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href="https://professions.org.au/governance/" class="menu-link">Who we are</a></li></ul></div></nav></div></div> </div> </div> </div> </header> <div id="content" class="site-content"> <div class="ast-container"> <div id="primary" class="content-area primary"> <main id="main" class="site-main"> <article class="post-37 page type-page status-publish ast-article-single" id="post-37" itemtype="https://schema.org/CreativeWork" itemscope="itemscope"> <header class="entry-header ast-no-thumbnail"> <h1 class="entry-title" itemprop="headline">What is a Profession?</h1> </header>  <div class="entry-content clear" data-ast-blocks-layout="true" itemprop="text"> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">Definition</h4> <p>The Australian Council of Professions defines a ‘<strong>Profession</strong>‘ as: </p> <blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow"> <p><em><strong>A Profession is a disciplined group of individuals who adhere to ethical standards and who hold themselves out as, and are accepted by the public as possessing special knowledge and skills in a widely recognised body of learning derived from research, education and training at a high level, and who are prepared to apply this knowledge and exercise these skills in the interest of others.  </strong></em></p> <p><em><strong>It is inherent in the definition of a Profession that a code of ethics governs the activities of each Profession.  Such codes require behaviour and practice beyond the personal moral obligations of an individual.  They define and demand high standards of behaviour in respect to the services provided to the public and in dealing with professional colleagues.  Often these codes are enforced by the Profession and are acknowledged and accepted by the community.</strong></em> </p> <cite>Australian Council of Professions, 2003</cite></blockquote> <p>Being a member of a Profession, e.g. a ‘<strong>Professional</strong>‘, is generally seen as an indicator of integrity, ethics, trust and expertise.</p> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-text-color has-css-opacity has-background is-style-wide" style="background-color:#dd0000;color:#dd0000"/> <p class="has-light-gray-background-color has-background">Download the new <a href="#Why-Professionalism-Matters-more-than-Ever">Why Professionalism Matters More than Ever!</a> White Paper below</p> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-text-color has-css-opacity has-background is-style-wide" style="background-color:#dd0000;color:#dd0000"/> <p><br>Governments usually also understand the value that the Professions add to society. For example, the Australian Professional Standards Councils (PSC) outlines in a short video the <a href="https://www.psc.gov.au/what-is-a-profession/the-benefits-of-professions" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">value and benefits of the Professions to the community and the economy</a>. <br><br><a href="https://www.amazon.com.au/gp/search?tag=mmaz-22&index=books&keywords=Profession" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>More literature about the Professions</strong></a><br></p> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-text-color has-css-opacity has-background is-style-wide" style="background-color:#dd0000;color:#dd0000"/> <div class="wp-block-buttons is-horizontal is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-1 wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex"> <div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-background wp-element-button" href="https://professions.org.au/wp-content/uploads/What-is-a-Profession-Australian-Council-of-Professions.pdf" style="background-color:#dd0000" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong>Click to View and Download OUR Free Fact-Sheet</strong></a></div> </div> <p class="has-text-align-center"><em>Includes more definitions, citation approval and instructions!</em></p> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-text-color has-css-opacity has-background is-style-wide" style="background-color:#dd0000;color:#dd0000"/> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">What is a Professional?</h4> <figure class="wp-block-image alignright is-resized"><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" width="500" height="170" src="https://www.professions.org.au/wp-content/uploads/Professional-is-not.png" alt="" class="wp-image-377" style="width:305px;height:auto" srcset="https://professions.org.au/wp-content/uploads/Professional-is-not.png 500w, https://professions.org.au/wp-content/uploads/Professional-is-not-150x51.png 150w, https://professions.org.au/wp-content/uploads/Professional-is-not-300x102.png 300w" sizes="(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /></figure> <p>Traditionally, a ‘<strong>Professional</strong>‘ is someone who derives their income from their specific knowledge or experience – as opposed to a worker, hobbyist or amateur without formal education.  This meaning still carries through today to areas such as sport.  However, in the Professions, a “Professional” has a broader meaning, typically around some moral or ethical foundation within the practice of a specific and usually established expertise.<br></p> <blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow"> <p><strong>A Professional is a member of a Profession.  Professionals are governed by codes of ethics and profess commitment to competence, integrity and morality, altruism and the promotion of the public good within their expert domain. Professionals are accountable to those they serve and to society.</strong><sup>1 2</sup></p> <cite>1: Evetts, J., ‘Sociological Analysis of Professionalism: Past, Present and Future’, Comparative Sociology 10, 2011 <br>2: Freidson, E., ‘Professionalism: The Third Logic’, Polity Press, London, 2001 </cite></blockquote> <h4 class="wp-block-heading"><br>What is Professionalism?</h4> <p>‘Professionalism’ is defined as the personally held beliefs of a Professional about their own conduct as a member of a Profession. It is often linked to the upholding of the principles, laws, ethics and conventions of a Profession in the form of a code of practice. </p> <h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="Why-Professionalism-is-Still-Relevant"><br>Why is Professionalism still relevant?