Occupational classifications and their Relationships to Qualifications

The objective of this component of the LMI is to evaluate and provide an overview of occupational classifications and their relationships to qualifications to ensure that skills and occupations identified as being in need in the country can be obtained through appropriate qualifications offered through the South African PSET system.

Research objective

This component of the LMI research programme focuses on the Organising Framework of Occupations (OFO). This is a coded occupational classification system that is a key tool utilized by the DHET for identification, reporting and monitoring of skills demand and supply in the South African labour market. The OFO is constructed from the bottom-up by:

  • Analysing jobs and identifying similarities in terms of a tasks and skills,
  • Categorising similar jobs into occupations, and
  • Classifying these occupations into occupational groups.

Research undertaken under this theme of the LMI will focus on:

  • Analysing the Organising Framework of Occupations (OFO) and identifying its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats
  • Mapping occupations in the OFO to qualifications (at different levels)
  • Classifying occupations into high, medium and elementary skill categories

Considering how occupations have evolved over time focusing on how long the occupations reflected in the latest OFO have been in existence, and whether new occupations need to be introduced to the OFO

Labour Market Intelligence Research
Overview

Explore these other LMI themes

Identification of skills needs and shortages for the short, medium, and long term

General labour market analysis

Identifying Skills for Sustainable Livelihoods in Local Communities

Rendering of PSET Monitoring and Reporting

Evaluation of the LMI

Capacity Building on Labour Market Intelligence

Interested in South African Skills Development Issues?

Visit the LMI repository to access programme outputs and products including research and technical reports, working papers and policy briefs, conceptual frameworks, booklets, and infographics and data visualisations.