Qualification levels help to evaluate the economic opportunities and socio-economic status of local workers in a particular industry.

The level of qualifications in a workforce relate to a number of factors including:

• The age of the workforce;
• The skill and qualification level required to enter an industry;
• The professional or working ambitions of people (to seek education as youth or retraining as adults);
• The opportunities afforded to people to continue studying beyond compulsory schooling.