eMASCO

The Malaysia Standard Classification of Occupations (MASCO) is a national benchmark for classifying occupations within Malaysia's employment structure. It provides a systematic framework for categorizing jobs based on the type of work performed and the skills required. MASCO is developed in accordance with the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) by the International Labour Organization (ILO), with modifications to suit Malaysia's specific needs.

MASCO aims to:

Improve the classification of occupational structures in Malaysia.
Update job titles to align with current market demands, economic growth, and technological and organizational changes.
Provide a dynamic, comprehensive, and quality information dissemination platform for the nation's workforce.
Serve as a reference for both public and private sectors in planning organizational development strategies and ensuring the workforce meets job market demands.
Catalyze the national human resource inventory through systems like e-MASCO, which offers current, interactive, and efficient job information.

MASCO 2020 features a five-level classification structure, moving from broader to more specific categories:

Major Group (1-digit code): The broadest classification, representing 10 main categories of occupations.
Sub-Major Group (2-digit code): A more detailed breakdown within each Major Group.
Minor Group (3-digit code): Further sub-divisions within Sub-Major Groups.
Unit Group (4-digit code): Specific occupational categories.
Small Unit Group (5-digit code): The most detailed level, often identifying specific job titles.

The 10 Major Groups are:

Managers
Professionals
Technicians and Associate Professionals
Clerical Support Workers
Service and Sales Workers
Skilled Agricultural, Forestry, Livestock and Fishery Workers
Craft and Related Trades Workers
Plant and Machine Operators and Assemblers
Elementary Occupations
Armed Forces

While both managers (Major Group 1) and supervisors (classified in other major groups) may plan, organize, coordinate, control, and direct the work of others, the key difference lies in their authority and overall responsibility. Managers typically have responsibility for and make decisions about the overall strategic and operational direction of a business or organizational unit, including budgets and staff selection/dismissal. Supervisors, on the other hand, are primarily responsible for supervising the activities of other workers, providing advice but generally lacking the authority to make broad strategic decisions.

MASCO is widely used for:

Labor Market Analysis: Providing consistent data for statistics on employment, unemployment, wages, and job vacancies.
Policy Making: Informing government policies related to human resources, education, and training.
Research: Serving as a standardized classification for researchers studying labor trends and occupational structures.
Education and Training: Guiding educational and training institutions in developing relevant curricula and programs that align with industry needs.
Human Resource Planning: Assisting organizations in workforce planning, recruitment, and career development.
Statistical Surveys: Utilized by agencies like the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) for surveys such as the Labour Force Survey, where occupations are categorized based on MASCO.

MASCO enables the categorization of occupations into different skill levels:

Skilled workers: Generally include Managers, Professionals, and Technicians and Associate Professionals.
Semi-skilled workers: Typically comprise Clerical Support Workers, Service and Sales Workers, Skilled Agricultural, Forestry, Livestock and Fishery Workers, Craft and Related Trades Workers, and Plant and Machine Operators and Assemblers.
Low-skilled workers: Primarily refer to Elementary Occupations.

MASCO 2020 is a significant update designed to reflect the evolving workforce structure, economic growth, and advancements in technology in Malaysia. It features a larger number of job titles (6,630) and aims to provide more current, interactive, and efficient job information through systems like e-MASCO, supporting better human resource inventory and planning for the nation.

