Major Group 3: Technicians and Associate Professionals
31 Physical and engineering science associate professionals 311 Physical and engineering science technicians 3111 Chemical and physical science technicians 3112 Civil engineering technicians 3113 Electrical engineering technicians 3114 Electronics and telecommunications engineering technicians 3115 Mechanical engineering technicians 3116 Chemical engineering technicians 3117 Mining and metallurgical technicians 3118 Draughtspersons 3119 Physical and engineering science technicians not elsewhere classified 312 Computer associate professionals1,2 3121 Computer assistants 3122 Computer equipment operators 3123 Industrial robot controllers 313 Optical and electronic equipment operators 3131 Photographers and image and sound recording equipment operators 3132 Broadcasting and telecommunications equipment operators 3133 Medical equipment operators 3139 Optical and electronic equipment operators not elsewhere classified 314 Ship and aircraft controllers and technicians 3141 Ships' engineers 3142 Ships' deck officers and pilots 3143 Aircraft pilots and related associate professionals 3144 Air traffic controllers 3145 Air traffic safety technicians 315 Safety and quality inspectors 3151 Building and fire inspectors 3152 Safety, health and quality inspectors
Definitional notes:
Technicians and associate professionals perform mostly technical and related tasks connected with research and the application of scientific and artistic concepts and operational methods, and government or business regulations, and teach at certain educational levels. Most occupations in this group require skills at the third ISCO level (education which begins at the age of 17 or 18 years and leads to an award not equivalent to a first university degree) (ILO, 1990; p.3 & 85).
1. If the job title and associated information on activities does not permit a clear distinction, additional information on a level of relevant qualifications or description of tasks may be used to allocate occupations to either minor group 312 (Computer associate professionals) or minor group 213 (computing professionals).
2. Unit groups 3121, 3122 and 3123 may be merged and described as unit group 3120 (Computer associate professionals, nothing otherwise specified).
32 Life science and health associate professionals
321 Life science technicians and related associate professional
3211 Life science technicians
3212 Agronomy and forestry technicians
3213 Farming and forestry advisers
322 Health associate professionals (except nursing)
3221 Medical assistants
3222 Hygienists, health and environmental officers1
3223 Dieticians and nutritionists
3224 Optometrists and opticians
3225 Dental assistants
3226 Physiotherapists and related associate professionals
3227 Veterinary assistants
3228 Pharmaceutical assistants
3229 Health associate professionals (except nursing)
not elsewhere classified
323 Nursing and midwifery associate professionals2
3231 Nursing associate professionals
3232 Midwifery associate professionals
Definitional notes:
1. Change of name only.
2. See notes to minor group 223 (Nursing and midwifery professionals).
Note that ISCO-88 minor group 324 (Traditional medicine practitioners and faith healers) is not used. Such occupations (where separately identified in a national occupational classification) are classified to unit group 3229 (Health associate professionals not elsewhere classified).
33 Teaching associate professionals
331 Primary education teaching associate professionals
3310 Primary education teaching associate professionals
332 Pre-primary education teaching associate professionals
3320 Pre-primary education teaching associate professionals
333 Special education teaching associate professionals
3330 Special education teaching associate professionals
334 Other teaching associate professionals
3340 Other teaching associate professionals
Definitional notes:
See notes for sub-major group 23 (Teaching professionals).
34 Other associate professionals
341 Finance and sales associate professionals
3411 Securities and finance dealers and brokers
3412 Insurance representatives
3413 Estate agents
3414 Travel consultants and organisers
3415 Technical and commercial sales representatives
3416 Buyers
3417 Appraisers, valuers and auctioneers
3419 Finance and sales associate professionals not elsewhere classified
342 Business services agents and trade brokers
3421 Trade brokers
3422 Clearing and forwarding agents
3423 Employment agents and labour contractors
3429 Business services agents and trade brokers not
elsewhere classified
343 Administrative associate professionals
3431 Administrative secretaries and related associate professionals1
3432 Legal and related business associate professionals
3433 Bookkeepers
3434 Statistical, mathematical and related associate professionals
Definitional notes:
Other associate professionals perform technical tasks connected with the practical application of knowledge relating to finance and sales, business enterprise administration, bookkeeping, legal, statistical and other services, government activities relating to customs, travel, tax, welfare, job placement, licensing, the police force, as well as with social work, entertainment, sport and religion (ILO, 1990; p.113).
1. This unit group consist of occupations which support professional and/or managerial staff in an administrative capacity. The range of tasks/responsibilities wil be wider than those ascribed to jobs classified in unit group 4115 (secretaries). Included in this unit group should be associate professional occupations within the public service which are not specialist public service occupations (eg, customs, tax, social benefit, licensing officials - these would be allocated to minor group 344), but which consist primarily of administrative functions and for which the skills level is defined at the ISCO third level.
344 Customs, tax and related government associate professionals
3441 Customs and border inspectors
3442 Government tax and excise officials
3443 Government social benefits officials
3444 Government licensing officials
3449 Customs, tax and related government associate professionals
not elsewhere classified1
345 Police inspectors and detectives
3450 Police inspectors and detectives
346 Social work associate professionals
3460 Social work associate professionals
347 Artistic, entertainment and sports associate professionals
3471 Decorators and commercial designers
3472 Radio, television and other announcers
3473 Street, night-club and related musicians, singers and dancers
3474 Clowns, magicians, acrobats and related associate professionals
3475 Athletes, sports persons and related associate professionals
348 Religious associate professionals
3480 Religious associate professionals
Definitional notes:
It should be noted that, depending on the specific tasks and degree of responsibility in executing them, as well as on the national educational and training requirements, it may be appropriate to classify some of the occupations that are identified here into sub-major group 24 (Other professionals). This is particularly relevant to the occupations classified into minor group 346, (Social work associate professionals) (ILO, 1990; p.113).
1. Unit group 3449 should be restricted to those occupations which are specific to the public service sector, and which have no direct parallel outside the public service. Examples of occupations classified to this category include:
Wage inspector
Weights and measures inspector