1344.8.55.001 - ACT Stats, 2005  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 15/02/2005   
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MEDIA RELEASE

February 15, 2005
Embargoed: 11:30 AM (AEST)
17/2005

ACT most qualified in the nation, says ABS

Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) analysis confirms the ACT as leading the nation in terms of people with non-school qualifications (e.g. TAFE certificate, bachelor degree).

In the ACT 58% of people aged 15-64 had a non-school qualification as at May 2004, compared to the national figure of 51%. The information released today was part of further analysis from the publication Education & Work, Australia (cat. no. 6227.0) released in December 2004.

Nearly 50,000 ACT people were enrolled in a course of study, of which 18% were not Australian born. Females accounted for 54% of ACT enrolments.

Nearly everyone (97%) studying in the ACT was enrolled in a course of study which led to a qualification. A third of enrolments were for a bachelor degree, the most common form of study.

Other highlights include:
    • More females than males have completed courses of study at the bachelor degree level, but more males than females have completed postgraduate studies.
    • Of those enrolled in a course of study, 29% were employed full-time and 38% were employed part-time. A further 4% were unemployed and 29% were not in the labour force.
    • Compared with the national figure of 19%, the ACT had 30% of people with a bachelor degree or above.
Further information is available in Education and the ACT (cat. no. 1344.8.55.001).