e-MASCO is an online platform or system that serves as a digital repository and interactive tool for the Malaysia Standard Classification of Occupations (MASCO). Its primary purpose is to provide a user-friendly, current, and efficient means for accessing and utilizing MASCO information. It allows users to search for specific occupations, view their detailed descriptions, understand the associated skill levels, and explore related job titles. This digital platform facilitates better human resource inventory, planning, and information dissemination for various stakeholders in Malaysia. To search for job information in MASCO, the primary and most accessible tool would be the e-MASCO portal, maintained by the Ministry of Human Resources (MOHR) of Malaysia, or related platforms from agencies like the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) or the Institute for Labour Market Information and Analysis (ILMIA) that utilize MASCO. Here's a general guide on how you would typically search for job information within the MASCO framework, primarily using the e-MASCO portal: 1. Access the e-MASCO Portal: - The most direct way is to visit the official e-MASCO portal. While the exact URL might change, a common one is usually https://emasco.online/ or found through the Ministry of Human Resources (MOHR) Malaysia website. Look for links related to "MASCO," "Occupations," "Job Information," or "Classification of Occupations." 2. Navigate the Search Interface: - Once on the e-MASCO portal (or similar platform), you'll likely find a search bar or a navigation menu. - Search Bar: This is the quickest way if you have a specific job title in mind (e.g., "Software Engineer," "Accountant," "Nurse"). Type the job title into the search bar. - Browse by Category (Major Group): If you're exploring broader areas, you can often browse by the 10 Major Groups of MASCO (Managers, Professionals, Technicians, etc.). This allows you to drill down from a broad category to more specific occupations. 3. Understanding Search Results: - MASCO Code: For each occupation, you will typically see a MASCO code (e.g., a 5-digit code like "21470" for "Computer Network Professionals"). This code is the official identifier within the MASCO system. - Job Title/Occupation Name: The standardized name of the occupation. - Description of Tasks/Duties: This is a crucial part. MASCO provides detailed descriptions of the main tasks and duties associated with each classified occupation. This helps clarify what the job entails. - Required Skills/Qualifications: While not always explicitly listed as "required qualifications" in a formal sense, the job descriptions often imply the general skill level and type of knowledge needed (e.g., requiring higher education for "Professionals" or specific technical skills for "Technicians"). - Related Job Titles/Synonyms: MASCO often lists alternative or common job titles that fall under the same occupational classification. This is helpful if the exact term you searched for isn't the primary MASCO listing. - Skill Level: The system might indicate the MASCO skill level (skilled, semi-skilled, low-skilled) associated with the occupation. 4. Refining Your Search: - If your initial search doesn't yield the desired results, try different keywords or broader terms. - Utilize the categorization (Major Group, Sub-Major Group, etc.) to narrow down your search systematically. - Some platforms might offer advanced search options, allowing you to filter by industry, skill level, or other criteria. Example Search Scenario: Let's say you want to find information on a "Marketing Manager." 1. Go to the e-MASCO portal. 2. In the search bar, type "Marketing Manager." 3. The search results would likely show you the MASCO code (e.g., 1221) for "Marketing and Sales Managers" (or a similar official title). 4. Clicking on this entry would then provide: - The full occupational description. - Typical tasks and duties (e.g., "plan, direct and coordinate the marketing activities of an enterprise or organization," "develop and implement strategies for advertising and promotion," "negotiate contracts"). - A list of related job titles that fall under this classification. - Its classification as a "Manager" (Major Group 1) and its corresponding skill level. Important Note: While e-MASCO provides detailed occupational information based on MASCO, it typically does not list actual job vacancies. For job vacancies, you would need to use dedicated job search portals like JobStreet, LinkedIn, MyFutureJobs (for Malaysia), or company career websites. MASCO is a classification system that helps to standardize how jobs are described, making it easier for labor market analysis, policy, and career guidance. e-MASCO, as the digital platform for the Malaysia Standard Classification of Occupations (MASCO), offers significant benefits to a wide range of individuals and organizations within Malaysia's labor ecosystem. Here are the key beneficiaries: 1. Job Seekers/Individuals: - Career Guidance: Helps individuals understand different occupations, their descriptions, and the skills required, aiding in career planning and making informed decisions about education and training paths.1 - Skill Development: By understanding the specific tasks and skill levels associated with various jobs, individuals can identify skill gaps and pursue relevant training to enhance their employability. - Job Search: While not a job portal, e-MASCO provides standardized job titles and descriptions that job seekers can use to refine their search terms on actual job boards and better understand job requirements. - Self-Assessment: Allows individuals to compare their current skills and experience against MASCO descriptions to identify suitable career transitions or advancement opportunities. 2. Employers/Businesses: - Human Resource Planning: Provides a standardized framework for classifying jobs within an organization, facilitating better workforce planning, talent management, and organizational structuring. - Recruitment and Selection: Helps employers to clearly define job roles and requirements, leading to more targeted recruitment efforts and more effective candidate screening. - Job Descriptions: Offers a common reference for drafting accurate and comprehensive job descriptions, ensuring consistency across the organization and clarity for potential hires. - Compensation and Benefits: Supports the development of fair and consistent compensation structures by providing a standardized way to compare job roles and their associated skill levels. - Training and Development: Assists in identifying training needs by highlighting the skills required for various occupations, enabling employers to design relevant employee development programs. 3. Educational and Training Institutions (TVET, Universities, Colleges): - Curriculum Development: Provides insights into the skills and knowledge required by the Malaysian job market, enabling institutions to design and update curricula that are relevant and industry-aligned. - Program Planning: Helps in identifying emerging occupations and skill demands, guiding the development of new courses and training programs to meet future workforce needs. - Career Counseling: Equips career counselors with standardized occupational information to provide accurate and effective guidance to students. 4. Government Agencies and Policy Makers (e.g., Ministry of Human Resources, Department of Statistics Malaysia, EPU): - Labor Market Analysis: Provides a standardized framework for collecting, analyzing, and disseminating labor market statistics (employment, unemployment, wages, job vacancies). This data is crucial for understanding labor market trends and challenges. - Policy Formulation: Informs the development of national human resource policies, education strategies, and economic development plans. - Manpower Planning: Supports national manpower planning by identifying skill shortages and surpluses, guiding investments in education and training, and facilitating talent mobility. - International Benchmarking: Being aligned with ISCO, MASCO enables Malaysia to compare its labor market data with international standards, facilitating global comparisons and understanding of labor trends.2 5. Researchers and Analysts: - Data Consistency: Provides a consistent classification system for conducting labor market research, allowing for meaningful comparisons and analysis over time and across different studies. - Occupational Studies: Supports detailed studies on occupational trends, skill demands, wages, and other labor market dynamics. In essence, e-MASCO serves as a crucial infrastructure for managing and understanding the Malaysian labor market, benefiting anyone involved in employment, education, training, or human resource planning.

