In 1846 the first Belgian census of a scientific nature was organized on the
initiative of Adolphe Quetelet. It was not a ordinary count of inhabitants; it
also comprised a complete section on agriculture and industry. Since then there
have been 14 population censuses in Belgium. The different censuses occurred at
intervals of approximately 10 years (1856, 1866, 1876, 1880, 1890, 1900, 1910,
1920, 1930, 1947, 1961, 1970, 1981, 1991). Although, according to the basic
legal texts censuses were meant for purely administrative purposes, all censuses
since 1856 have also inquired about demographic, social and economic data.
The days of classic censuses in Belgium are long gone. It no longer concerns
a census of the population but an actual general socio-economic survey.
Therefore we no longer speak of the "General Population and Housing Census
2001", but of the "General Socio-Economic Survey 2001", or simply
"Survey 2001".
The 2001 questionnaire requested the following information concerning
education, training and employment:
To which category of persons do you belong?
I am a schoolchild or student
I have a job (under any statute, including apprentices, even if away from
work ill, on holiday, on a career break or temporarily laid off)
I lost or resigned my previous job and am now looking for a new job.
I am looking for a job for the first time
I have never worked and I am not looking or a job
I do not longer work and am no(t) (longer) looking for a new job because
of:
retirement
early retirement or equal (e.g. detention)
family, social, personal, health or other reasons
I do not think there is a job available for me (too old, do not have
the required qualifications, etc.)
When did you stop working?
To be completed by everyone aged 15 and over
Are you receiving education or have you received education (in school or
elsewhere)?
How many years have you received education (yet)?
Tick the HIGHEST level of education that you have successfully completed
primary school
lower secondary school (first three years)
general education - arts education
technical education - vocational training
higher secondary education (last three years)
general education - arts education
technical education - vocational training (craft trade apprenticeships
included)
post-secondary not-higher education (1)
higher education (short course, long course or university)
At which age did you complete this level?
Where did you complete this level?
If you took a certificate of vocational training or technical secondary
education, in which branch of studies was that?
applied sciences (physics, chemistry, etc.)
industry (electronics, electricity, mechanics, etc.)
trade, accounting, office work
social sciences, education
sports, health, paramedical
services, beauty care, etc.
clothing, sewing, dressmaking
construction, woodwork
agricultural science, agronomics
food (bakery, butchery, etc.)
hotel business, tourism
living languages
informatics
other
Tick ALL certificates that you took in higher education
nursery school teacher, teacher of primary school, teacher of lower level
of secondary school
short course non-university higher education (one cycle)
university or higher education, long course: first cycle (candidature)
university or higher education, long course: second cycle (2)
university or higher education advanced/additional education (3)
doctorate with thesis
What is the full name of the certificates of higher education
To be completed by everyone who took a certificate after a recognised
vocational training of at least 600 hours (equals a fulltime training of 6
months)
It concerned a: (tick all the boxes that apply)
vocational training by FOREM, IBFFP, Arbeitsamt, VDAB, Classes moyennes,
promotion sociale, …
training in the framework of your profession
vocational training followed on your own initiative
To be completed by everyone who takes classes or follows a vocational
training, irrespective of he/she is working
The education or vocational training that you are currently following is
fulltime
part time during the daytime (separate course included)
evening and/or weekend education
correspondence course
What kind of education or vocational training are you receiving?
nursery education (special education included)
primary education (special education included)
special secondary education
first stage of secondary education (1st and 2nd
year)
general (1st or 2nd year A)
vocational (1st year B, 2nd preparing for
vocational year)
second or third stage of secondary education (other years)
general
technical/art
vocational (part-time and craft trade apprenticeship included)
post-secondary non-higher education (1)
short course non-university higher education / one cycle
long course non-university higher education / two cycles
university (4)
university or higher education advanced/additional education (3)
doctorate with thesis
other vocational training
7th year of secondary education, additional secondary
vocational education (4th stage), business starters’
training
licentiate, engineer, doctor without thesis, etc.
academic degree of advanced studies (GGS), academic degree of
complementary studies GAS, postgraduate, special licentiate degree,
qualified teacher’s degree, etc.
candidature, licentiate, engineer, doctor of medicine, etc.
