eEconomy
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QNHS occupation coding practice

• Typically QNHS occupation codes are
• Coded using software package (Precision Data)
• Package codes to SOC 90
• Approximately 8000 - 10,000 codes a quarter -
  four dedicated coders
• Codes are then scrutinised by coding
  Statistician who amends where necessary
• For STILE project coding was carried out directly
  by Statistician responsible for coding

Statistics and Indicators on the Labour Market in
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Eurostat LFS requirement

• Eurostat requirement is ISCO 88 hence SOC 90
  codes are converted to ISCO 88. In some cases
  this conversion also takes into account NACE and
  size of local unit. This conversion was created
  in QNHS section and therefore may differ from
  conversion used by other agencies.
• STILE codes were converted to ISCO 88 in the same
  manner as for Eurostat requirements
• Majority of other MS do not code directly to
  
• ISCO 88, and also have to convert their national
  coding systems to ISCO 88

Statistics and Indicators on the Labour Market in
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Limitations of SOC 90 from a QNHS perspective

• Tendency to promote persons to manager hence
  overestimation in the number of managers. From
  the Irish perspective, coding farm owners to
  managers (SOC code 16) can appear to inflate the
  managerial figures
• Gaps in occupations specifically ICT related jobs

Statistics and Indicators on the Labour Market in
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Some observations particularly difficult to
code

• Observation 2
• Production manager in multimedia
• As a Production Manager Im active in the
  back-end development of our company processes. I
  specialise in advanced flash scripting and Im
  constantly out there looking at the newest ways
  of doing things so that we can offer our clients
  the best, most seamless technical solution.

Statistics and Indicators on the Labour Market in
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Some observations particularly difficult to
code

• SOC 110 Production, works and maintenance
  managers
• SOC 179 Managers and proprietors in service
  industries nec
• SOC 199 Other managers and administrators nec
• ISCO 88 122 Production and operations department
  managers
• (depending on size of company, could also be ISCO
  88 131 General managers)

Statistics and Indicators on the Labour Market in
the eEconomy
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Some observations particularly difficult to
code

• Observation 62
• Documentation specialist
• I manage the production of all company documents,
  including status reports, design templates, data
  and software standards, logistics of production,
  tracking and distribution of printed and digital
  documents and backup of all electronic documents

Statistics and Indicators on the Labour Market in
the eEconomy
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Some observations particularly difficult to
code
SOC 320 Computer analyst/programmers ISCO 88
213 Computing Professionals SOC 420 Filing,
computer and other records clerks (incl. Legal
conveyancing) ISCO 88 414 Library, mail and
related clerks Could be a filing clerk but job
appears to indicate more responsibility
Statistics and Indicators on the Labour Market in
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Some observations particularly difficult to
code

• Observation 78
• Life coach
• I provide personal advice to clients covering
  psychological, sports and health issues. Advice
  is provided by website, email, fax and telephone
  but never face to face.

Statistics and Indicators on the Labour Market in
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Some observations particularly difficult to
code
SOC 399 Other professional and technical
occupations ISCO 88 343 Administrative associate
professionals SOC 239 Other teaching
professionals nec ISCO 88 235 Other teaching
professionals SOC 387 Professional athletes,
sports officials ISCO 88 347 Artistic,
entertainment and sports associate
professionals
Statistics and Indicators on the Labour Market in
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Differences in the returned codes

• Differences between the Irish and UK returned
  coded exercises.
• Note that the UK coded to SOC 2000 and then
  converted to ISCO 88 where as the Irish codes
  were coded to SOC 90 and then converted to ISCO
  88.
• Hence, NOT directly comparable
• Out of 154 fictitious codes 76 differences
• Many are repeat differences, only actually 42
  differences.
• Highlights the problems with mapping to a
  different coding system rather than coding
  directly.

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the eEconomy
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Differences in the returned codes

• Look at 3 of the main types of different
  interpretations between the Irish and UK returned
  coded exercises which account for over 50 of the
  differences
• NB Not directly comparable

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Difference type 1 - ISCO 88 122 versus 123

• For observations 2, 28 and 112 the Irish codes
  mapped to ISCO 88 122 where as the UK codes
  mapped to ISCO 88 123.
• Comparable at a 1 and 2 digit level.
• Obs 2 - Production manager in multimedia
• Obs 28 - Multimedia project manager
• Obs 112 - Project leader for socio-economic
  research projects

Statistics and Indicators on the Labour Market in
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Difference type 1 - ISCO 88 122 versus 123

• ISCO 88 122 - title Production and operations
  department managers
• Key words - plan, direct, co-ordinate activities
  concerning the production of goods or the
  provision of services
• Tasks include - planning, directing daily
  operations, supervising other workers ...
• ISCO 88 123 - title Other department managers
• Key words - plan, direct, co-ordinate particular
  activities
• Tasks include - directing daily operations,
  overseeing training of staff

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Difference type 2 - ISCO 88 213 versus 312

• For observations 11, 47,59, 60, 62, 63, 103, 137
  and 152 the Irish codes mapped to ISCO 88 213
  whereas the UK codes mapped to ISCO 88 312.
• This difference is much more pronounced than
  previous one, not even comparable at a 1 digit
  level.

Statistics and Indicators on the Labour Market in
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Difference type 2 - ISCO 88 213 versus 312

• Obs 11 - Service and systems technician
• Obs 47 - Technical support provider
• Obs 59 - Change manager
• Obs 60 - Website content manager
• Obs 62 - Documentation specialist
• Obs 63 - Systems support team leader
• Obs 103 - Website content manager
• Obs 137 - Travel and expenses associate
• Obs 152 - Contents TQA/media creator

Statistics and Indicators on the Labour Market in
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Difference type 2 - ISCO 88 213 versus 312

• ISCO 88 213 - title Computing Professionals
• Key words - conduct research, plan, develop and
  improve computer based information systems,
  software and related concepts as well as
  maintain data dictionary and management systems
  of databases to ensure integrity and security of
  data
• Task include - supervision of other workers may
  be included
• ISCO 88 312 - title Computer Associate
  Professionals
• Key words - provide assistance to users of
  micro-computers and standard software packages
• Task include - assisting users of micro-computers
  and standard software systems at installation and
  when problems occur, making minor changes and
  adjustments to existing programs to update and
  maintain ...

Statistics and Indicators on the Labour Market in
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Difference type 3 - ISCO 88 419 versus 422

• For observations 24, 46, 75, 76, 79, 97, 98, 100,
  101, 127, 140, 141 the Irish codes mapped to ISCO
  88 422 where as the UK codes mapped to ISCO 419.
• Comparable at a 1 digit level

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Difference type 3 - ISCO 88 419 versus 422

• Obs 24 - Contact centre team leader
• Obs 46 - Customs relations team leader
• Obs 75 - Call centre agent
• Obs 76 - Helpdesk administrator
• Obs 79 - Technical support representative
• Obs 97- After sales agent
• Obs 98 - After sales support agent
• Obs 100 - Customer service co-ordinator
• Obs 101 - Customer service administrator
• Obs 127 - Customer service agent
• Obs 140 - Customer service clerk
• Obs 141 - Architectural technician

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Difference type 3 - ISCO 88 419 versus 422

• ISCO 88 422 - title Client information clerks
• Key words - deal directly with various types of
  information requested, appointments to be made as
  well as incoming or requested telephone calls
• Tasks include - preparing itineraries, providing
  relevant information ...
• ISCO 88 419 - title Other office clerks
• Key words - wide range of general clerical
  duties, mostly connected with the keeping of
  various office records
• Task include - filing, photocopying, keeping
  mailing lists ...

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