 EDUCATION
Non-School Qualifications
Non-school qualifications are generally obtained through the successful completion of vocational education and training and/or higher education at universities. Although some vocational education and training can be completed at secondary school, a better picture of those who have non-school qualifications is obtained when we look at the age group 25-64 years.
In the 2006 Census, 26% of Indigenous people aged 25-64 years reported having a non-school qualification, an increase from 20% in 2001. The majority of this increase was at the Certificate/Diploma level (from 14% to 20%).
There was only a slight increase in the proportion of those with a Bachelor Degree or above (from 4% to 5%). Over the same period the proportion of non-Indigenous people with a non-school qualification also increased, from 42% to 47%.
There was no difference in the proportion of Indigenous males and females who had a non-school qualification in 2006, however, Indigenous people were much less likely to have a non-school qualification, compared with non-Indigenous people (26% compared to 47% respectively).
Persons aged 25-64 years with a Non-School Qualification (a)
by Indigenous status and sex, 2006
 | Indigenous (%) | Non-Indigenous (%) |
Males | Females | Males | Females |
| Higher than Bachelor degree | 1.0 | 1.4 | 5.9 | 5.9 |
| Bachelor degree | 2.9 | 5.0 | 14.3 | 16.8 |
| Advanced Diploma or Diploma | 3.1 | 5.3 | 7.8 | 10.3 |
| Certificate III and IV level | 15.8 | 8.3 | 25.8 | 8.5 |
| Certificate I and II level | 1.4 | 2.5 | 0.7 | 1.6 |
| Certificate not further defined(b) | 1.2 | 2.0 | 1.4 | 2.7 |
| Not stated or inadequately stated | 17.6 | 13.9 | 6.2 | 7.3 |
| No non-school qualifications | 57.1 | 61.7 | 37.9 | 46.8 |
(a) As a percentage of persons 25-64 years.
(b) Not further defined. This is used when a respondent has not provided adequate information for the coding of a more detailed classification.
Source: 2006 Census of Population and Housing, Australia, 2006
Persons (a) aged 25-64 years with a Non-School Qualification (b) by Indigenous status, 2006
(a) As a percentage of persons aged 25-64 years.
(b) Excludes Level of education, inadequately described or not stated.
Source: Population Characteristics, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, Australia, 2006 (cat. no. 4713.0).
In the 2006 Census, Indigenous persons living in Major Cities were more than two and a half times as likely to obtain a non-school qualification than those living in Very Remote areas (39% and 15% respectively). Indigenous people in non-remote areas were more likely to have a non-school qualification than Indigenous people in remote areas.
A different pattern is seen for non-Indigenous persons. The highest percentage (58%) of non-Indigenous persons with a non-school qualification is found in the Major Cities (as it is with Indigenous persons). However in Very Remote areas 48.6% of non-Indigenous persons have a non-school qualification, which is higher than the percentage in Outer Regional or Remote areas.
Persons aged 25-64 years with Non-School Qualification (a) by
Remoteness Area by Indigenous status, 2006
| | Major Cities | Inner Regional | Outer Regional | Remote | Very Remote |
| Indigenous | % | 38.8 | 34.2 | 28.6 | 22.7 | 15.2 |
| Non-Indigenous | % | 57.9 | 50.8 | 46.7 | 46.4 | 48.6 |
(a) As a percentage of persons 25-64 years, but excluding those who did not state whether they had a qualification or not.
Source: 2006 Census of Population and Housing, Australia, 2006
Persons aged 25-64 years with Non-School Qualification (a) by
Remoteness Area by Indigenous status, 2006
(a) As a percentage of persons 25-64 years, but excluding those who did not state whether they had a qualification or not.
Source: 2006 Census of Population and Housing, Australia, 2006.
Further Information:
2006 Census of Population and Housing, Australia, 2006
Population Characteristics, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, Australia, 2006 (cat. no. 4713.0)
Health and Welfare of Australia's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, 2008 (cat. no. 4704.0).
School Attendance
Highest School Qualification
Non-School Qualifications
Education and Employment
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