MASCO originated with the Dictionary of Occupational Classification (DOC), which was introduced in 1969. The first edition of MASCO, or the Malaysia Standard Classification of Occupations, was published in 1998. It was followed by the 2008 and 2013 editions, with the latest edition being released in 2020.

Job Title: The specific name of a position within an organization.
Alternative Job Title: A job title that shares the same job description and tasks.
Job Description: A summary that provides an overview explaining the type of work and daily tasks performed by a given position.
List of Tasks / Tasks Included: Also known as job specifications, which refer to the minimum skills and capabilities required to perform the duties of a position.
Work: A set of tasks and duties carried out by an individual.
Occupation: The work and responsibilities performed by an individual, either as an employee or self-employed.
Skill Level: The level of complexity and responsibility involved in carrying out the tasks of a given occupation.

Job Taxonomy is a hierarchical system for classifying occupations, organized from broader categories to more specific ones. It is used to categorize, analyze, and understand the relationships between various types of occupations. In the context of MASCO, the job taxonomy starts with the Major Group, followed by the Sub-Major Group, Minor Group, Unit Group, and finally the Small Unit Group, down to the specific job titles.

No. e-MASCO is not a job search portal. Instead, it is the official classification system that provides standardized information on occupations, including classification codes, job descriptions, skill levels, and related job titles. For information on job vacancies, users should refer to dedicated job search platforms such as MyFutureJobs and other similar job search portals.

Frequently Asked Question