To be completed by everyone who is or was doing any work (even if the
activity lasted only for one hour)
Your current employment situation
I have a fulltime job without sideline job
I have a fulltime job and one or more sideline jobs
I have a sideline job
I have several sideline jobs
I am retired and have a sideline job
I had a job but not anymore (unemployed, retired, etc.)
In the framework of your:
(last) main job current sideline job
(unemployed people, retired people etc. write in their last job)
(out of several sideline jobs you chose that one in which you work most hours
per week or provided the highest income)
Which is (was) your professional statute?
civil servants
civil servants not in the public sector
managing director, employed
other employee in the private sector
worker in the private sector, apprentice
managing director, self-employed
self-employed working mainly for one person or company
other own-account worker, liberal profession
contributing family worker (of an employer)
household servant or domestic staff
other statute (e.g. PWA)
without statute
Which is (was) the activity sector of the company where you work(ed)?
agriculture, forestry, fishing
industry
construction
wholesale or retail trade
repair of (consumer) goods and vehicles
transport, storage and communication
hotels, cafes and restaurants (catering)
financial institutes (banks, insurance)
real estate, renting
service activities to companies
private households with employed persons
public administration
education, training
international organizations
army
health care and social work
other service activities
To be completed by everyone who is doing any paid work (even if the
activity lasted only for one hour)
What is the full name of the company, administration or institution you
run or where you work?
What is the business of your employer at the place where you work?
What is the full title of your main job?
If you are an employer how many people do you pay?
How many hours a week do you usually work?
If you are an employee, what kind of work do you do in the framework of
your:
stable contract (having tenure or an employment contract on a continuous
basis)
work as a temp
seasonal work
fixed-term contract
work as an employment promotion employee (ALE, TCT, ACE, PRIME, FBI, art.
123, )
apprenticeship, work as a trainee or alternating training
student contract
casual work (without any formal contract) or other
In the framework of your main job sideline job which working hours do you
usually have?
fixed working hours
interrupted working hours (e.g. in two blocks: morning and evening)
staggered working hours (flexitime)
flexible hours (determined by your employer according to the needs of the
service or
on request of customers)
shift system with consecutive shifts
other (please describe)
where do you usually work?
I work at a fixed workplace (office, factory, yard, etc.) outside my house
I have a travelling job and leave from home
I have a travelling job and leave from elsewhere (station, depot, etc.)
I work at home (via remote working)
I work at home (but not via remote working)
were you doing any work between 1 and 7 October 2001?
yes
no
if you have answered NO to question 23c, for what reason(s)?
flexitime, holiday, paid leave
temporary work, fixed-term contract, work as a temp
part-time or technical unemployment
conflict at the workplace (strike, lock-out)
illness, accident, temporary incapacity for work, maternity leave, family
reasons
(voluntary) career break unpaid leave
education, training
other (please describe):
To be completed by everyone who is doing any paid work or is receiving any
education except for homework or travelling job from home
(if you work and receive education, please answer for the activity that
brings along the most movements)
(if you have several jobs, give priority to your main job)
What is the address of the place where you actually work or receive
education?
To go to your work or school place do you usually leave from
your home (your official residence)
another home (please write in the address)
How many times a day do you cover the distance there and back of your
usual journey to work or school?
How many days a week do you cover this distance there and back?
What kind of transportation do you usually use to completely cover this
distance?
none (on foot)
bicycle
moped, motorcycle
transportation organised by employer or school
car, as driver
car, as a passenger
train
bus, tram, underground/metro (De Lijn, TEC, MIVB)
What is the distance covered for a single journey?
At what time did you leave and arrive at your last usual journey?
How many times a week do you usually combine this journey with the
following activities?
