Occupational guide aids reliability and consistency in UAE job descriptions

A project funded by the:
OCCUPATIONAL INFORMATION GUIDE
FOR EMPLOYERS IN THE UAE
Mechanisms to aid reliability and consistency in occupational descriptions in the UAE

The National Qualifications Authority (NQA) acknowledges the
important contribution of students, employers and industry
representatives who participated in this project and the funding
support from the Federal Demographic Council.
No part of this report may be adapted or modified, in any form or
medium, whether by electronic transmission or otherwise, without
the prior written consent of the National Qualifications Authority.
While all care has been taken in preparing this report, the Authority
disclaims any liability for any damage from the use of the material
contained in this publication and will not be responsible for any loss,
howsoever arising from use, of or reliance on this material.
Refer all correspondence to:
Research and Development Department
National Qualifications Authority
Email: sandra.haukka@nqa.gov.ae
Phone: +971 (0)2 815 6622
Address: P.O. Box 63003, Abu Dhabi, UAE
Web: www.nqa.gov.ae
© National Qualifications Authority (NQA)
Front cover photo by iTami
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tamyo0/6878138835/sizes/m/
CONTENTS
Introduction
(page 3)
International context
(page 3)
A national qualifications
framework for the UAE
(page 5)
ISCO system of
occupations
(page 9)
Linking qualifications
and occupations
(page 12)
Appendices
(page 21)
© National Qualifications
Authority (NQA)
February 2013

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1. INTRODUCTION
Over the past 20 years, economies and the organisation of work have witnessed a fundamental
change in which occupations have become more complex and employees' responsibilities have
been linked more with competencies than with routine. This change has necessitated flexibility in
labour mobility and productivity, and enhanced innovative capacity of companies to assimilate new
production technologies rapidly and adapt themselves timely to new demands of the market. In
response to such shift, new methods for occupational analysis and recognition are being deployed.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is experiencing continuing economic growth that requires, for its
sustainability, access to a more skilled and competent workforce, which can secure the international
and regional competitiveness of its economy. Further it requires the UAE economy to operate in a
more globally competitive and constantly changing environment. To address this, the UAE
increasingly requires an adaptable and highly skilled, educated and qualified workforce.
To build such a workforce the UAE is working to develop and establish a world class:
 responsive education and training system that is both nationally and internationally recognised
 supporting qualifications system.
Currently there are well established arrangements in place for the Higher Education and General
Education sectors, with specific improvements underway to raise quality. However, in the Vocational
Education and Training (VET) sector much work is now focussing, in consultation with industry, on
developing this sector aiming to connect education and training systems to workplace needs.
An increasing approach is, to invite industry stakeholder (e.g. employers, employees, regulators and
other associated technical experts practitioners) to codify their workplace requirements in the form
of occupational skills standards. Occupational skills standards have been used as the mechanism for
bridging the growing gap between workplace learning, technology and innovation with old
economy institutions of education and training. They have been developed as the preferred medium
for formally recognising competent performance of individuals and in tooling up human capital.
Similarly, recent developments include the introduction of national and international qualification
frameworks as a central comparative tool for organising and managing qualifications, with many
interrelating qualification outcomes linked with occupational skills requirements.
2. INTERNATIONAL CONTEXT
Many countries have already introduced national qualifications frameworks, including all of the UK
countries, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Ireland as a lead mechanism to reform their
education and training systems and enhance international attractiveness and competiveness of
available skills in their country. In all, more than 250 countries have now in place or proceeded to
work towards implementing their national qualifications framework. Most of the EU countries have
developed national frameworks, or are in the process of doing so to ensure alignment with the
emerging trend to develop ‘meta-frameworks’ that link national systems of qualifications.
Two of these international referencing systems are from Europe. The first is the European Qualifications
Framework (EQF) which will provide an ‘interchange’ enabling the alignment of national
qualifications systems in Europe. The second is the key initiative in the development of a European
Higher Education Area, which has been the adoption of the ‘Bologna Framework’. This framework
forms the basis of a common understanding of the ‘cycles’ in Higher Education and the
qualifications associated with the cycles.

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The UAE recognised the imperative of establishing a national qualification framework, and has
established a ten (10) level qualifications framework, known as the QFEmirates. It is a singular,
coherent and integrated qualifications framework covering the higher education, vocational
education and training (VET) and general education sectors with an agreed classification system of
new qualifications, which will be nationally and internationally recognised. The establishment of a
national qualifications framework ensures the UAE is well placed to align and compare its
qualifications with that of other national qualifications frameworks and meta-frameworks.
Structures of levels based on ‘learning outcomes’ are a common feature of all qualifications
frameworks developed so far. There is emerging a new general understanding of the meaning of a
qualification, certifying that an individual has achieved certain learning outcomes to standards set
by a relevant and authoritative body. This understanding differs from the previous common
approach that a qualification is based on participation and time spent on a course or program.
2.1 Key drivers
The key drivers behind introducing a national qualifications system are the following:
Key drivers of a national qualifications system
Single framework The need for an enabling mechanism (a unified and singular system and reference point
for all national qualifications) that could be used by a country’s decision makers to
develop relevant strategic educational and training policies and directions (including
prioritising targeted areas) to improve the country’s economic, social and personal
competitiveness, and standing in the world community.
Common
benchmark
The need to bring ‘national’ order (using common nomenclature and outcomes based
criteria) to the many and varied qualifications on offer being issued across the country by
licensed or unlicensed providers, and aid in the development of new recognisable and
government endorsed national qualifications.
Qualifications
flexibility
The need to facilitate adequate flexibility within qualifications’ structures to
accommodate changing technologies, changing work organisation, learner mobility, and
learner career paths, and which include improved opportunities for access and
transferability between different educational and training providers.
A framework
of common
language
The need to provide a framework of common language that can be used as a ready
guide for both employers and learners/employees in terms of identifying the level of
education as well as knowledge sills and aspects of competence required when
advertising for jobs. It also serves as guide to individuals to identify the type of jobs they
may be eligible for and what qualifications are needed in order to apply for them.
Labour market The need to address skills shortages/deficits in the economy and increase labour market
opportunities for individuals through education and training, and labour mobility.
Quality and
consistency
The need for improved and transparent mechanisms for assuring the quality, consistency
and rigour of national qualifications for the country, community, employers and
learners/employees.
International
alignments
The need to establish linkages and alignments with other countries to effect international
comparisons leading to improved information for assisting in learner mobility.
Lifelong learning The need for more transparent mechanisms that facilitate formal recognition of ‘lifelong’
learning including formal, non-formal and informal learning and the need to ensure, for
the long term that all qualifications at least support and recognise lifelong learning and
be aligned to other international frameworks for mobility.

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3. A ‘NATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS FRAMEWORK’ FOR THE UAE
On the 23rd of August 2010, President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan issued Federal
Decree No. 1 ‘Establish and maintain the National Qualifications Authority’. The Decree sets out
sixteen (16) aims and objectives, which the Board of the National Qualifications Authority (NQA) is
pursuing. It includes establishing a national qualifications framework for the UAE (QFEmirates) that
serves as the national frame of reference for qualifications and is internationally recognised. The
vision of the UAE’s National Qualifications Authority is to: Achieve distinct national qualifications that
enhance UAE’s economic and social development.’
3.1 Benefits of the Qualifications Framework for the Emirates (QFEmirates)
The Qualifications Framework for the Emirates (QFEmirates) is a truly integrated system. It enables all
qualifications to be described and compared, recognises achievement in learning from the most
elementary task to the most complex, and uses nationally and commonly recognised titles and
agreed conventions. It includes formal structured learning, achieved typically in schools, colleges,
universities and training centres and more importantly, informal and non-formal (both structured and
unstructured) learning achieved typically in the workplace or community. As a single, integrated
system, the QFEmirates can be used by the country’s decision-makers to develop strategic
education and training policies to improve the country’s economic advantage, social and personal
effectiveness and wellbeing, and as well standing in the world.
The QFEmirates in addition:
 provides access to new learning opportunities for all citizens and residents
 creates new learning pathways and progression routes
 helps individuals to make decisions about what they want to do next and to continue learning
while working or in their community
 improves opportunities for individuals to work abroad without having to repeat qualifications
 enables people to be recognised for the work they do in the workplace and communities as part
of their development
 enables qualifications achieved abroad to be recognised as equivalent to UAE qualifications,
encouraging international mobility
 uses a language to describe national and international qualifications that employers and learners
can understand. Employers will be able to state clearly the education or training required when
advertising jobs, and candidates will be able to check whether they have the skills required to
apply.

