Skill measurement in official statistics: recent developments in the UK and the rest of Europe

Economic research concerning the skill structure of the employed population and based upon official statistical sources often utilises occupationally classified data as a proxy for skill. This paper elaborates upon the use of occupation as a proxy measure, showing how the concept of skill is operationalised within an occupational classification both in national and international sources. By reference to the process of revising the national UK occupational classification and through international comparisons of occupational structure, the strengths and weaknesses of this approach to skill measurement are revealed.