Page 27 - JobsPlus - Occupational Handbook

Step 3: Generating Occupational Employment
The final step was to translate the employment by sector growth rates, estimated in the previous phase, into occupations. This was done through an occupational employment bridge matrix provided by Jobsplus, with the base year being 2017. This matrix described the employment of detailed occupations by NACE, disaggregated into 246 occupations under the International Standard Classification of Occupations 2008 (ISCO-084). It must be pointed out that whereas under the FTE definition an employed person is equivalent to 1 and a self-employed person is equivalent to 0.5, under the ISCO-08 definition both are given a value of 1, which is a limitation of the methodology adopted.
The industry employment growth rates for each sector were apportioned amongst the 246 occupations, using as weighting the latest available 2017 data in the occupational employment bridge matrix. As a result, these numbers were translated into occupations through a static analysis by applying the same bridge matrix throughout the forecast horizon. The weights were assumed to remain constants, with a view to limit as much as possible potential biases that can arise from the forecasting process. Thus, occupational employment figures were projected for 2018. Thereafter, the same process was repeated throughout the forecast horizon up to 2022, using the respective industry employment growth rates for each specific year.
The results are deemed realistic, however, one has to bear in mind that the analysis has a number of limitations. The analysis fails to distinguish between employment of foreign and Maltese workers, employees and self-employed persons and private and public sector. Moreover, there are some notable differences between the various definitions used throughout the entire process. Whereas GVA and employment rates (consistent with STEMM data) were derived using the National Accounts concept, these rates were then applied to occupational employment data provided by Jobsplus, which are based on the Gainfully Occupied definition.
4 ISCO-08 is a four-level hierarchically structured classification which provides a system for classifying and aggregating occupational information obtained by means of statistical censuses and surveys, as well as from administrative records. Employment occupation describes the type of work done in a job, defined in terms of the main tasks and duties performed and not necessarily in terms of the job title. In fact, a job is defined in ISCO-08 as “a set of tasks and duties performed, or meant to be performed, by one person, including for an employer or in self-employment”
Occupational Handbook 2018
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