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3.2 Qualifications Framework for the Emirates (QFEmirates)
The design of the QFEmirates is based on three fundamental ‘building blocks’:
Levels
It is based on ten (10) levels, each representing a hierarchy of relative difficulty, complexity and
depth. The higher the QFEmirates level, the greater the challenge and the demand expected of a
learner in order to be awarded the relevant qualification.
Learning Outcomes
Learning outcomes define what a learner has learned and not what they have been taught. They
are expressed in terms of knowledge, skills and aspects of competence:
Learning outcomes in the QFEmirates
Knowledge
Learned from practical or professional experience as well as from formal
instruction or study and can comprise description, memory, understanding,
thinking, analysis, synthesis, debate and research
Skill
Is the learned ability to perform a function that in some way responds to or
manipulates the physical, informational or social environment. Skills may be
cognitive (such as use of logical, intuitive, creative and conceptual thinking) and
practical (such as manual dexterity and the use of methods, techniques,
processes, materials, tools and instruments).
Aspects of competence
Comprises three strands – the effective use of knowledge and skill in occupations
and in social and civic life
 Autonomy and responsibility
 Role in context
 Self-development
The 10 levels and the five ‘strands’ of learning outcome statements define the level descriptors,
indicating the complexity of learning for each level, the expected level of achievement for each
level, and how each level relates to occupations in the world of work.
Strands of learning outcomes in the QFEmirates
Level X
Strand 1 Strand 2 Strand 3 Strand 4 Strand 5
Knowledge Skill
Autonomy and
responsibility
Role in context
Self-
development
Aspects of competence

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Types of qualifications in the QFEmirates
There are three types of qualifications in the QFEmirates which are defined according to the volume
and nature of the learning required:
Qualification types in the QFEmirates
‘Principal’ Qualification
A major type of qualification with formal recognition at each level, and capture a
typical achievements for the level including all five strands of learning outcomes.
‘Composite’ Award
Provides formal recognition for learners who achieve a set of cohesive learning
outcomes including, in varying combinations, all five strands of learning outcomes.
This may involve fewer learning outcomes and/or less complexity compared to a
Principal Qualification.
‘Component’ Award
Provides formal recognition of achievement of a limited number of learning
outcomes which may relate to all or only some of the strands of learning outcomes.
Qualification types at each level will vary across the higher education, general education and
vocational education and training sectors, according to demand, learner need, and economic or
social relevance. There are agreed conventions for titles for Principal, Composite and Component
qualifications. The NQA will agree with each of the relevant approving bodies in the UAE (e.g.
accreditation commissions) the precise qualification name based on content and level. Titles for
general education and higher education will be familiar, but new titles are being developed for
vocational education and training.
3.3 Principal Qualifications ‘generic’ titles
The table below shows the Principal Qualifications titles adopted for use in the QFEmirates.
Principal Qualifications titles used in the QFEmirates
Principal Qualification titles
Level
Vocational Education and
Training (VET)
Higher Education
(HE)
General Education
(G 12 – GE)
10 — Doctoral —
9 Applied Master Master —
8 Applied Graduate Diploma Postgraduate Diploma —
7 Applied Bachelor Bachelor —
6 Advanced Diploma Higher Diploma —
5 Diploma Associate Degree —
4 Certificate 4 —
Secondary School Certificate
(G 12)
3 Certificate 3 — TBA
2 Certificate 2 — —
1 Certificate 1 — —

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3.4 CoreLife Skills
Many countries have introduced ways to acknowledge the role particular ‘generic’ skills play in
underpinning work and the ability of learners to learn throughout their lives, promoting lifelong
learning. To ensure that UAE citizens have the best foundation for learning, work and life, literacy and
numeracy have been explicitly embedded within the learning outcome level descriptors for
qualifications at levels one (1) to six (6) within the QFEmirates.
The NQA requires relevant approving bodies (e.g. accreditation commissions) to monitor the
implementation of mapping of CoreLife Skills by developers of programs, courses and unit standards
as well as by licensed education and training providers. Seven (7) CoreLife Skills have been identified
and are included in the following table. They will be used to inform education and training bodies to
include such in their programs and courses.
CoreLife Skills
Collecting, analysing, organising and applying information in a given context
Communicating information, concepts and ideas
Initiating and organising self and activities, including motivation, exploration and creativity
Working with others in teams including leadership
Solving problems including using mathematical ideas and techniques
Applying information and communication technology (ICT)
Participating in social and civic life including ethical practice
3.5 Recognition of prior learning (RPL)
Learning does not always take place in the classroom: it also happens on the job, at home, and in
the community - through hands-on experience, volunteer work, military service, independent study,
even leisure activities and travel. Often the skills acquired through these experiences can be applied
to the skills or knowledge required in the workplace, at school, or elsewhere.
Prior learning is comprised of three commonly recognised categories:
Categories of prior learning
Formal learning
refers to learning that takes place through a structured program of instruction which is
generally recognised by the attainment of a formal qualification or award (e.g. a
Certificate, Diploma or Degree).
Non-formal learning
refers to learning that takes place through a program of instruction but does not
usually lead to the attainment of a formal qualification or award (e.g. in-house
professional development programs conducted in the workplace).
Informal learning
refers to learning that can result from daily work-related, social, family, hobby or leisure
activities (e.g. the acquisition of interpersonal skills developed through the experience
of working as a sales representative; financial skills from managing budgets in a small
organisation).

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Recognition of prior learning (RPL) is a systematic practical process that assesses and recognises all
previously unrecognised knowledge that has been have acquired outside the formal education and
training system, including an individual’s knowledge, skills and aspects of competence regardless of
where or how the learning was acquired. RPL can reduce the need for duplication of learning, and
encourages individuals to continue upgrading their skills and knowledge and pursue lifelong learning
through structured and informal learning and training towards formal qualifications. More
importantly, it can improve employment outcomes in terms of career progression and rewards, and
act as a catalyst for lifelong learning.
The QFEmirates is an enabling tool that can assist in the recognition of prior learning (RPL) by
assessing unrecognised learning against the requirements of a qualification.
4. ISCO SYSTEM FOR OCCUPATIONS
There is another international system that has an interrelationship between qualifications and
occupations. It is the International Labour Organisation’s (ILO’s) International Standard Classification
of Occupations (ISCO) system, used for classifying occupations and for data gathering and
reporting.
ISCO is divided into ten (10) major occupational groups1 with an array of sub-divided fields of sub-
major groups, minor groups and unit groups (resulting in four levels of disaggregation). The number of
occupations that ISCO lists at unit group level (4 digits) is 437. There are thousands of jobs in the
labour market which can be added to this group. The internationally recognised ISCO unit groups
provide a titling and code convention for each of the 437 listed occupations as well as a general
description of the occupation. The UAE adopted directly the ISCO titling and code convention. This
convention sets the framework for recognising the myriad of jobs in the labour market.
There are many different titles used in industry to represent the same job or occupation family.
Employers usually like to reflect their particular setting or context when looking to recruit or advertise
for prospective job applicants. It would be extremely difficult to list all these in a statistical system,
given the nature and life cycle of jobs in modern economies is dynamic and ever changing.
However, all jobs can be clustered together and included in one of the 437 ISCO listed occupations.
They can be shown to represent a respective job family. It is simply an exercise of mapping these
many titles and related descriptions to the recognised UAE adopted ISCO titles. More importantly,
ISCO also provides a ready-made reference source for linking to the QFEmirates.
See Appendix 1: Classification systems for more information about the ISCO system.
4.1 Occupational profiles
Most recently the UAE has embarked on developing its own unique occupational list through the
development of a UAE Occupations Career Handbook for UAE Nationals. The Handbook identified
155 occupations from key industry sectors using ISCO-08 as the reference source. These 155
occupations are considered most critical, essential and important in the emerging new knowledge-
based UAE economy. The Handbook aims to provide UAE Nationals and resident career aspirants
with an inaugural national resource to assist them in planning their careers. It is also intended the
Handbook will be used as a guide by all stakeholders in the field of human resource development
and management in both the private and public sectors, including educators, trainers, career
counsellors, employers and managers.
1 The International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) system is used by the Ministry of Economy in the UAE for its
occupational data gathering and reporting tool. ISCO: http://www.ilo.org/global/publications/ilo-bookstore/order-
online/books/WCMS_172572/lang--en/index.htm

