text
| - Many people think that “occupation” and “profession” are synonyms, but this is only very rarely the case. “Occupation” denotes an activity somebody exercises to earn a living. This can be through self-employment or employment and it does not necessarily entail specific qualifications, training or professional experience. “Profession,” on the other hand, describes an activity that requires special training, knowledge, qualifications and skills – in short, something that needs to be learned. This means that a CEO ought to be classified as a function or an occupation rather than a profession, whereas a joiner is a typical example for a profession that frequently involves an apprenticeship and/or qualification. However, the boundaries between occupations and professions are often fluid: a profession can sometimes also be an occupation, but an occupation can almost never be considered a profession. These are the main differences between the two terms:
An activity performed by a person for monetary compensation is normally known as occupation. Profession refers to vocation, which requires high degrees of education or skills.
Unlike occupations, professions have a code of conduct.
An occupation does not require any kind of training in a particular field, but a profession requires specialization in a specific area which is why it necessitates training.
Professions are generally regulated by a particular or professional body statute, which is not the case for occupations.
In an occupation, people are paid for what they produce, whereas the salaries of those in a profession depend on their knowledge, skills and professional experience.
A profession is also an occupation if the person is paid for utilizing his or her skills and expertise.
|