‘Occupation’ is the name we give to the type of work a person does. For example, a doctor, mechanic, project manager, physiotherapist or cabinet maker.

You'll probably work in a number of different occupations over the course of your working life. The good news? Many of the skills and abilities developed working in one occupation are directly transferable and applicable to others.

The Labour Market Insights website has information on hundreds of different occupations. They also offer job descriptions, average wages and main tasks. By exploring the website you can get a sense of the kind of work that might suit you. The site can also help you understand the skills and roles that will be in demand in the future.

So what's the difference between an occupation and an industry?

Your ‘occupation’ is what you do. Your ‘industry’ is who you do it for.

An ‘occupation’ is the type of work a person does, while ‘industry’ is the name we give to the goods or services that a company or employer mainly produces. Every industry employs people from a whole range of different occupations.

For example, the Education and Training industry employs a lot of teachers, but the industry also needs gardeners to keep school grounds tidy, bookkeepers to manage the accounts, and workers in a whole host of other occupations to keep things moving smoothly.