EDUCATION

Education contributes to individual wellbeing and economic growth. Higher levels of educational attainment are associated with increased employment opportunities and higher wages, and contribute to improving Australia's economic standing. The changing structure and growth of the Australian economy has increased the demand for a diverse, skilled workforce, with higher levels of educational attainment required to meet this demand.


Level of highest educational attainment

The indicator of educational progress used in this chapter measures the attainment of formal non-school qualifications. The statistics relating to educational attainment relate to people aged 15 years and over.

In 2006, more than one-third (34%) of the 1.6 million people aged 15 years and over living in the MDB held at least one non-school qualification (as reported in the Census), lower than the national rate of 37% (table 2.12). Of these, more than 204,000 people held a Bachelor degree or higher, 96,000 people held an Advanced diploma or Diploma, and 240,000 people held a Certificate level qualification - a group which includes the traditional trade qualifications.

2.12 Level of highest non-school qualification(a) - 2006
		Murray-Darling Basin		Australia
		Population	Proportion of total persons	Population	Proportion of total persons
		no.	%	no.	%
With non-school qualification
	Postgraduate degree	31 960	2.0	412 270	2.6
	Graduate diploma and Graduate certificate	25 130	1.6	228 150	1.4
	Bachelor degree	146 970	9.3	1 836 610	11.6
	Advanced diploma and Diploma	96 140	6.1	1 128 220	7.1
	Certificate	240 270	15.2	2 284 590	14.4
	Total	540 470	34.1	5 889 840	37.1
Without non-school qualification		835 700	52.7	7 760 700	48.9
Total persons aged 15 years and over(b)		1 583 390	100.0	15 879 920	100.0
(a) Persons aged 15 years and over.
(b) Includes persons who did not state or inadequately described their qualifications.
Source: ABS data available on request, ABS Census on Population and Housing, 2006

As with Australia, the educational attainment of people living in the MDB has increased over the last decade. Between 1996 and 2006 the number of people holding a non-school qualification increased by 36%. The increase mostly reflected the increase in the proportion of people whose level of highest non-school qualification was a Bachelor degree or higher which increased by 42% since 1996 (compared to a 57% rise for Australia).

In 2006, more males than females in the MDB held a non-school qualification (38% and 30% respectively), although females were more likely to have a Bachelor degree or higher than males (14% and 11% respectively). The most common level of highest non-school qualification held by males was a Certificate (22%) (graph 2.13).

Field of study

The most common fields of study of people in the MDB with a non-school qualification were Engineering and related technologies (20%), Management and commerce (14%) and Society and culture (12%). While Agriculture was not as common (4%), its proportion in the MDB was much higher than the national rate (1%) (table 2.14).

2.14 Selected fields of study(a) - 2006
	Murray-Darling Basin		Australia
	Number	Proportion of total persons(a)	Number	Proportion of total persons(a)
	no.	%	no.	%
Engineering and related technologies	107 530	19.9	1 259 300	21.4
Management and commerce	74 130	13.7	1 026 610	17.4
Society and culture	65 980	12.2	659 980	11.2
Education	61 570	11.4	584 180	9.9
Health	60 300	11.2	604 850	10.3
Agriculture	18 730	3.5	59 480	1.0
Horticulture and viticulture	6 920	1.3	53 150	0.9
Other fields of study(b)	145 300	26.9	1 642 290	27.9
Total persons with a non-school qualification(c)	540 470	100.0	5 889 840	100.0
(a) Persons aged 15 years and over and with a non-school qualification.
(b) Includes Natural and physical sciences, Information technology, Architecture and building, Other agriculture, environmental and related sciences etc.
(c) Components may not add to total due to rounding.
Source: ABS data available on request, ABS Census of Population and Housing, 2006

The level of qualification attained by people varies depending on their field of study. Some fields of study are more likely to result in Bachelor degrees, however, other fields were more likely to result in Certificate or Diploma level qualifications (graph 2.15). For people whose highest non-school qualification was a Bachelor degree or higher, the most common fields of study were Education (21%), Society and culture (20%), Health (17%) and Management and commerce (14%). For those with Certificate and Diploma level qualifications, the most common field of study was Engineering and related studies (29%); followed by Management and commerce (14%). There were more holders of Certificates/Diplomas (4%) than Bachelor degrees or higher (2%) who were educated in Agriculture.

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