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Each one of the 155 occupational profiles is categorised and assembled in a manner that reflects
the scope of the occupation, a summary statement of the expected outcome, an outline of the key
tasks and responsibilities of the occupation, the pre-requisite requirements for the occupation, and
support information for those looking for a job, i.e. size of the industry and potential job numbers,
potential salary, outlook for the occupation over the ensuing few years, and job titles/related
occupations.
4.2 Occupational skills standards
Many modern and developing countries that have introduced qualifications frameworks and systems
of qualifications that link to the labour market have often included the use and reference of the
unique country related ISCO system to articulate and codify respective qualifications. Often the
functions performed in an occupation in these systems are expressed through mechanisms such as
occupational standards, competency standards, skills standards, national occupational skills
standards or some derivative thereof, meaning the same.
They typically describe what is expected of an employee in the workplace rather than on a learning
process or time spent in training or education. National occupational skills standards individually may
be called unit standards, units of competency or units, and are packaged or combined together to
form a national work-related qualification. These qualifications and related occupational standards
are aligned to the qualifications framework system established in the respective country and
approved exclusively for use in the country. Often they are the only recognised qualifications that
attract government funding for learners undertaking them. Increasingly therefore, there is a stronger
correlation emerging between the development of qualifications that use occupational skills
standards within a singular qualifications framework with a country’s occupational classification
system.
The two figures on the next page are conceptual diagrams that illustrate the infrastructure at
international, UAE and local level tools and resources that are typically established in modern
competitive economies. This infrastructure underpins and improves consistency and recognition in
the use of approved qualifications and occupational data, terminologies and descriptions (core
reference platform). Respective stakeholders such as employers, education and training institutions
and practitioners, the community, individuals, government agencies and compliance bodies,
research bodies and a host of other organisations tap into this infrastructure as a benchmark
resource or reference tool to refer to, build, contextualise, adapt, or modify as they see fit, to meet
their needs.
For example, employers may use benchmarks as a starting reference point for recruitment, re-skilling
and retention practices as a means of communicating with the wider world for same occupation or
qualification requirements. Institutions too, use the same to demonstrate to their prospective students
the occupations that lead from the qualifications they achieve.

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Infrastructure – tools and resources
Operational – tools and resources

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5. LINKING QUALIFICATIONS AND OCCUPATIONS
In the vocational education and training sector, and when modern systems are being introduced
there is often an increasing close correlation and nexus between qualifications and the range of
occupational employability. A closer inspection of the employability indicators of the QFEmirates
demonstrates this point. The employability indicators are indicated below. It is worth noting that as
per the QFEmirates level descriptors, the employability indicators also scaffolded in terms of a
comparable hierarchy of relative difficulty, complexity and depth at each level.
5.1 Employability indicators of QFEmirates levels
The employability indicators of the QFEmirates levels is a notional occupational reference guide to
employment relevance. They are an indicative alignment only to the QFEmirates level descriptors.
Employability indicators of the QFEmirates levels
QF
level
Indicative
employability range
Employment relevance indicated in QFEmirates level descriptors
10 Leading specialist/expert
Employability in the leadership of
research and critical change
activity
A leading expert in their field of work, profession or discipline, with
expertise in the critique and development of social and
organisational structures and in the initiation of change, that
includes mastery in producing new and original knowledge or
extending and redefining existing knowledge or professional
practice and can deploy substantial authority, creativity,
autonomy, independence, fair and valid ethical judgements,
scholarly and professional integrity, and account for overall
governance of processes and systems in identifying unique
solutions or conclusions. Can apply innovative and advanced
approaches to managing, leading and developing technical or
professional teams. Typically, they display highly developed
expert communication and information technology skills.
9 Higher professional
Employability as senior
professionals or leaders in
specialised fields
Highly specialised professionals with requisite knowledge and
expertise allied to competence in management and strategic
leadership and who can lead and function autonomously and
ethically, and deploy a range of advanced skills in planning,
evaluating, producing and executing creative solutions to highly
complex, unpredictable and unfamiliar issues in a range of
contexts. Typically, they display highly developed specialist
communication and information technology skills.
8 Professional
Employability as autonomous
professionals and as managers
In some fields, advanced and specialised knowledge-based
professionals and, in others, generalists with high level research,
analysis and problem-solving skills who are able to work
independently and ethically and/or apply management expertise
in the supervision and/or mentoring of others or in a combination
of both. Typically, they have highly developed advanced
7 Para-professional and higher
technical
Employability at the upper end of
many technical occupations, or
in para-professional and
management roles
Specialist command of the theoretical knowledge and analytical
skills of an occupational field and the ability to design, evaluate
and/or plan solutions and apply ethical values to complex and
unpredictable problems, and/or apply high level specialist
administrative/management responsibilities including leading
multiple, complex groups. Typically, they display highly developed
advanced communication and information technology skills.

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QF
level
Indicative
employability range
Employment relevance indicated in QFEmirates level descriptors
6 Supervisory and technical
Employability as a highly
developed and specialist craft-
worker, technician or
administrative operative and/or
supervisor roles
Specialist command of the knowledge and skills of an
occupational field and the ability to develop, specify and/or
implement solutions to complex problems, and/or apply specialist
administrative/supervisory responsibilities including leading
multiple groups. Typically, they display advanced communication
and information technology skills.
5 Highly skilled
Employability as an advanced
craft-worker, technician or
administrative operative, and/or
in limited supervisory roles
Entry to many higher level
supervisory and para-professional
careers with strong general
employability
Comprehensive command of the knowledge and skills of an
occupational field and the ability to identify, diagnose and
implement solutions to abstract, familiar and non-routine
problems covering complex type work, and assume control,
coordination or administrative implementation responsibilities that
include leading teams and multiple groups. Typically, they display
comprehensive communication and information technology skills.
4 Skilled
Employability as a generalist
craft-worker, technician or
administrative operative, and/or
lead teams
Entry to many careers with strong
general employability
Command of a broad range of specialised knowledge and skills
of an occupational field and the ability to work independently,
identify and deploy known solutions to defined problems, assume
control or administrative responsibilities for specified outcomes
covering skilled type work, and lead technical/peer teams and/or
others in a specific work activity. Typically, they display effective
3 Semi-skilled
Entry to many occupational
sectors and employment in semi-
skilled vocational occupations
The capacity to draw on a broad range of mainly factual and
procedural knowledge and apply a limited range of skills to carry
out tasks and deploy routine solutions to predictable and
occasional unpredictable problems using simple rules, instruments,
tools and techniques relating to a whole job, whilst working under
indirect supervision with some autonomy and which may include
leading small teams within a technical or group activity.
2 General
Entry to many occupational
sectors and employment in roles
requiring routine general skills
The capacity to draw on general, factual knowledge of a defined
field of work or discipline and carry out simple, routine tasks under
guidance and in accordance with procedures within a defined
context to respond to, and/or solve, defined problems whilst
working independently and/or in small structured teams under
direct supervision and in a managed and/or routine environment.
1 Basic
Employability in occupations
requiring limited well-defined and
procedural skills or programs to
enable occupational entry
The capacity to carry out work in well-defined, familiar and
predictable contexts under direct supervision or to perform simple
repetitive and predictable tasks to solve well-defined problems in
a controlled environment.

