Service Jobs - Skills

It is important to pause at this juncture to consider occupational education and training requirements. I have referred to jobs requiring college degree training or jobs requiring professional education and training skills. It might appear these are my terms, but that is not correct. The busy folks at BLS have many people assigned to study the more than 700

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Educational Training and Skills Categories

1. First Professional Degree-Entry into a job in this skill category requires 2 to 4 years of degree study beyond a baccalaureate degree. Almost all professionals must pass state licensing exams or private board certification exams to enter practice. Physicians, veterinarians, dentists, lawyers, pharmacists are all examples. Ministers are generally included here although there is not ordinarily board or state certification.
2. Doctorate Degree-Entry into a job in this skill category requires a doctorate following completion of a baccalaureate degree as minimum education for entry. College teaching at four year colleges is an example. A doctorate is also required for many science and medical research positions. Many require licenses and board exams. Medical and biological researchers, physicists, and astronomers are other examples because employment is mostly in research and these require doctorates.
3. Master's Degree-Entry into a job in this skill category typically requires license, certification, credentials or registry in a specialized skill area that requires work beyond a BA degree, leading to a master's degree. Health care professions such as physical therapists, speech-language audiology or pathology, counseling are examples. Librarians are now also included.
4. Master's or Bachelor's degree combined with previous experience-Entry into a job in this skill category requires formal education, but these jobs are usually not accessible without experienced practice in the field at an entry job. Health Services managers usually have experience working in health care in addition to degrees and credentials. Some businesses now require work experience and an MBA before jobs are accessible for entry. Almost all of these jobs have manager in the SOC title. 5. Bachelor's Degree-Entry into a job in this skill category requires a BA or BS degree. In some cases a BA degree in any field is satisfactory to establish reading and computational skills necessary to begin a job. Other jobs need a BA in a particular major to establish skills, credentials or obtain a license.
6. Associate Degree-Entry into a job in this skill category usually requires some formal education such as an educational internship, or co-op program, but leading to an associate's degree. Some employers require graduation from an accredited two year community or junior college program in order to take required licensing exams. Health technician occupations are examples. Some skill types have professional associations with certification or accreditation to help establish skill levels for job entrants. Dental hygienists, licensed practical nursing are examples.
7. Post-secondary vocational training-Entry into a job in this skill category requires pre-employment skill training and often a license from a state agency. Barbers, hairstylists, office machine repairers, computer repair specialists and technicians are examples. Employers may provide some on-the-training but entrants must arrive with the skills and certification to do their job.
8. Work Experience in a Related Occupation-Entry into these jobs usually requires that applicants show a high level of skills. These skills can be acquired through degree training, but long term practice, and specialized talents acquired as part of a career in the field are necessary. It is a separate category because degrees and training do not assure entry into these occupations. First line supervisors, police detectives and investigators, adult education instructors are examples. 9. Long-term on the Job Training-Entry into a job in this skill category typically requires skills acquired from work experience that takes longer than one year. The additional skills needed for the job are taught on the job, through an apprenticeship or employer sponsored classroom instruction or training, and the skills required take a long time or a lot of effort to learn with training of over a year. Actors, athletes, dancers, electricians, carpenters and mechanics are examples. Entry into these jobs are not open to those leaving a degree program or skills training. Prior job relevant skills are necessary for advancement into these positions. For many of these positions a high school degree maybe sufficient but entry is not available to high school graduates. Entry skills are high school plus on the job skills and experience.
10. Moderate-term on the job Training-Entry into these jobs usually requires basic reading and language skills learned in high school or a GED program, but additional on-the-job training is usually necessary. Additional skills can be learned quickly, but 1 to 12 months can be needed to acquire additional skills. Medical assistants, dental assistants, social and human resource assistants are examples.
11. Short-term on the job Training-Entry into these jobs usually requires basic reading and language skills learned in high school or a GED program. Work that can be learned from written or verbal instructions, or carried out successfully after a demonstration are classified as high school skills. Additional skills can be learned quickly, typically a month or less of on-the-job experience or instruction. High school degree skills can also be thought of as general skills employment.
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United States occupations. They interview employers and employees to find out what someone has to know and do to qualify for employment in each occupation. They go to colleges and universities to learn about the curriculum for degree training. They study state regulations to know licensing or certification requirements. Categorizing education and skills training for occupations is on going work, but the BLS skills taxonomy reflects the current education and training associated with data reported within its occupational categories. This taxonomy appears in Table 2 above. The first six BLS categories give the minimum of formal college degree education that is required for entry and work in an occupation.

The term required has a broad use. In some occupations the degree is absolutely necessary and a candidate will not be considered without the required degree. These include occupations where licensing is required by the state or by a private association empowered by the state. Registered nurses must have at least an associate's degree from an approved nursing program to be able to take required state exams. Without this credential entry is blocked. In other occupations, a college degree is not strictly required but the skills needed before entry are such that a degree is strongly preferred by employers and candidates without a degree are much less likely to be considered, much less employed. Categories emphasize the sources and length of training preferred by employers. Training might be post-secondary vocational, college, postgraduate or professional education. The duration of training could range from a week or two to many years.

Prior experience and on the job training are part of the skills taxonomy. Category four is work experience plus a bachelor's or higher degree, an MBA degree for example. Someone with an MBA in finance will probably be expected to have employment experience before being considered for a managerial position. Categories eight and nine describe skills learned through long-term on-the-job training, or work experience in a similar or related occupation. These jobs do not require a degree beyond high school, but are generally not entry-level jobs. For example, a first line supervisor of retail sales workers, or a supervisor of construction workers will need experience in retail sales or construction to be eligible for a job as a supervisor. These jobs require long term on the job training, meaning more than 12 months of experience. Therefore, entry level skills are a high school degree plus skills learned in another job or lower level job.

Categories 10 and 11 are moderate term and short-term on-the-job training. Moderate term on the job training is classified as skills which take 1 to 12 months to learn on the job while short term on the job training is classified as skills which take up to 1 month, but might be less. Moderate term and short term on the job training skills can be classified as general workforce employment. Therefore, entry-level skills into these occupations are a high school degree. This taxonomy is the work of many at BLS and I have adopted their categories in all occupational references. Reference to skills, training and education follows the BLS system. Now you know.