Yrkesområde

Yrkesområde, meaning “occupational area” or “career field” in Norwegian and Swedish, is a conceptual category used to group jobs by common activities, skills, and work environments. The term is employed in education, career guidance, and labor market statistics to describe broad sectors of work rather than individual occupations.

In practice, yrkesområden help structure vocational programs and guidance resources. They provide a framework for students choosing tracks, for job seekers exploring opportunities, and for policymakers analyzing employment patterns. Boundaries between areas can vary between countries and organizations, and occupations may belong to several areas depending on context.

Common examples of occupational areas include health and social care; education and research; information technology and communications; construction and manufacturing; trade, sales, and customer service; transportation, logistics and warehousing; administration and finance; accommodation, food service, and tourism; culture, arts and media; agriculture, forestry and fishing; science and engineering; public administration and safety.

National and international classification systems such as ISCO (International Standard Classification of Occupations) and NACE are used alongside the concept of yrkesområde to organize data on employment and training. The term emphasizes the practical grouping of work sectors and is especially prevalent in vocational guidance materials and career-planning resources.