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5.2 Functions hierarchy
Occupational descriptions typically use functional verbs to specify what actions and/or decisions are
required to perform the respective duties and responsibilities. They are generally structured in a
functional hierarchy that closely reflect the verbs used in the employability indicators descriptors and
in turn align with the QFEmirates level descriptors. That is, a common but notional thread can be
identified at each level that links the QFEmirates, the employability indicators and the functions
performed in an occupation.
The following six types of functions are generally considered the key and most common functional
areas represented in a hierarchical form and across occupations and organisations. By establishing
the QFEmirates and the employability indicators as the benchmark reference tool or core language
reference platform, augmented by the common and key functional areas, the opportunity for
increasing consistency across occupational descriptions and their market recognition is enhanced.
This in turn leads to improved community and stakeholder awareness, understanding and
confidence of occupational nomenclatures (titles) and meanings ascribed to them in the market
across all levels of the QFEmirates.
Key and hierarchical functional areas and definitions
Key and hierarchical
functional areas
Types of actions and/or decisions (function definition)
A Policy and strategy
A high level function for researching, establishing, managing and
strategising policies and philosophy
B Managing The function of managing personnel, systems, resources and processes
C Specifying
The function of specifying, implementing and assessing personnel, systems,
resources and processes
D Controlling
The function of controlling, regulating and monitoring activities related to
personnel, systems, resources and processes
E Maintaining credibility
The function of maintaining the capability of employees/independents and
a healthy organisational culture and safe workplace
F Performing
The function of carrying out the work activities to produce and maintain
goods and services
The function of performing simple tasks in a controlled environment
Functions are generally organised into a hierarchy which denotes the types of actions and/or
decisions involved. Policy type functions refer to executive decisions where policy is made and
objectives are formulated. Control type functions relate to middle management actions and
decisions to monitor day-to-day affairs and assure that executive decisions are met. Operational
type functions involve the routine activities or work of the enterprise.
Three key benchmark reference tools that depict a common set of national terminologies and
definitions have now been identified for use by those formulating occupational descriptions and the
related duties and responsibilities. The use of the benchmark tools can assist in harmonising and
developing consistency. The three tools are:
1. The QFEmirates and its related level descriptors and qualification profiles (requirements) for a
given learning outcomes
2. Employability indicators of QFEmirates levels – range and descriptors
3. Key and hierarchical functional areas and definitions - actions and/or decisions

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GeneralPrinciple
QualificationtitlesLevel
Indicative
employabilityindicator
FunctionFunctiondescription
VETHE
Doctoral
degree
10
Leading
specialist/expert
PolicyandStrategy
Ahighlevelfunctionforestablishingand
managingpolicies,philosophyandstrategiesApplied
Master
Master’s
degree
9Higherprofessional
Applied
Graduate
Diploma
Post
Graduate
Diploma
8ProfessionalManaging
Thefunctionofmanagingpersonnel,systems,
resourcesandprocesses
Applied
Bachelor
Bachelor
degree
7
Para-professionaland
highertechnical
Specifying
Thefunctionof
specifying,implementing
andassessingsystems
andprocesses
Controlling
Thefunctionof
controlling,
regulatingand
monitoring
activitiesrelatedto
personnel,systems,
resourcesand
processes
Advanced
Diploma
Higher
Diploma
6
Supervisoryand
technical
Maintaining
capability
Thefunctionof
maintainingincluding
coordinatingthe
capabilityofemployees
andhealthy
organisationalculture
andsafeworkplace
Diploma
Associate
degree
5Highlyskilled
Certificate44Skilled
Certificate33Semi-skilled
Performing
Thefunctionofcarryingouttheworkactivitiesto
produceandmaintaingoodsandservices
Certificate22General
Certificate11Basic
Entrylevelandfunctional
employment
Thefunctionofperformingsimpletasksina
controlledenvironment
The three can be linked together in a matrix to provide formal information for demonstrating the
notional interrelationship between qualifications and functions performed in an occupation and vice
versa. The following illustration denotes the notional interrelationship that applies.
National functional framework model and indicative alignment to QFEmirates’ outcomes

16
Having identified the three key benchmark reference tools and in particular, the functional key
hierarchy areas, a further level of disaggregation can be undertaken, as this level of aggregation is
too high for identifying duties and functions of an occupation. That is, unpacking the high level (key)
functional areas in smaller elements using aligned verb taxonomies to help provide more clarity as to
the actions and/or decisions, and which typically reflect and are used in general workplace
applications. The verb taxonomies are appended to each function, as per the table below - Notional
function and taxonomy framework. This table provides an augmented base structure (core
language reference platform) for technical practitioners to support their activities, such as HR
personnel, recruitment specialists, organisational specialists and/or job design specialists, as well as
curriculum, qualification, occupational standards or occupational profile writers or developers. A
further expanded and more detailed framework that includes additional sample verbs and
information is included at Appendix 2 – Expanded notional function and taxonomy framework.
Notional function and taxonomy framework
QF
Level
Function Taxonomy
9 - 10 Policy Analyse, Develop, Forecast, Research, Strategise
7 - 8 Managing Evaluate, Lead , Manage
6 -7 Specifying
Assess, Commission, Design, Develop, Direct, Estimate, Facilitate,
Implement, Investigate, Report, Specify
6 Controlling
Audit, Control, Diagnose, Evaluate, Inspect, Institute, Mobilise, Monitor, Plan,
Procure, Regulate, Schedule, Supervise, Verify
4 - 6 Maintaining capability
Administer, Comply, Coordinate, Develop, Maintain, Organise, Respond,
Test, Utilise
2 - 4 Performing
Align, Apply, Assemble, Attend, Build, Calibrate, Carry out, Check, Compile,
Conduct, Configure, Construct, Contribute, Control, Deliver, Document,
Erect, Fabricate, Fault-find, Identify, Install, Make, Modify, Monitor, Operate,
Overhaul, Perform, Position, Prepare, Produce, Provide, Rectify, Repair,
Select, Sell, Service, Store, Troubleshoot, Undertake, Use
5.3 Example approaches to developing occupational profiles
It is important to have in place a process for increasing consistency in the development of
occupational profiles across the UAE that can be undertaken and result in a notional alignment with
the QFEmirates. The two examples of occupations in Appendix 3: Example occupation – Sales and
Marketing Manager (QFEmirates level 8) and Appendix 4: Example occupation – Electrician
(QFEmirates level 4: Electrician) are presented as a matrix consisting of:
 QFEmirates level
 QFEmirates summary level descriptor (learning outcomes)
 QFEmirates profile (vocational)
 Employability indicators of the QFEmirates
 UAE national occupation profile for a specific position e.g. Sales and Marketing Manager

17
Occupational standards are agreed statements, which specify competent
performance expected in employment. They encompass the knowledge,
skill and aspects of competence in the workplace in a work-related or
occupational area, and the ability to transfer and apply the knowledge, skills
and aspects of competence in new situations and environments.
It should be noted the alignment is notional and not an exact science but based on knowledge of
the scaffolded hierarchy of learning outcomes of the QFEmirates and commonly recognised general
knowledge of occupational hierarchies and their comparability respectively, consistent with that
deployed in the ISCO classification system.
5.3.1 Uses of occupational profiles
The establishment of national occupational profiles provides a national resource for users. It affords
them an essential and central building block to progress their organisational and respective
development activities. It improves the prospects for enhanced synergies and consistency in the
recognition of same occupation across relevant stakeholders. That is, whether it be employers
seeking to develop job descriptions, undertaking workplace reform or managing and planning
employee careers, or institutions looking to identify future programs that align and link with growth in
the labour market. It may be in research activities or compliance regimes that seek to identify
occupational linkages.
The benefits and features of occupational profiles pervade beyond their known interfaces. The
respective occupational profile acts as the central reference document for building and
contextualising relevant outcomes and requirements.
Increasing the use of occupational profiles through key stakeholders like employers, government and
their agencies/regulators, institutions and associated bodies improves community understanding,
recognition and acceptance. They act, as well, to help build confidence in the market place of the
role and scope of occupations in the labour market and the economy.
5.3.2 Uses of national occupational skills standards
Downstream of occupational profiles are national occupational skills standards (referred to as NOSS
in the UAE). Occupational skills standards were referred to earlier. This section looks at their uses and
benefits. Distinctively, they are a medium for adding more specificity to the occupational profiles
and can be used to guide qualifications development, education and training as well as assessment
provision, and more importantly, as augmented information in workforce development and quality
assurance regulatory regimes. Occupational skills standards are typically national and developed
with the involvement of industry and respective technical subject matter experts.
Occupational standards’ definitions used across the world typically share common definitions; and
can be derived and subsequently adapted for local context. In the UAE the suggested definition for
national occupational skills standards is:
National Occupational Skills Standards (NOSS) are therefore concerned with what people are able
to do and with the ability to do this in a range of contexts. They emphasise outcomes and the
application of skills and knowledge and aspects of competence, not just their specification. NOSS
can readily be aligned to, and used for, in due course defining and confirming qualifications
outcomes against the Qualifications Framework for the Emirates (QFEmirates). They have other
important uses too, such as application in VET, industry and as well government regulation and
compliance (e.g. occupational certification/licensure or assessment of overseas workers).

