Occupational sectors and occupational segments on the basis of KldB 2010

Abstract

"Because in developing the classification of occupations 2010 (KldB 2010) the goal, among others, was to design a consistent numerical classification key with a maximum of five figures, only one figure was available for the uppermost level of classification, the 'occupational areas' (1st figure of the KldB 2010). However it was ascertained during the empirical homogeneity analyses of occupations - on which the KldB 2010 is based - that ten occupational areas are not sufficient to represent the actual occupational segmentation of the labour market in Germany. Rather, the occupational areas were created so as to ensure a good thematic overview and user-friendly handling of the occupational classification. To do this, the 'main occupational groups' (2nd figure of the KldB 2010) were combined in a qualitative way according to aspects relating to content using technical occupational criteria. However - in contrast to the other levels of the classification - the occupational areas do not exhibit a uniform or comparable level of homogeneity. That is why it is not advisable to use the occupational areas for analytical analysis. In statistical reporting and also in scientific analyses, the occupational areas do not represent an adequate technical occupational classification of the German labour market.<br> On the other hand, the main occupational groups were determined using their technical occupational characteristics, that is, when the abilities, skills and know-how of two occupations matched. With that, they are in a position to demarcate internally homogenous, technical occupational sub-markets and are thus especially suitable as an analytical demarcation factor, for instance for analysis of vocational mobility. Having said that, the classification in 37 main occupational areas is often too fine, particularly in statistical reporting but often also in empirical analyses.<br> Against this background, a supplementary grouping of main occupational groups according to occupational criteria was necessary: the aim was on the one hand to ensure a sufficiently deep and technical differentiation of occupations, but on the other to avoid encompassing too many units of classification. Correspondingly, the statistical department of the Federal Employment Agency together with the research group 'Occupational Labour Markets' of the Institute for Employment Research (IAB) developed two additional vocational classification units based on the main occupational groups of the KldB 2010. The five 'occupational sectors' and fourteen 'occupational segments' were composed according to their technical occupational homogeneity. In this report on methods, we document how and according to which aspects these compilations took place. This enables technical occupational sub-markets to be demarcated at a higher level of aggregation than is possible with the classification of the KldB 2010." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku)

Cite article

Matthes, B., Meinken, H. & Neuhauser, P. (2015): Berufssektoren und Berufssegmente auf Grundlage der KldB 2010. (Methodenbericht der Statistik der BA), Nürnberg, 19 p.