7. Occupational Analysis

Many people confuse the respective meanings of an occupation and a job. As stated, a job refers to a set of defined work within a specific context. An occupation refers to a set of related jobs across work settings. Thus, an occupation represents a broader understanding than a job does. This chapter introduces the process for conducting an occupational analysis. There are many uses of occupational analysis information, including the development of technical-education curricula and courses. Perhaps most prominently, occupational analysis is used for developing national occupational standards. Three types of occupational analyses have emerged from practice. First, there is the analysis of an entire occupation, which like a job analysis provides complete information about the occupation, including forecasts of demand. Second, there are occupational analyses that focus on specific aspects of an occupation. Finally, there are occupational analyses that focus on prerequisite information to the occupation.