18
Uses of occupational profiles
QFEmirates
(VET Sector)
• National vocational qualifications
• Career ladders and pathways
• National Occupational Skills
Standards (NOSS)
• Assessment guidance
• Training resources and delivery
advice
Workforce
Development
• Learning and organisational
development
• Career planning and management
• Job design (align job with
occupation profile)
• Recruitment, retention and re-skilling
• Performance management
• Employee conditions
• Workplace culture
• Labour market information
Education and
training
providers
• Identify occupations and offer
relevant qualifications
• Align future programs with
occupations in demand in the
market
• Identify resources requirements
required for the occupation
• Planning
• Marketing
Quality
Assurance
• Regulation of occupations
• Migration and expatriates labour
supply
• Occupation and qualifications
mapping, alignment and recognition
• Census, data collection, research,
analyses and comparisons
international, national and local

19
5.3.2 Uses of national occupational skills standards (continued)
The main advantage of national occupational skills standards (NOSS) is that they crystallise the
objective of driving education and training market outcomes towards the needs of the economy,
industry and the community. They seek to effect an education and training market that is demand
driven rather than supply driven, shifting the power relationship from one that is singular (provider
orientated) to one of shared vision and responsibility by the stakeholders.
They directly contribute to the development of a suitably skilled, educated and qualified workforce
and in turn UAE’s economic growth and prosperity. There are many benefits associated with
introducing NOSS as the new focal point for industry, employers/establishments, VET sector,
government regulatory systems, and in particular individuals. They provide an additional instrument of
specified common language for communicating between stakeholders and thus can be used
respectively by stakeholders:
Benefits of national occupational skills standards (NOSS)
General benefits
 Improve productivity, efficiency, cost effectiveness, health and safety.
 Build confidence and pride in the credentials received.
 Provide equal opportunities for recruitment, employment, learning and recognition of achievements for all
citizens and residents.
 Enable mobility and employment opportunities for individuals.
 Enable portability of credentials based on a rigour of quality assured occupational standards.
 Reduce duplication and improving consistency in education and training support materials and resources.
 Facilitate benchmarking and improvements of national education and training goals and strategic initiatives.
 Enable improved investment decisions and transparency in government purchase of publicly funded
education and training provision.
 Become more internationally competitive and economically sustainable.
Employers
 Improve business prioritisation and planning in recruitment, retention and skills development.
 Provide an objective and directly relevant measure for employers and employees alike.
 Promote quality delivery required to secure and retain contracts.
 Improve appraisal and feedback mechanisms for individual employees.
 Improve workplace performance by benchmarking practice against the standards.
 Improve compliance with legal and business requirements.
 Align individual effort with organisational goals and targets.
Learners/individuals
 Improve an individual’s clarity in job and responsibility levels.
 Improve an individual’s confidence in working effectively and safely to best practice standards.
 Improve an individual’s opportunity to transfer competence to other jobs or work contexts.
 Encourage an individual to recognise and pursue further personal development and widen the breadth of
career possibilities.

20
Education and training providers
 Ensure vocational education and training (VET) provision is relevant and current to job roles in industry.
 Recognise previously acquired competencies (RPL).
 Identify gaps in knowledge, skills and aspects of competence and requisite training needs.
 Reduce training costs in learning and assessment design and provision.
 Support the design of relevant courses and/or training programs.
Government
 Establish and enunciate Emirate or national strategies and priorities for the development of world class skills.
 Promote the skills base of the Emirate or country, internally and internationally.
 Improve the statistical information base of skills and competence levels achieved by individuals, internally
and internationally.
 Improve an individual’s compliance to regulatory requirements leading to reduced incidents in terms of
safety, health and workplace productivity through mediums such as providing formal benchmarks for
licensure and certification agencies in implementing occupational licensure regimes for accountability of
performance.
 Maximise the use of an individual’s skills in the labour market.
 Establish quality skills assessments regimes for overseas workers seeking to work in UAE.
 Directly or through prioritised funding influence the education and training market to equip citizens for the
world of work.
 Increase stakeholders’ investment in the development of world class skills.
 Increase an individual’s interest in skills development.
 Promote and appropriately recognise and reward citizens for skills attained and deployed so that
certification/qualification can become one of preferred choice.

22
APPENDIX 1: CLASSIFICATION SYSTEMS
A4. 1 International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) system
ISCO - is the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) system established by the
International Labor Organisation (ILO). It is the internationally recognise system for classifying
occupations. It is used by the Ministry of Economy in the UAE for its occupational data gathering and
reporting tool. The following provides general information about how ISCO classifies occupations. For
more invitation, visit:
http://www.ilo.org/global/publications/ilo-bookstore/order-online/books/WCMS_172572/lang--
en/index.htm
What is an occupational classification?
An occupational classification is a tool for organising all jobs in an establishment, an industry or a
country into a clearly defined set of groups according to the tasks and duties undertaken in the job.
It normally consists of two components:
 The classification system itself, which gives the guidelines on how jobs are to be classified into the
most detailed groups of the classification and how these detailed groups are to be further
aggregated into broader groups. It includes the occupational titles and codes, and represents a
value set for the variable >occupation=, a variable which describes the different tasks and duties
of jobs.
 A descriptive component, which usually consists of descriptions of the tasks and duties as well as
other aspects of the jobs which belong to each of the defined groups, including goods and
services produced, skill level and specialisation, occupations included and excluded, entry
restrictions, etc. These descriptions can be said to constitute a dictionary of occupations.
An occupational classification can be compared to a system of maps for a country, where the top
level of aggregation corresponds to a small scale road map for the main motorways and highways;
the next level corresponds to a set of larger scale maps for, say, each of the main regions, also
showing provincial and local roads; and so on. At the most detailed level, they are the detailed
technical maps used by municipal engineers to plan sidewalks, traffic lights, road extensions, etc.
Such detailed technical maps can be compared to the job descriptions used by enterprises for
personnel management and wage systems which in most countries are not the concern of national
authorities, except for the management of public sector employees.
ISCO organises occupations in a hierarchical framework. They are based on two main concepts:
 The concept of kind of work performed – defined as a set of tasks or duties designed to be
executed by one person
 The concept of skill, defined as the skill level – the degree of complexity of constituent tasks – and
skill specialisation – the field of know ledge required for competent performance of the
constituent tasks.

23
ISCO Major occupational groups
Ten (10) major occupational groups with an array of sub-divided fields have been identified for ISCO-
08 data collection and publication. At the major group level, these are as follows:
 Managers
 Professionals
 Technicians and associate professionals
 Clerical support workers
 Service and sales workers
 Skilled agricultural, forestry and fishery workers
 Craft and related trades workers
 Plant and machine operators, and assemblers
 Elementary occupations
 Armed forces occupations
Each of the major group is disaggregated further into sub-major groups, minor groups and unit
groups (resulting in four levels of disaggregation). For instance, the following applies with respect to a
sample from the ISCO “Professional” group:
2 Professionals
21 Science and engineering professionals
211 Physical and earth science professionals
2111 Physicists and astronomers
2112 Meteorologists
2113 Chemists
2114 Geologists and geophysicists
212 Mathematicians, actuaries and statisticians
2120 Mathematicians, actuaries and statisticians
213 Life science professionals
2131 Biologists, botanists, zoologists and related professionals
2132 Farming, forestry and fisheries advisers
2133 Environmental protection professionals
22 Health professionals
221 Medical doctors
2211 Generalist medical practitioners
2212 Specialist medical practitioners
222 Nursing and midwifery professionals
2221 Nursing professionals
2222 Midwifery professionals
223 Traditional and complementary medicine professionals
2230 Traditional and complementary medicine professionals
224 Paramedical practitioners
2240 Paramedical practitioners

