A preliminary examination of occupations and interests in Australia

Abstract

This paper analyses the interest content of all 1016 Australian occupations. These were classified according to vocational interests (i.e. outdoor, practical, scientific, creative, business, office, people contact, health, community, and computing), educational qualifications, and skill level, as well as in terms of the six Holland (RIASEC) types. Just over half of all occupations in Australia involve a practical interest. Creative interest was the least common occupational interest (9.2% of occupations). Some 80% of occupations covered more than one interest content, and in four instances, as many as six interests. Practical and people contact interests were negatively correlated (r = −.50). Occupational interest categories were consistent with the Holland types except that outdoor and practical interests in Australia did not correlate meaningfully with realistic. Occupational interests were related to educational requirements and skill levels. Outdoor and practical occupations were focused at the lower skill levels. Scientific and computing included the highest skill levels.