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Broad occupational category
Return to menuIn a nutshell, the NOC is a tool that is used to classify occupations according to their Training, Education, Experience and Responsibilities (TEER) category and broad occupational category. A five-digit code, also referred to as a unit group, identifies the occupation. There are 516 unit groups in the NOC 2021.
Let's begin by looking at the first digit and the significance it has with respect to the NOC.
The broad occupational category is based on the type of work performed or the sector of activity and also reflects the field of training or experience that is normally required for entry into an occupation. This includes the educational area of study required, as well as the industry of employment in cases where experience within an internal job ladder is required. These categories are intended to indicate easily understood segments of the world of work.
The first digit of the NOC code designates the broad occupational category. For example, occupations in manufacturing and utilities start with the digit 9.
The 10 broad occupational categories, as represented by the first digit of the NOC code, are:
0 – Legislative and senior management occupations
This category includes legislators and senior management occupations.
1 – Business, finance and administration occupations
Occupations in this category include financial and business services, administration and clerical supervision and support services. Some occupations in this category are unique to the financial and business services sectors; however, most are found in all industries. The professional occupations in this area such as accountants, investment brokers and human resources specialists are usually supplied from educational programs specific to the profession or occupation. Some administrative and business occupations are supplied from experienced workers in related clerical occupations.
2 – Natural and applied sciences and related occupations
This category includes occupations in sciences, engineering, architecture and information technology.
These occupations require post-secondary education in an appropriate scientific or technical discipline. Progression from technical to professional occupations usually requires additional education.
3 – Health occupations
Occupations in this category are concerned with providing health care services directly to patients and occupations that provide technical support to medical staff. To progress from medical and dental technical occupations to professional occupations, completion of additional formal education is required. Progression to supervisory positions requires experience in the occupations supervised. Support occupations in health are usually supplied from short training programs specific to the support area.
4 – Occupations in education, law and social, community and government services
Occupations in this category are concerned with law, teaching, counselling, conducting social science research, developing government policy, and administering government and other programs. Occupations providing religious services and leadership are included in this category. These occupations usually require completion of a related post-secondary program. Individuals who work as paralegals, social service workers or educators and instructors who are not part of the elementary, secondary or post-secondary school system are usually required to complete additional formal education to progress to professional occupations.
5 – Occupations in art, culture, recreation and sport
This category includes occupations in art and culture, including the performing arts, film and video, broadcasting, journalism, writing, creative design, libraries and museums. It also includes occupations in recreation and sports.
These occupations are linked by subject matter to formal post-secondary educational programs but have, for the most part, a range of acceptable qualifications. Occupations in this category are also characterized by a requirement for creative talent, such as for designers and performers, and for athletic ability in the area of sport.
6 – Sales and service occupations
This category contains retail and wholesale sales occupations and customer and personal service occupations related to a wide range of industries, such as accommodation and food services, travel, tourism and cleaning services.
Sales and service occupations can be linked, for the most part, to formal post-secondary or occupation-specific training programs. Others are characterized by periods of formal on-the-job training. Apprenticeship training is available for some specialized service occupations. Progression from sales and service occupations to positions of increased responsibility, or supervision, usually requires occupational experience and may require completion of related training programs.
7 – Trades, transport and equipment operators and related occupations
These occupations include trades supervisors and contractors, construction and mechanical tradespersons, operators of transportation and heavy equipment and trades helpers. These occupations are found in a wide range of industrial sectors, with many in the construction and transportation industries.
This category includes most of the apprenticeable trades, including all those related to the construction industry. Other occupations in this category usually require completion of college or vocational education programs combined with on-the-job training. Helpers obtain training on the job site. Progression to supervisory positions or self-employed contractor status is possible with experience. There is limited mobility or transferability of skills among occupations in this category due to specific apprenticeship, training and licensing requirements for most occupations.
8 – Natural resources, agriculture and related production occupations
These occupations include supervisors and equipment operators in the natural resource-based sectors of mining, oil and gas production, forestry and logging, agriculture, horticulture and fishing. Most occupations in this category are industry specific and do not occur outside of the primary resources industries.
Occupations within this category generally require completion of college or vocational education programs. Some of these occupations, however, are characterized by on-the-job training and progression through experience.
9 – Occupations in manufacturing and utilities
This category contains supervisory, production and labouring occupations in manufacturing, processing and utilities.
Occupations in this category are characterized by either technical training or internal progression, and on-the-job training. Process control occupations in this category are increasingly technical and post-secondary training is usually required. For many occupations in this category, workers typically start out as labourers and progress to machine operation occupations through experience. Progression to supervisory postions requires experience in the occupations supervised. Mobility in some of these occupations may be limited by seniority provisions of collective agreements, or may require additional training.
You now know how occupations are classified according to a work domain that is called "broad occupational category". We will now learn how the NOC further categorizes occupations according to different TEER categories and requirements for entering occupations.