24
A4. 2 International Standard Industrial Classification (ISCI) system
Chapter II The underlying principles of the classification (item 3, p. 9) in the International Standard
Industrial Classification (ISCI) revision 4 includes a definition of industry classifications:
ISIC is a classification according to kind of productive activity, and not a classification of goods
and services. The activity carried out by a unit is the type of production in which it engages.
This is the characteristic of the unit according to which it will be grouped with other units to
form industries. An industry is defined as the set of all production units engaged primarily in the
same or similar kinds of productive activity.
ISIC is distinctively different in nature and purpose from the classifications of goods and
services, ownership, institutional units or other types of classifications.
As it is in general not possible to establish a one-to-one correspondence between activities
and products, ISIC is not designed to measure product data at any detailed level. For this
purpose, a separate classification exists, namely, the Central Product Classification (CPC).
The broad structure of ISIC has been aggregated into 21 sectors:
Broad structure of ISCI
Field Code Industry Sector
A 01–03 Agriculture, forestry and fishing
B 05–09 Mining and quarrying
C 10–33 Manufacturing
D 35 Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply
E 36–39 Water supply; sewerage, waste management and remediation activities
F 41–43 Construction
G 45–47 Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles
H 49–53 Transportation and storage
I 55–56 Accommodation and food service activities
J 58–63 Information and communication
K 64–66 Financial and insurance activities
L 68 Real estate activities
M 69–75 Professional, scientific and technical activities
N 77–82 Administrative and support service activities
O 84 Public administration and defence; compulsory social security
P 85 Education
Q 86–88 Human health and social work activities
R 90–93 Arts, entertainment and recreation
S 94–96 Other service activities
T 97–98
Activities of households as employers; undifferentiated goods- and services-producing
activities of households for own use
U 99 Activities of extraterritorial organisations and bodies

25
ISIC draws attention to the increasing broadening (in Chapter I, item 17, pp. 5-6) in its use:
While ISIC was developed with a view to categorising economic activities for national
accounts and other economic analysis purposes, its use extends to data collection, tabulation,
analysis and presentation for a variety of social and environmental applications, such as the
link between the economy, education and health sectors and the environment at the national
and international levels. Moreover, at the national versions are increasingly used for
administrative and business purposes, such as the categorisation of revenues and
expenditures.
This broadening of the use of ISIC data states (in Chapter IV, item 4, p. 38) the relationship of other
international classifications with ISIC:
The following classifications developed by the United Nations or its subsidiary organs have
some relationship with ISIC or make use of parts of ISIC in defining their own scope or
categories; whether describing statistics on occupations, employment, expenditures,
education, tourism or the environment: the Classification of the Functions of Government
(COFOG), the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED), the International
Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO), the activity classification of the Tourism Satellite
Account (TSA) and the International Classification of Non-Profit Organizations (ICNPO).
This broadening of use has many benefits not least of which is that there is an increasing need to
recognise the importance of data relationships, for instance, between ISIC and ISCO when analysing
an array of relevant economic, industrial, labour market and education and training information for
use in such activities as workforce development, organisational development, occupation or job
design, career management and planning, and education and training management and planning.
In the UAE, the 21 ISIC sectors have been aggregated and simplified into 12 segmented industry
sectors to reflect the nature and unique industry construct of country. The 12 sectors reflect and are
representative of the broader UAE demographics in terms of:
 UAE key economic indicators (United Arab Emirates Yearbooks 2007 and 2008)
 identified key Ministry of Economy economic industry sectors
 UAE Chambers of Commerce and industry categories
 social context
 employment
 population size
 vocational skills mix as well as cross sector skills used
 current and prospective skills demand of the emirates
 international experiences.

26
The National Qualifications Authority (NQA) is looking to establish a closer interrelationship between
qualifications and needs of industry and the workplace (occupations). It is to establish arrangements
for developing and approving national qualifications comprised of national occupational skills
standards against and across these 12 recognised industry sectors. The 12 industry sectors are as
follows:
NQA recognised UAE industry sectors
No Industry Sectors
1 Government services and public administration
2 Community, health and social services
3 Business, administration and financial services
4 Tourism, hospitality, retail and leisure services including personal care services
5 Arts, culture and entertainment
6 Education, learning and social development
7 Building and construction, estates and assets development and management
8 Utilities and infrastructure
9 Energy resources – oil, natural gas, petrochemical, chemical and mining/quarrying
10 Manufacturing
11 Logistics and transport
12 Agriculture, livestock and fishery

27
APPENDIX 2: EXPANDED NOTIONAL FUNCTION AND TAXONOMY FRAMEWORK
The following table provides an expanded list of verb taxonomies and related examples as well as workplace applications that can be used by technical practitioners in
their development work. They are provided only as suggestions and indications of how specific verb taxonomies can be aligned and applied to the key functional areas.
They can be augmented as required.
KEY FUNCTIONAL AREAS QF LEVEL EXEMPLAR TAXONOMY EXAMPLES
WORKPLACE
APPLICATION
A POLICY
A high level function for
researching, establishing,
managing and strategising
policies and philosophy
9 - 10 Analyse
Develop
Forecast
Research
Strategise
 Analysing policy
 Developing policy
 Forecasting demand
 Researching policy
 Strategising policy
Specialist
Expert
B MANAGING
The function of managing
personnel, systems, resources and
processes
7 - 8 Evaluate
Lead
Manage
 Establishing systems and policies
 Evaluating the effectiveness of policies and processes
 Initiating actions
 Leading people
 Managing communication
 Managing finances
 Managing group processes
 Managing human resources
 Managing information
 Managing knowledge and information
 Managing physical resources
Professional
Limited professional
Higher technician
C SPECIFYING
The function of specifying,
implementing and assessing
personnel, systems, resources and
processes
6 -7 Assess
Commission
Design
Develop
Direct
Estimate
Facilitate
Implement
Investigate
Report
Specify
 Assessing effectiveness of systems and processes
 Commissioning systems and processes
 Designing products and services
 Developing systems and techniques
 Directing enquiries
 Estimating projects
 Facilitating processes
 Implementing systems
 Investigating and analysing faults and problems
 Reporting performance
 Specifying requirements
Professional
Limited professional
Higher technician
Technician
Supervisor
D CONTROLLING
The function of controlling,
regulating and monitoring
activities related to personnel,
systems, resources and processes
6 Audit
Control
Diagnose
Evaluate
 Auditing services
 Controlling delivery of projects/programs
 Diagnosing problems
 Evaluating functions, processes and ideas
Technician
Supervisor

28
Inspect
Institute
Mobilise
Monitor
Plan
Procure
Regulate
Schedule
Supervise
Verify
 Inspecting facilities, process and quality
 Instituting quality assurance
 Mobilising plant, equipment and personnel
 Monitoring activities
 Planning and scheduling activities
 Procuring resources for activities
 Regulating activities
 Supervising people and activities
 Verifying programs
E MAINTAINING CAPABILITY
The function of maintaining
including coordinating the
capability of employees and a
healthy organisational culture
and safe workplace
4 - 6 Administer
Comply
Coordinate
Develop
Maintain
Organise
Respond
Test
Utilise
 Administering user networks, processes and information
 Complying with regulations and schedules
 Coordinating people and activities
 Developing learning and skills
 Maintaining a safe and healthy workplace environment
 Maintaining the environment
 Organising operations
 Responding to the values of the community
 Testing functions and ideas
 Utilising plant and equipment
Technician
Supervisor
Skilled
F PERFORMING
The function of carrying out the
work activities to produce and
maintain goods and services
2 - 4 Align
Apply
Assemble
Attend
Build
Calibrate
Carry out
Check
Compile
Conduct
Configure
Construct
Contribute
Control
Deliver
Document
Erect
Fabricate
Fault-find
Identify
Install
 Aligning products
 Applying methods
 Assembling items
 Attending to customer requests
 Building equipment and systems
 Calibrating instruments
 Carrying out operations/tasks
 Checking outputs
 Compiling reports
 Conducting operations
 Configuring systems, processes and products
 Constructing items
 Contributing to system or process development
 Controlling continuous processes
 Delivering services or consumables to customers
 Documenting outcomes of processes and systems
 Erecting scaffolding
 Fabricating products
 Fault finding
 Identifying problems and products
 Installing systems and equipment
Skilled
Semi-skilled
Low skilled
General operations

