The following descriptions, taken directly from the website of the ILO, outlines ISCO-88 major groups and provide a brief description of tasks and duties for each of them.
1. Legislators, senior o cials and managers
This major group includes occupations whose main tasks consist of determining and formulating government policies, as well as laws and public regulations, overseeing their implementation, representing
governments and acting on their behalf, or planning, directing and co- ordinating the policies and activities of enterprises and organisations, or departments. Reference to skill level has not been made in de n- ing the scope of this major group, which has been divided into three sub-major groups, eight minor groups and 33 unit groups, re ecting dierences in tasks associated with dierent areas of authority and dif- ferent types of enterprises and organisations.
2. Professionals
This major group includes occupations whose main tasks require a high level of professional knowledge and experience in the elds of physical and life sciences, or social sciences and humanities. The main tasks consist of increasing the existing stock of knowledge, applying scienti c and artistic concepts and theories to the solution of prob- lems, and teaching about the foregoing in a systematic manner. Most occupations in this major group require skills at the fourth ISCO skill level. This major group has been divided into four sub-major groups, 18 minor groups and 55 unit groups, re ecting dierences in tasks as- sociated with dierent elds of knowledge and specialisation.
3. Technicians and associate professionals
This major group includes occupations whose main tasks require technical knowledge and experience in one or more elds of physical and life sciences, or social sciences and humanities. The main tasks consist of carrying out technical work connected with the application of concepts and operational methods in the above-mentioned elds, and in teaching at certain educational levels. Most occupations in this major group require skills at the third ISCO skill level. This major group has been divided into four sub-major groups, 21 minor groups and 73 unit groups, re ecting dierences in tasks associated
with dierent elds of knowledge and specialisation. 4. Clerks
This major group includes occupations whose main tasks require the knowledge and experience necessary to organise, store, compute and retrieve information. The main tasks consist of performing sec- retarial duties, operating word processors and other o ce machines, recording and computing numerical data, and performing a number of customer-oriented clerical duties, mostly in connection with mail services, money-handling operations and appointments. Most occupa- tions in this major group require skills at the second ISCO skill level. This major group has been divided into two sub-major groups, seven minor groups and 23 unit groups, re ecting dierences in tasks associ- ated with dierent areas of specialisation.
5. Service workers and shop and market sales workers
This major group includes occupations whose main tasks require the knowledge and experience necessary to provide personal and pro- tective services, and to sell goods in shops or at markets. The main tasks consist of providing services related to travel, housekeeping, cater- ing, personal care, protection of individuals and property, and to main- taining law and order, or selling goods in shops or at markets. Most occupations in this major group require skills at the second ISCO skill level. This major group has been divided into two sub-major groups, nine minor groups and 23 unit groups, re ecting dierences in tasks associated with dierent areas of specialisation.
6. Skilled agricultural and shery workers
This major group includes occupations whose tasks require the knowledge and experience to produce farm, forestry and shery prod- ucts. The main tasks consist or growing crops, breeding or hunting
animals, catching or cultivating sh, conserving and exploiting forests and, especially in the case of market-oriented agricultural and shery workers, selling products to purchasers, marketing organisations or at markets. Most occupations in this major group require skills at the second ISCO skill level. This major group has been divided into two sub-major groups, six minor groups and 17 unit groups, re ecting dif- ferences in tasks associated with dierences between market-oriented and subsistence agricultural and shery workers.
7. Craft and related trades workers
This major group includes occupations whose tasks require the knowledge and experience of skilled trades or handicrafts which, among other things, involves an understanding of materials and tools to be used, as well as of all stages of the production process, including the characteristics and the intended use of the nal product. The main tasks consist of extracting raw materials, constructing buildings and other structures and making various products as well as handicraft goods. Most occupations in this major group require skills at the sec- ond ISCO skill level. This major group has been divided into four sub-major groups, 16 minor groups and 70 unit groups, re ecting dif- ferences in tasks associated with dierent areas of specialisation. 8. Plant and machine operators and assemblers
This major group includes occupations whose main tasks require the knowledge and experience necessary to operate and monitor large scale, and often highly automated, industrial machinery and equip- ment. The main tasks consist of operating and monitoring mining, processing and production machinery and equipment, as well as driving vehicles and driving and operating mobile plant, or assembling prod- ucts from component parts. Most occupations in this major group
require skills at the second ISCO skill level. This major group has been divided into three sub-major groups, 20 minor groups and 70 unit groups, re ecting dierences in tasks associated with dierent ar- eas of specialisation.
9. Elementary occupations
This major group covers occupations which require the knowledge and experience necessary to perform mostly simple and routine tasks, involving the use of hand-held tools and in some cases considerable physical eort, and, with few exceptions, only limited personal initia- tive or judgement. The main tasks consist of selling goods in streets, doorkeeping and property watching, as well as cleaning, washing, press- ing, and working as labourers in the elds of mining, agriculture and shing, construction and manufacturing. Most occupations in this ma- jor group require skills at the rst ISCO skill level. This major group has been divided into three sub-major groups, ten minor groups and 25 unit groups, re ecting dierences in tasks associated with dierent areas of work.
0. Armed forces
Members of the armed forces are those personnel who are currently serving in the armed forces, including auxiliary services, whether on a voluntary or compulsory basis, and who are not free to accept civilian employment. Included are regular members of the army, navy, air force and other military services, as well as conscripts enrolled for military training or other service for a speci ed period, depending on national requirements. Excluded are persons in civilian employment of govern- ment establishments concerned with defence issues: police (other than military police); customs inspectors and members of border or other armed civilian services; persons who have been temporarily withdrawn
from civilian life for a short period of military training or retraining, according to national requirements, and members of military reserves not currently on active service. Reference to a skill level has not been used in de ning the scope of this major group.
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