ANZSCO provides a basis for the collection, analysis and dissemination of occupation data across Australia and New Zealand. During 2023 and 2024, the ABS has been conducting a review of ANZSCO to reflect the contemporary labour market and better meet stakeholders’ needs. Service and Creative Skills Australia (SaCSA) has been a key participant in this process, along with other Jobs and Skills Councils (JSCs).
SaCSA participated in the ANZSCO Round 4 consultation to advocate for the classification framework to better reflect contemporary workforce needs within our industry sectors: Arts, Personal Services, Retail, Tourism and Hospitality.
Key Points
SaCSA acknowledges and welcomes the developments to date by the ABS, such as the inclusion of new occupations in the latest draft classification, reflecting existing feedback received. SaCSA’s submission built on these improvements by highlighting additional occupations and changes to classifications, based on both qualitative and quantitative evidence including Workforce Planning and related stakeholder consultations.
SaCSA’s submission presents several occupations across our sectors or changes to classifications that we believe should be included or updated in the ANZSCO classification. Their inclusion is critical for improving workforce analysis, training pathways, and ensuring that these roles are properly recognised within workforce and migration frameworks.
Some of the key proposed occupations and changes include (non-exhaustive):
- Arts: addition of new roles such as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Artist, Costume Technician, Multimedia Artist, and Screenwriter
- Personal Services: addition of Barber, and changes to existing classifications for Beauty Therapist and Dermal Clinician
- Retail: addition of E-Commerce Specialist.
- Retail: E-Commerce Specialist.
- Tourism: changes to the classification of Travel Agency Manager
- Hospitality: addition of several occupations such as Senior Waiter, Sommelier, and Gaming Supervisor; and changes to skills classifications for occupations in this sector.
For each proposed role and change, SaCSA provided supporting evidence, including the characteristics, workforce size, and the need for accurate classification to support training and workforce planning. Many of these roles are vital to ensuring that our sectors can continue to meet the demands of a modern workforce, especially given ongoing changes in technology, consumer behaviour, and cultural trends.
This included stakeholder feedback, industry workforce planning data, and comparative analysis with international occupation frameworks. For example, in the Arts sector, the proposed role of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Artist is crucial for preserving and promoting Indigenous culture, with SaCSA recommending its inclusion to better support workforce planning and cultural preservation.
Next Steps
SaCSA looks forward to the ABS’ response and proposed way forward on these changes as well as the potential inclusion of our proposed occupations in the updated ANZSCO framework. This process is essential for ensuring that our industry sectors are accurately represented – including in workforce data, migration settings, and training programs.
The classification update will be released on the ABS website in December 2024.
For more information on our submission, or to learn more about SaCSA’s work, read the full report or contact Shaer Fattah, Insights & Analytics Manager, via email at shaer.fattah@sacsa.org.au