29
Make
Modify
Monitor
Operate
Overhaul
Perform
Position
Prepare
Produce
Provide
Rectify
Repair
Select
Sell
Service
Store
Troubleshoot
Undertake
Use
 Maintaining equipment and processes
 Making or producing new items
 Modifying items
 Monitoring processes
 Operating equipment
 Overhaul plant and equipment
 Performing routine checks
 Positioning equipment or products
 Preparing for process or dispatch
 Providing information and advice
 Providing personal care services
 Rectify faults
 Re-making components and parts
 Repairing equipment
 Responding to situations
 Selecting components
 Selling items
 Servicing equipment
 Storing files, stock, equipment and information
 Troubleshooting systems
 Undertaking activities
 Using basic computer applications
ENTRY LEVEL AND FUNCTIONAL
EMPLOYMENT
The function of performing simple
tasks in a controlled environment
1 Follow
Make
Use
 Perform simple tasks in a controlled environment Basic

30
APPENDIX 3: EXAMPLE OCCUPATION – SALES AND MARKETING MANAGER
QF
level
QFEmirates summary level descriptor*
(learning outcomes)
QFEmirates profile (vocational)
Employability indicators of
QFEmirates levels
UAE national occupational profile – Sales and Marketing
Manager
8 Learning outcomes at level 8 indicate
advanced specialised knowledge and critical
understanding in a specialised field of work or
discipline and at the interface between fields
as well as a comprehensive understanding of
critical approaches to creating a systematic
and coherent body of knowledge and
concepts gained from a range of sources. It
also covers:
 acquiring comprehensive knowledge of
current research and innovations in a field of
work, discipline or professional practice
 specialist field and integration of knowledge
from different fields of work or disciplines
 skills in solving complex unpredictable
and/or abstract problems with intellectual
independence and making judgements
that take into account social or ethical
issues
 skills to adopt a professional approach to
operating in a complex environment
including the design and development of
creative approaches to the management
of complex work processes and
organisation, resources or learning
 leading and managing teams within a
technical or professional activity or working
effectively as an individual
 leading the strategic performance of
professional teams and self
 presenting, explaining and/or critiquing
substantively complex matters
 taking responsibility for contributing to
professional practice in complex and
sometimes unfamiliar learning contexts
 leading, contributing and implementing
ethical standards.
The holder of a Postgraduate Diploma (level
8) will have acquired advanced specialist
knowledge, critical understanding, practical
knowledge, problem solving skills and
proficiency associated with a discipline,
some of it at the current boundaries of an
academic discipline. In some fields they can
operate as advanced and specialised
knowledge-based professionals and in
others as generalists with high level research,
analytical and communication skills who are
able to perform independently and ethically
or develop expertise in management and/or
mentoring of others or a combination of
both.
Knowledge:
Advanced specialised knowledge and
critical understanding in a specialised
discipline and the interface between fields.
It also covers comprehensive understanding
of critical approaches to creating a
systematic and coherent body of
knowledge and concepts gained from a
range of sources. Encompassed is
comprehensive knowledge of current
research and innovations in a discipline or
professional practice and impact of these
developments on accepted theory and
practice.
Skills:
Problem-solving skills in a specialist field and
the integration of knowledge from different
disciplines to solve complex unpredictable
and/or abstract problems with intellectual
independence. Skills in the discipline to:
Indicative employability
range:
Professional:
 Employability as
autonomous
professionals and as
managers
Employment relevance
indicated in QFEmirates
level descriptors:
In some fields, advanced
and specialised
knowledge-based
professionals and, in others,
generalists with high level
research, analysis and
problem-solving skills who
are able to work
independently and
ethically and/or apply
management expertise in
the supervision and/or
mentoring of others or in a
combination of both.
Typically, they have highly
developed advanced
communication and
information technology
skills.
Occupation scope:
Plan, direct, or coordinate marketing and sales policies
and programs or actual distribution or movement of a
product or service to customers.
Occupation summary:
Sales and marketing managers plan, direct and
coordinate the sales and marketing activities of an
enterprise or organisation, or of enterprises that provide
sales and marketing services to other enterprises and
organisations. Also, analyse sales statistics or determine
demand for products and services offered by a firm and
its competitors, and identify potential customers as well
as develop pricing strategies to maximise
profits/surpluses or share of the market while ensuring
the firm's customers are satisfied. Oversee product
development or monitor trends that indicate the need
for new products and services.
Job activities and tasks include:
a) planning and organising special sales and marketing
programmes based on sales records and market
assessment
b) determining price lists, discount and delivery terms,
sales promotion budgets, sales methods, special
incentives and campaigns
c) establishing and directing operational and
administrative procedures related to sales and
marketing activities
d) leading and managing the activities of sales and
marketing staff
e) planning and directing daily operations
f) establishing and managing budgets and controlling
expenditure to ensure the efficient use of resources
g) overseeing the selection, training and performance
of staff

31
QF
level
(learning outcomes)
QFEmirates levels
Manager
 identify appropriate sources of
information or analytical techniques in
investigation that leads to conclusions
and solutions to problems
 critically select appropriate research
instruments and strategies
 present, explain and/or critique
substantively complex matters using
advanced communication and
information technology skills.
Autonomy and Responsibility:
Can take responsibility for designing and
developing creative approaches to
managing and evaluating complex
processes and organisation, resources or
learning.
Role in context:
With autonomy can:
 analyse the management of professional
activity that may be in a complex
environment
 evaluate and reflect on the strategic
performance of professional teams and
self
 contribute to coordination of peer
relationships with qualified practitioners as
well as multiple, complex groups, and
 support the management of professional
development mentoring activities.
Self-development:
Can self-evaluate and take responsibility for:
 contributing to professional practice in
complex and sometimes unfamiliar work
and learning contexts, and
 contributing and conforming to ethical
standards.
h) representing the enterprise or organisation at sales
and marketing conventions, trade exhibitions and
other forums.
Knowledge, Skills and Aspects of competence:
 Advanced specialised knowledge of principles,
concepts and techniques in field of work, discipline
and/or professional practice
 Specialised knowledge of analysing, planning,
managing and establishing ideas, policies, strategies,
projections and/or conditions in the field of work,
discipline and/or professional practice
 Advanced knowledge of research principles and
methods
 Advanced knowledge of high level governance of
systems, processes and procedures including
legislative, regulatory, standards, codes and
conventions
 Higher knowledge of recent developments in the field
of work, discipline and/or professional practice
 Higher knowledge of principles, concepts and
techniques in management, economics, finance,
statistics and fiscal disciplines related to the field of
work and/or professional practice
 Higher knowledge of political, government, legislative
and regulatory systems related to the field of work
 Higher knowledge of laws, regulations, standards
codes and conventions of the UAE and specific
Emirates related to the field of work, discipline and/or
professional practice and more general subjects
including OHSE and cultural understanding and
awareness
 Higher knowledge of principles, concepts and
techniques in sensitively recognising and responding
to the management of highly complex ethical issues
 Leverage information technology, executive
information systems, management techniques and
tools for optimal field of work performance and/or
professional practice

32
QF
level
(learning outcomes)
QFEmirates levels
Manager
 Higher skills in research, analysis, consultation and
synthesis of information to evaluate ideas, policies,
strategies, projections and/or conditions and
generate recommendations and/or relevant
alternatives
 Manage advanced relationships and coordinate
related activities of respective stakeholders
 Advanced skills and experience in high level policy
analysis, formulation and research, plus strategic
planning in sensitive and confidential environment
 Develop abstract concepts and convey strategic
indications from the spectrum of development
experience
 Higher negotiation cultural sensitivity and Diplomatic
skills
 Use of information, tools, resources to support high-
level and complex work achievement
 Work sensitively and effectively in a multi-cultural
environment
 Work with others to develop creative solutions to
complex unpredictable and/or abstract problems
 Communicate with influence, and a proven record of
developing and maintaining effective partnerships
across an organisation and with diverse external
clients and other key stakeholders
 Highly developed advanced oral and written
communication, interpersonal and representational
skills, and a proven ability to use these skills to prepare
and present clear, concise, high quality advice
 Highly developed leadership and effective
management skills, with capacity to initiate,
implement and sustain improvements within a team
environment, as well as the ability to work flexibly and
cooperatively as a member of a team
 Personal drive and integrity, the ability to self-manage
and the capacity to identify and effectively manage
risks associated with change, as well recognise and
implement ethical standards to highly complex
ethical issues

