The diversity of tasks and responsibilities expected in any occupation determines the professional level — that is, the degree of skill and complexity required.
Professional levels are assessed based on:
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The nature of the work performed in the occupation, measured by the type of tasks, responsibilities, and knowledge associated with each level.
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The level of education required to perform these tasks and responsibilities efficiently.
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The extent of vocational training or prior experience in the relevant field necessary for competent performance.
According to the level of skill, professional levels are classified into five main categories:
1. Specialist Level
This level includes occupations requiring a high degree of practical, technical, and managerial skills that enable the individual to analyze, plan, manage, and evaluate work performance and development, supervise staff throughout work stages, and solve both operational and interpersonal issues.
Workers in this category usually hold a university qualification along with sufficient practical experience.
Examples: Law, Civil / Building Engineering, General Medicine, Accounting, Management, Statistics, Legal Consultancy.
2. Technical Level
This category includes occupations that require the application of principles, concepts, and procedural methods relevant to the job.
It demands scientific, technical, performance-based, and supervisory skills, enabling workers to understand performance processes, identify steps of implementation, and evaluate outcomes.
Technicians represent the link between specialists and practitioners.
Individuals at this level typically possess an intermediate college diploma (2–3 years) or equivalent, plus relevant experience.
Examples: Laboratory Technicians, Primary School Teachers, Nursing, Architectural Drafting, Television Camerawork.
3. Vocational / Skilled Technical Level
This level covers occupations that require comprehensive practical and professional knowledge of a specific trade or occupation.
Workers at this level can perform their tasks competently according to market standards and may also delegate tasks and train junior workers.
Typically, they hold a vocational secondary qualification plus suitable field experience.
Examples: General Machining, Accounts Clerk, General Auto Mechanics, Beauty and Cosmetology.
4. Skilled Worker Level
This level includes jobs requiring practical skills and vocational knowledge related to a specific part of an occupation rather than the whole field.
Training usually lasts around two years in a vocational training centre or through apprenticeship, focusing mainly on practical skills with less emphasis on theoretical knowledge.
Examples: Metal Turning, Welding, Electrical Work, Tiling, Panel Beating, Printing.
5. Low-Skilled Worker Level
This level includes occupations requiring a limited range of practical skills that can be acquired through short-term on-the-job training or brief vocational courses (typically less than one year).
Examples: Sales, Machine Operation, Tire Repair.
It is important to note that many occupations may exist across several of these levels.
For example, electrical work can range from a low-skilled level (simple tasks learned on the job), to a skilled worker level (after 1–2 years of vocational training), to a technical or specialist level for those with advanced studies.
At the university level, an Electrical Engineering degree corresponds to the specialist level.
Some frameworks even recognize a sixth level — “Expert”, representing individuals with exceptional qualifications and extensive field experience, beyond the specialist level.