NOTES
ABOUT THIS PUBLICATION
This publication presents information about the educational experience of persons aged 15-64 years, especially in relation to their labour force status.
Statistics in this publication were collected in May 2005 as a supplement to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) monthly Labour Force Survey.
Information collected in the survey includes; participation in education in selected previous years, and in the survey month; labour force characteristics; type of educational institution; level of education of current and previous study; highest year of school completed; level of highest non-school qualification; level of highest educational attainment; unmet demand for education in current year; and selected characteristics of apprentices.
CHANGES IN THIS ISSUE
The scope of the Survey of Education and Work (SEW) was changed in 2005. Boarding school pupils, who had been included in earlier years, are out of scope of the 2005 collection. This has had a slight impact on the statistics presented in many of the tables in this publication. For further information on the change in scope, see paragraph 10 of the Explanatory Notes.
CLASSIFICATION OF EDUCATION
The Australian Standard Classification of Education (ASCED) (cat. no. 1272.0) was introduced into ABS collections in 2001. It replaced a number of education classifications used prior to 2001 for data from the various sectors of the Australian education system, including the Australian Bureau of Statistics Classification of Qualifications (ABSCQ) (cat. no. 1262.0). ASCED comprises two classifications: Level of Education and Field of Education. For further details, see paragraphs 18-23 of the Explanatory Notes.
ROUNDING
As estimates have been rounded, discrepancies may occur between sums of the component items and totals.
INQUIRIES
For further information about these and related statistics, contact the National Information and Referral Service on 1300 135 070 or Terri Jamieson on Canberra (02) 6252 5267.
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
PARTICIPATION
In May 2005, there were 13,296,300 persons aged 15-64 years in the scope of the survey, of whom 2,420,600 (18%) were enrolled in a course of study. Approximately 896,600 (37%) of these enrolled persons were attending a Higher education institution, 695,000 (29%) were at school, 546,200 (23%) were at Technical and Further Education (TAFE) institutions, and 282,800 (12%) were at other educational institutions.
Of persons enrolled in a course of study in May 2005, 53% were females, 43% were aged 15-19 years, and 63% were studying full time.
Study leading to a qualification
Approximately 2,318,800 (96%) persons who were enrolled in a course of study were enrolled in a course leading to a qualification.
The proportion of persons aged 15-64 years enrolled in a course leading to a qualification increased slightly from 16% in May 1995 to 17% in May 2005. This change is not statistically significant.
Of persons who were enrolled in a course leading to a qualification, more than one in four (28%) were studying for a Bachelor Degree, of whom 48% were aged between 20 and 24 years, and 26% were aged between 15 and 19 years.
Other than Mixed field programmes, which includes persons studying for Year 12 or below, the most commonly reported main field of education of current study for persons enrolled in a course leading to a qualification was Management and commerce (18%), followed by Society and culture (12%).
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT
Level of highest non-school qualification
The proportion of persons with a non-school qualification increased from 41% in May 1995 to 51% in May 2005. Persons attaining a Bachelor Degree or above underwent the greatest increase (12% in May 1995 to 20% in May 2005). The proportion of persons whose highest non-school qualification was an Advanced Diploma or below increased from 29% in 1995 to 31% in 2005.
Among the 6,847,400 persons with a non-school qualification, the most commonly reported fields of education for the highest non-school qualification were Management and commerce (23%), and Engineering and related technologies (19%).
Of persons with a non-school qualification, 82% were employed, compared to 63% without a non-school qualification. Of employed persons with a non-school qualification, 77% were full-time workers, compared to 64% of employed persons without a non-school qualification.
Level of highest educational attainment
Approximately 27% of persons aged 15-64 years reported their level of highest educational attainment as being Year 10 or below. The level of highest educational attainment of a further 20% was Year 12, while 20% had a Bachelor Degree or higher as their highest educational attainment, and 15% had a Certificate III or IV.
STARTING A COURSE OF STUDY
Approximately 364,500 persons who were not enrolled in a course of study leading to a qualification in 2004 were enrolled in a course of study leading to a qualification in May 2005. Of this group, 31% were aged between 25 and 34 years and a further 22% were aged 20-24 years, 57% were female, while over two-thirds (70%) were employed. Of these starters who were employed, 65% worked full time.
LEAVING A COURSE OF STUDY
Approximately 972,300 persons who were enrolled in a course of study leading to a qualification in 2004 were not enrolled in a course of study leading to a qualification in May 2005. Of this group, 24% were aged between 25 and 34 years, 22% were aged 20-24 years, and 83% were employed. Of these leavers who were employed, 74% worked full time.
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