33
QF
level
(learning outcomes)
QFEmirates levels
Manager
 Achieving results within tight timelines, and capacity
to set and implement new policy directions
 Highly developed higher organisational skills,
including the ability to manage priorities and meet
tight deadlines.
Qualifications or equivalent requirement:
Bachelor degree in sales or marketing management,
relevant field of work/discipline, higher qualification or
equivalent.
Example job titles:
- Marketing manager
- Sales manage
Some related occupations examples:
- Vice president of Sales
- Director of sales
- District sales manager
- Regional sales manager
- Sales supervisor
- General manager
- Sales and marketing vice president
- Sales representative
- Vice president of marketing
- Business development manager
- Marketing coordinator
- Account supervisor
* Use of the QFEmirates summary level descriptor is for indicative purposes only and reference should be made of the full QFEmirates level descriptor applicable to each level.

34
APPENDIX 4: EXAMPLE OCCUPATION 2 – ELECTRICIAN
QF
level
(learning outcomes)
QFEmirates levels
UAE National Occupational Profile – Electrician
4 Learning outcomes at level 4 indicate a broad
range of specialised and relevant associated
knowledge, including some theoretical and
abstract concepts with limited depth. It also
covers:
 using specialist cognitive and practical skills
to identify and deploy known solutions to
defined problems including deployment of
appropriate retrieval tools and which may
be subjected to change in a number of
contexts
 implementing given approaches to
complex procedures and processes, leading
and being accountable for small peer
teams within a technical activity, and
providing limited supervision
 presenting and explaining information
concepts and ideas
 producing from pieces of information,
cohesive texts that may be short and varied
 applying, reflecting and communicating an
assortment of mathematical procedures
and representations in a number of
contexts, which may be interrelated
 taking responsibility for own learning within a
predictable environment
 complying with ethical standards.
The holder of a Certificate 4 qualification
(Level 4) has demonstrated competence in
a broad range of specialised knowledge
and understanding of a field of work or
discipline; can perform a wide range of skills
required for known and some unknown
solutions under limited guidance or
supervision; and can take responsibility for
leading teams within a technical or peer
activity, and for own learning within a
managed environment.
Knowledge:
Knowledge for this qualification is broad-
ranged specialised knowledge and includes
some theoretical and abstract concepts
with limited depth in some areas in a field of
work or discipline, including facts, principles,
processes and general concepts as well as
an understanding of relevant knowledge in
associated fields of work or disciplines
including regulations, standards, codes,
conventions and procedures. It also covers
knowledge of approaches used in
categorising coherent bodies of knowledge
and concepts gained from a range of
sources; understanding of retrieval tools and
problem solving techniques and procedures;
and sources of current knowledge and
concepts from related fields. Encompassed
is an understanding of cohesive texts
covering various pieces of information, and
comprehension in an array of mathematical
procedures and representations in a number
of contexts.
Indicative employability
range:
Skilled
 Employability as a
generalist craft-worker,
technician or
administrative operative,
and/or lead teams
 Entry to many careers
with strong general
employability
Employment relevance
indicated in QFEmirates
level descriptors:
Command of a broad
range of specialised
knowledge and skills of an
occupational field and the
ability to work
independently, identify
and deploy known
solutions to defined
problems, assume control
or administrative
responsibilities for specified
outcomes covering skilled
type work, and lead
technical/peer teams
and/or others in a specific
work activity. Typically,
they display effective
communication and
information technology
skills.
Occupation scope:
Electrical engineering technicians (Electricians) plan,
assemble, install, alter, repair, fault find, test, inspect,
verify, commission, operate and maintain electrical
systems.
Occupation summary:
Electrical engineering technicians (Electricians) perform
technical tasks to aid in electrical engineering research,
and in the design, manufacture, assembly, testing,
commissioning, troubleshooting, construction,
operation, maintenance and repair of electrical
equipment, facilities and distribution systems. Electrical
systems provide heating, lighting, power, security,
communication and control in residential, commercial,
institutional, industrial and entertainment environments.
Electricians may be self‐employed or employed by
electrical contractors, utilities, operations and
maintenance departments of various facilities. They
may be required to be licensed, registered or certified
to be permitted to work by a government authority,
agency or approved certifying body.
Job activities and tasks include:
(a) providing technical assistance in research on and
development of electrical equipment and facilities,
or testing prototypes
(b) designing and preparing blueprints of electrical
installations and circuitry according to the
specifications given
(c) preparing detailed estimates of quantities and costs
of materials and labour required for manufacture
and installation according to the specifications
given
(d) monitoring technical aspects of the manufacture,
installation, utilisation, maintenance and repair of
electrical systems and equipment to ensure

35
Skills:
A range of specialist cognitive and practical
skills to:
 identify and deploy known solutions to
defined problems, including
accomplishing functions and solving
problems by selecting and applying
relevant methods, equipment, tools,
materials and information
 deploy appropriate retrieval tools
associated with the field of work or
discipline
 use effective communication and
information technology skills to present,
and explain information concepts and
ideas
 produce from pieces of information
cohesive texts, which may be short and
varied, and
 identify, apply, reflect and communicate
an assortment of mathematical
procedures and representations in a
number of contexts, which may be
interrelated.
Autonomy and Responsibility:
Can take responsibility for:
 implementing appropriate approaches to
complex work procedures and processes,
resources or learning, including leading
peer teams within a technical activity
 exercising self-management within activity
guidelines that are usually predictable,
but are subject to change in a number of
contexts, and which may be interrelated
 completion of functions in work or learning
with readily available support and under
limited supervision, and
 consistency of self-understanding and
behaviour in accordance with socio-
cultural norms.
satisfactory performance and compliance with
specifications and regulations
(e) planning installation methods, checking completed
installation for safety and controls or undertaking the
initial running of the new electrical equipment or
systems
(f) assembling, installing, testing, calibrating, modifying
and repairing electrical equipment and installations
to conform with regulations and safety requirements.
Knowledge, Skills and Aspects of competence:
 Understanding the implications of new information for
both current and future problem-solving and
decision-making
 Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths
and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions
or approaches to problems
 Managing one's own time and the time of others
 Teaching others how to do something
 Selecting and using training/instructional methods
and procedures appropriate for the situation when
learning or teaching new things
 The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for
combining or grouping things in different ways
 The ability to quickly and repeatedly measure and
estimate exact positions
 Knowledge of the structure and content of the
engineering related technical English terminologies
 Knowledge and use of relevant engineering
applications and programs
 Job may require him/her to work alone or in
conjunction with engineers, building contractors,
architects and scientists.
Qualifications or equivalent requirement:
Certificate or Diploma in electrical installation and/or
maintenance, higher qualification or equivalent.
Example job titles:
- Electrician
- Electrical engineering technician

36
Role in context:
Under limited supervision can:
 function both independently and/or in a
facilitative role with multiple groups, and
 take responsibility for the routine work of
others, and for the nature and quality of
some outputs.
Self-development:
Can take responsibility for:
 own learning within a predictable
environment with limited supervision
 identifying and complying with advised
ethical standards.
- Electric power transmission engineering technician
- Electrical installer
- Electrical fitter mechanic
Some related occupations examples:
- Power production plant operator
- Electrical mechanic
- Cable Jointer
- Electronics and communications technician
- Lift Electrician
- Electrical lineworker
* Use of the QF summary level descriptor is for indicative purposes only and reference should be made of the full QFEmirates level descriptor applicable to each level

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Occupational guide aids reliability and consistency in UAE job descriptions

Occupational guide aids reliability and consistency in UAE job descriptions

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Occupational guide aids reliability and consistency in UAE job descriptions