4. Labour Force Status

• How did the distribution of labour force status across the population change between 1996 and 2006?
• How did the distribution of literacy skill according to labour force status change between 1996 and 2006?

This section examines these questions.

Labour force status

Figure 4.1 shows the changes in the distribution of labour force status across the adult population of New Zealand that occurred between 1996 and 2006, as measured by the ALL survey.¹² Note that the definition of labour force status used in the IALS and ALL survey differs from that used in Statistics New Zealand’s Household Labour Force Survey. For the definition used in the IALS and ALL surveys, please see the glossary.

Figure 4.1: Distribution of labour force status, IALS and ALL

Note:

Percentages are rounded to the nearest whole number.

Figure 4.1 shows that:

• there was an increase in the percentage of people employed (from around 68 to 72%)
• there was a decrease in the percentage of people who are homemakers (from around 12 to 8%)
• The other labour force categories remained relatively stable (each changing no more than 2 percentage points).

Prose literacy and labour force status

Prose literacy skill was measured by both the IALS and ALL surveys, and its distribution among the adult population of New Zealand by labour force status is shown in Figure 4.2.

Figure 4.2 shows the percentages of the adult population of New Zealand at each prose literacy level and labour force status for the IALS and ALL surveys.

Figure 4.2: Prose literacy and labour force status, IALS and ALL

Notes:

1. Levels 3, 4 and 5 are combined to give more robust statistical information.
2. Percentages are rounded to the nearest whole number.
3. For the IALS survey, the data for the student category for prose literacy were not of sufficient quality to allow reporting.

Figure 4.2 shows that across the two surveys people who were employed had higher prose literacy skill overall. Students in the ALL survey also had high prose literacy skill.¹³

Figure 4.2 also shows that:

• for the employed, the percentage at each prose literacy level remained stable across the two surveys, with the majority of the employed population having level 3, 4 or 5 prose literacy
• for the unemployed, the percentage at prose literacy level 1 decreased substantially, while the percentages at prose literacy level 2 and at levels 3, 4 or 5 increased substantially
• for the retired and for homemakers, the percentage at prose literacy level 1 substantially decreased while that at levels 3, 4 or 5 increased.

Document literacy and labour force status

Document literacy skill was measured by both the IALS and ALL surveys, and its distribution among the adult population of New Zealand by labour force status is shown in Figure 4.3.

Figure 4.3 shows the percentages of the adult population in New Zealand at each document literacy level, by labour force status.

Figure 4.3: Document literacy and labour force status, IALS and ALL

Notes:

1. Levels 3, 4 and 5 are combined to give more robust statistical information.
2. Percentages are rounded to the nearest whole number.

Figure 4.3 shows that:

• for the employed, the percentage at each document literacy level remained relatively stable across the two surveys, with the majority of the employed population having level 3, 4 or 5 document literacy
• for the unemployed, the percentage at document literacy level 1 decreased substantially, while the percentages for document literacy level 2 and for levels 3, 4, and 5 increased substantially
• for the retired and for homemakers, the percentage at document literacy level 1 decreased substantially while that at levels 3, 4 or 5 increased.

These patterns were also observed for prose literacy.

Figure 4.3 also shows that for students the percentage at document literacy level 1 decreased substantially, while that at levels 2 and 3, 4 or 5 increased.

Numeracy and labour force status

Numeracy is the ability to read and process mathematical and numeric information in diverse situations. Numeracy skill was measured in the ALL survey only, and its distribution among the adult population of New Zealand by labour force status is shown in Figure 4.4.

Figure 4.4 shows the percentages of the adult population of New Zealand at each numeracy level, by labour force status.

Figure 4.4:  Numeracy and labour force status, ALL only

Notes:

1. Levels 3, 4 and 5 are combined to give more robust statistical information.
2. Percentages are rounded to the nearest whole number.

Figure 4.4 shows that:

• the majority of the employed and students had level 3, 4 or 5 numeracy skill
• the majority of the unemployed had level 1 or 2 numeracy skill
• the numeracy skill distributions for homemakers and the retired sat between these two extremes.

Problem-solving and labour force status

Problem-solving is the ability to reason and think analytically in situations where no routine procedure exists. Problem-solving skill was measured in the ALL survey only, and its distribution among the adult population of New Zealand by labour force status is shown in Figure 4.5.

Figure 4.5 shows the percentages of the adult population of New Zealand at each problem-solving level, by labour force status.

Figure 4.5:  Problem-solving and labour force status, ALL only

Notes:

1. Four levels of proficiency were measured in problem-solving.
2. Levels 3 and 4 are combined to give more robust statistical information.
3. Percentages are rounded to the nearest whole number. 

Figure 4.5 shows that while all labour force status categories had the majority of their populations at problem-solving skill levels 1 or 2:

• the employed and students had similar distributions of problem-solving skill, with the largest percentage of each population at level 2, the next largest percentage at levels 3 or 4, and the smallest percentage at level 1
• the retired and homemakers had similar distributions of problem-solving skill, with the largest percentage of each population at level 2, the next largest percentage at level 1, and the smallest percentage at levels 3 or 4
• the unemployed had the lowest overall problem-solving skill, with the largest percentage of the unemployed population at level 1, the next largest at level 2, and the smallest at levels 3 or 4.

Footnotes