Ticks all the boxes: new lists of what jobs need (including academics)

“It’s a new way of identifying the range of skills linked to occupations”

The National Skills Commission announces a collection of classifications that “for the first time in Australia,” “provides a connection between labour market analysis and skills needs.”

The beta version includes skills for 600 occupation, with elements, core competencies, specialist tasks and technology tools.

“Rather than using occupations and qualifications as proxies for skills, the Australian Skills Classification offers a new way of identifying the range of skills linked to occupations,” National Skills Commissioner, Adam Boyton announces.

And very helpful they will be to, in some cases for people recruiting for roles they know nothing about.

For example, “university lecturer” has 25 skills, including, “guide class discussions,” “serve on institutional or departmental committees”, “research topics in areas of expertise” and “write grant proposals.” Competencies required include, “teamwork” (nine out of ten) down to “numeracy” (six).

However, physicists have to be specifically skilled, their first is “develop theories or models of physical phenomena” and core competencies are all rated eight, nine or ten. Except for teamwork – which is four.

Sadly, “vice chancellor” is not a category.