1. EurOccupations Developing a detailed 7-country occupations database for comparative socio-economic research in the European Union Project period: May 2006-May 2009 Judith de Ruijter, Arbeid Opleidingen Consult

2. EurOccupations Project partners The NetherlandsErasmus University Rotterdam, dept. Sociology (Co-ordinator) Arbeid Opleidingen Consult University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Institute for Advanced Labour Studies WageIndicator Foundation BelgiumCatholic University of Leuven United KingdomUniversity of Warwick, Warwick Institute for Employment Research PolandUniversity of Economics Poznan SpainFoundation Centre for European initiatives and research in the Mediterranean (CIREM) FranceCentre d’études et de recherches sur les qualifications (CEREQ) GermanyAWWW GmbH (ArbeidsWelt - Working World)

3. EurOccupations Project background Lack of a harmonized occupational classification Lacking / incomplete correspondence tables NOC –> ISCO Many occupations end up in category ‘not elsewhere classified’ ‘New’ occupations are not included Difficulty of question ‘what is your occupation’ in survey research  Need for a tool to collect comparable, disaggregated and reliable data on occupations in cross-country research

4. EurOccupations Project objectives 1.To obtain a harmonized, EU occupations database for 7 large European MS (Belgium, France, Germany, Netherlands, Poland, Spain, UK) 2. To develop search tools that can be used in self-administered computer assisted questionnaires 3. To test the database on possible skill & gender bias 4.To promote the use of the database in research and policy and disseminate the project’s results and outcomes 5.To offer a tool to collect comparable, disaggregated and reliable data on occupations across countries by means of a survey among individuals

5. EurOccupations Participating countries 1.United Kingdom 2.France 3.Spain 4.Germany 5.Poland 6.Belgium 7.The Netherlands

6. EurOccupations Project outline 1.Construction of EurOccupations Database 2.Data collection benchmark occupations 3.Testing and research activities 4.Dissemination

7. EurOccupations The EurOccupations database Building a ‘masterfile’ of occupations (1.000 - 1.500 occupational titles), including:  general information (ISCO- & NOC-codes, occupational titles & synonyms in different languages)  information on distribution of gender, education and age groups in each country  detailed information on appr. 150 benchmark occupations (job content, skill level, required competencies), with special attention for ‘problematic’ occupations  make use of the expertise of statistical offices in building this masterfile Online and offline search program for several categories of users, e.g. survey respondents in self-administered computer-based questionnaires, interviewers, researchers Toolkit/manual to extend EurOccupations database to other countries

8. EurOccupations Data collection benchmark occupations Gathering information about 150 benchmark occupations for 7 countries, to be included in the EurOccupations database 1.Deskresearch (national occupation databases, competency profiles, etc.) 2.Consultation of experts (representatives of statistical offices, employer organisations, unions, vocational training institutes, knowledge centers, etc.): Standardised questionnaires for benchmark occupation Interviews Webbased discussions National and international workshops

9. EurOccupations Clusters of occupations 1.Care & welfare occupations 2.Education, childcare, research occupations 3.Technology, manufacturing occupations 4.Crafts & trade, agriculture, nature & fishing occupations 5.Services occupations 6.Transport, communications, travel occupations 7.Professional occupations 8.Administration, clerical occupations

10. EurOccupations Testing and research activities Check on gender and skill bias Match database to existing work-related websurveys (f.e. WOLIWEB) Testing recoding program for not-self-administered surveys Researching into occupational structure Poland Researching into the socio-economic status of occupations in 7 countries Researching into ‘problematic’ occupations

11. EurOccupations Dissemination 1.Spreading information about the project (statistical offices, scientific community, researchers, national experts etc.): Website www.EurOccupations.orgwww.EurOccupations.org Newsletters, working papers, reports Organisation workshops, standard presentation Manual researchers, report on how to use database 2.Mobilisation of networks to extend the EurOccupations database to other countries 3.Dissemination of occupation information to employers’ organisations, professional bodies, trade unions, educational institutes, research institutes etc.