</h4> <p id="Why-Professionalism-is-Still-Relevant">The relevance and value of professional conduct are <a label="regularly questioned (opens in a new tab)" class="aioseop-link" href="https://www.professions.org.au/the-future-of-professions-and-professionalism/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">regularly questioned</a>. In 2010 our then <a href="https://professions.org.au/professions-australia-2009-agm-elects-new-board/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" title="">President Don Larkin</a> invited <a label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/GeorgeRBeaton/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dr George Beaton</a>, Associate Professor at the University of Melbourne and Chairman of <strong>beaton</strong>, to write a seminal essay on <a label="Why Professionalism is Still Relevant (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.professions.org.au/wp-content/uploads/Why_Professionalism_is_still_Relevant_Beaton.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Why Professionalism is Still Relevant</a>. </p> <p>The essay maintains that ‘<em><strong>ethical considerations and obligations lead to and maintain trust in the parts of those served and are the essence of professionalism.  There is no definition of professionalism – even a rough outline of professionalism’s characteristics – that does not include a central component of ethics and altruism</strong></em>.’</p> <p>Dr Beaton also contends that ‘<em><strong>as long as professionals and professions hold on to this essence of professionalism – even, and especially, in an age of globalisation – they will survive and flourish, and professionalism will fulfil its role in serving humanity</strong></em>.’</p> <h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="Why-Professionalism-Matters-more-than-Ever">Why professionalism matters more than ever?</h4> <p><strong>We are delighted to publish <a href="https://professions.org.au/wp-content/uploads/Why-Professionalism-Matters-more-than-ever-George-Beaton-2022.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener" title="">George Beaton’s second white paper</a> which follows his seminal essay exploring how professional associations and professional service contribute to professionalism, and its impact of culture, economics, technology and government. </strong></p> <p><em>“When you allow an anaesthetist to put you under for an operation, you place great faith in their competence. When you consult a lawyer to defend you against a baseless accusation, you hope they understand both the legal system and your situation. When you engage an architect, you expect them to design a building that will not only be a pleasure to occupy, but also fire-proof, structurally sound and stable over the long-term. In each case you’re relying on another person’s qualifications, expertise and experience. More than that, you’re relying on something that’s more important and also harder to pin down: their professionalism” (George Beaton, 2022)</em></p> <p>But what is professionalism, how is it faring today and what are the implications for professionals, professional services firms and related organisations and institutions?</p> <p>These are just some of the important issues that George Beaton addresses in his second white paper aptly titled, <strong>‘<a href="https://www.professions.org.au/wp-content/uploads/Why-Professionalism-Matters-more-than-ever-George-Beaton-2022.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Why professionalism matters more than ever</a>’ </strong> focusing on the key attributes that have always defined and distinguished them: altruism, ethics and trustworthiness.</p> <p><em><strong><a href="https://professions.org.au/wp-content/uploads/Why-Professionalism-Matters-more-than-ever-George-Beaton-2022.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener" title="">Read the new White Paper here</a>!</strong></em></p> <p><br><em>If you would like more information or wish to cite the above definitions, please <a href="https://professions.org.au/wp-content/uploads/What-is-a-Profession-Australian-Council-of-Professions.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener" title="">download our information sheet</a>. If you have other questions, please contact us on 1300 664 587 or CEO@Professions.org.au.</em></p> </div> </article> </main> </div> </div>  </div> <footer class="site-footer" id="colophon" itemtype="https://schema.org/WPFooter" itemscope="itemscope" itemid="#colophon"> <div class="site-below-footer-wrap ast-builder-grid-row-container site-footer-focus-item ast-builder-grid-row-full ast-builder-grid-row-tablet-full ast-builder-grid-row-mobile-full ast-footer-row-stack ast-footer-row-tablet-stack ast-footer-row-mobile-stack" data-section="section-below-footer-builder"> <div class="ast-builder-grid-row-container-inner"> <div class="ast-builder-footer-grid-columns site-below-footer-inner-wrap ast-builder-grid-row"> <div class="site-footer-below-section-1 site-footer-section site-footer-section-1"> <div class="ast-builder-layout-element ast-flex site-footer-focus-item ast-footer-copyright" data-section="section-footer-builder"> <div class="ast-footer-copyright"><p><strong>©2025 Australian Council of Professions | <a href="https://professions.org.au/privacy-policy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Privacy Policy</a>| <a href="https://professions.org.au/site-map" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Site Overview</a> | <a href="https://professions.org.au/sitemap.rss" target="_blank" rel="noopener">RSS</a></strong><br /> <i>We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the lands upon which we work and pay our respects to their Elders past and present.</i></p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </footer> </div> <div id="ast-scroll-top" tabindex="0" class="ast-scroll-top-icon ast-scroll-to-top-right" data-on-devices="both"> <span class="ast-icon icon-arrow"><svg class="ast-arrow-svg" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" version="1.1" x="0px" y="0px" width="26px" height="16.043px" viewBox="57 35.171 26 16.043" enable-background="new 57 35.171 26 16.043" xml:space="preserve"> <path d="M57.5,38.193l12.5,12.5l12.5-12.5l-2.5-2.5l-10,10l-10-10L57.5,38.193z" /> </svg></span> <span class="screen-reader-text">Scroll to Top</span> </div> <style id='core-block-supports-inline-css'> .wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-1{justify-content:center;} </style> <script id="wpo_min-footer-0-js-extra"> var astra = {"break_point":"921","isRtl":"","is_scroll_to_id":"1","is_scroll_to_top":"1","is_header_footer_builder_active":"1","responsive_cart_click":"flyout"}; </script> <script src="https://professions.org.au/wp-content/cache/wpo-minify/1739381247/assets/wpo-minify-footer-6a830773.min.js" id="wpo_min-footer-0-js"></script> <script> /(trident|msie)/i.test(navigator.userAgent)&&document.getElementById&&window.addEventListener&&window.addEventListener("hashchange",function(){var t,e=location.hash.substring(1);/^[A-z0-9_-]+$/.test(e)&&(t=document.getElementById(e))&&(/^(?:a|select|input|button|textarea)$/i.test(t.tagName)||(t.tabIndex=-1),t.focus())},!1); </script> </body> </html>