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NAME OF COLLECTION
Training Practices Survey

Contact
Training Practices Survey Dissemination Manager
National Centre for Education and Training Statistics
Australian Bureau of Statistics
Locked Bag 10
BELCONNEN ACT 2616

Telephone: Canberra 02 6252 7960
Facsimile: Canberra 02 6252 8013
Email: ncets@abs.gov.au
Web site: <www.abs.gov.au>

Purpose
To provide statistical information about the type of training employers provided to their employees.

Description
The sample survey covered employers in all states and territories and all industries except for those primarily engaged in agriculture, forestry and fishing; private households employing staff; overseas embassies, consulates etc.; and the Australian permanent defence forces.

A sample of approximately 6,000 employers was selected from the Australian Bureau of Statistics register of businesses. The sample was stratified by sector, industry and employer size, and optimally allocated to ensure adequate representation in each of these areas. The survey was designed to produce accurate estimates of total training expenditure at the national and the industry level.

Data were collected by mail questionnaire.

Main data detail
Some of the data items available for the mining industry are:

• change in the overall level of expenditure on structured training provided;
• proportion of employers providing structured training;
• change in the overall level of unstructured training;
• proportion of employers providing unstructured training;
• proportion of employers providing training;
• selected factors limiting expenditure on structured training; and
• type of external providers used for structured training.

Frequency of data availability
Irregular.

Future data can be obtained from the Training Expenditure and Practices Survey (TEPS), which was run in July 2002 with reference to the 2001-02 financial year. The 2002 TEPS is the amalgamation of the 1997 Training Practices Survey (TPS) and the 1996 Training Expenditure Survey, and will contain some key data items from the 1997 TPS. Results from the 2002 TEPS will be released in April 2003.

Reference period
12-month period ending February 1997.

Historical data
The Training Practices Survey (TPS) questionnaire was revised between the 1994 and 1997 surveys to obtain a broader view of training provided by employers, and to target current statistical needs related to employer training. Some additional questions were included, particularly on unstructured training, and some previous questions were removed or updated. These changes to the questionnaire limit comparability with the 1994 TPS in some cases.

Products and services
Publication

• Employer Training Practices, Australia, February 1997 (cat. no. 6356.0)

• A special data service, which allows users to specify their own tables, is available on request.

	TAFE	University	Private training provider	Professional association	Industry association	Equipment manufacturer	Other	Used external training providers	Total
Industry	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
Mining	*40	*29	59	*32	*42	*52	0	99	100
Education	37	38	53	47	23	15	*12	95	100
Health and
community
services	17	20	54	42	26	20	5	93	100