NON-SCHOOL QUALIFICATION


KEY SERIES

ATTAINMENT OF FORMAL QUALIFICATION AT CERTIFICATE III OR ABOVE (a), 25-29 years
	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
Males	53.9	53.3	53.5	55.1	56.1	57.9	59.1	60.8	62.2	59.8
Females	49.4	50.6	53.7	56.4	55.3	60.2	61.0	65.2	63.2	67.2
(a) Males and females who have attained a formal qualification at Certificate III or above as a proportion of total persons in 25-29 years age group for each sex. Source: ABS data available on request, Survey of Education and Work.

RELATED SERIES

ATTAINMENT OF BACHELOR DEGREE OR ABOVE, 25-29 years
	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
Males	21.8	23.1	22.2	26.5	26.0	27.7	28.5	30.3	30.0	29.8
Females	29.2	29.3	32.8	33.0	32.7	35.7	36.0	40.5	38.3	41.0
(a) Males and females who have attained a Bachelor Degree or above as a proportion of total persons in 25-29 years age group for each sex. Source: ABS data available on request, Survey of Education and Work.

ATTAINMENT OF A NON-SCHOOL QUALIFICATION, 15-64 years
	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
Males	51.2	52.5	53.6	54.2	54.5	54.5	55.3	56.4	56.9	57.4
Females	45.2	45.6	48.1	48.9	50.4	50.6	52.6	53.6	54.5	55.7
(a) Males and females who have attained a non-school qualification as a proportion of total persons aged 15-64 years for each sex. Source: ABS data available on request, Survey of Education and Work.

COMMENTARY

In 2011, more women aged 25-29 years (67%) had attained a formal qualification at the Certificate level III or above compared to men of the same age (60%). The proportion of women aged 25-29 years who had attained a Bachelor Degree or above (41%) was also higher than for men (30%).

Education contributes to economic growth and improves individual wellbeing. Higher levels of educational attainment are associated with increased employment opportunities and higher wage rates. (Endnote 1) Attainment of a non-school qualification (vocational or higher education qualification) also has a number of benefits. It allows individuals to engage with society, and may lead to fulfilling and rewarding careers. (Endnote 2)

ATTAINMENT OF A FORMAL QUALIFICATION AT CERTIFICATE III OR ABOVE

The formal qualification at Certificate III or above includes attainment of a Certificate III, Certificate IV, Diploma, an Advanced Diploma, Bachelor Degree, Graduate Diploma, Graduate Certificate, or Postgraduate Degree.

The changes over time in male and female attainment of a formal qualification at the Certificate level III or above may be a good indicator of how gender roles are changing over time in Australia. From 2002 to 2011, the proportion of females aged 25-29 years attaining a qualification at Certificate III or above rose 18 percentage points compared to a rise of 6 percentage points for males.



For the 30-34 year age group the proportion of women who had attained a formal qualification at Certificate III or above was 63% in 2011, up from 44% in 2002, while for men the proportion rose from 55% in 2002 to 64% in 2011.

ATTAINMENT OF A BACHELOR DEGREE OR ABOVE

From 2002 to 2011, in the 25-29 year age group, the proportion of women with a Bachelor Degree or above rose from 29% to 41%, and from 25% to 40% in the 30-34 year age group. For men in the 25-29 year and 30-34 year age groups, the rise was from 22% to 30% and from 23% to 30% respectively over the nine year period.

ATTAINMENT OF A NON-SCHOOL QUALIFICATION

In 2011, 57% of men and 56% of women aged 15-64 years held a non-school qualification. The proportion of men aged 15-64 years with a non-school qualification rose from 51% in 2002, reflecting an increase in the proportion of men with a Bachelor Degree or above. For women in this age group, the proportion with a non-school qualification rose from 45% in 2002, with the largest increases (around 5 percentage points) in those with Certificate III or IV, or with a Bachelor Degree.




In 2011, the most common main field of highest non-school qualification for women was Management and Commerce (29%), followed by Society and Culture (19%), Health (16%), and Education (11%). For men the most common main field was Engineering and Related Technologies (31%), followed by Management and Commerce (19%), Architecture and Building (11%), and Society and Culture (9%).

ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER PEOPLES

Education has been a major focus in the strategy to ‘close the gap’ between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians and non-Indigenous Australians. (Endnote 3)

In 2008, about a third of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men and women aged 15-64 years had attained a non-school qualification, up from 27% in 2002. For those aged 25-29 years, 26% of men and 23% of women had attained a Certificate III or above in 2008.

By 2008 the proportions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women with a Certificate III or IV qualification had risen by six percentage points, compared to 2002.
ENDNOTES

1. Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2008, Australian Social Trends, 2008 (cat. no. 4102.0) <www.abs.gov.au>.
2. Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2010, Measures of Australia's Progress, 2010 (cat. no. 1370.0) <www.abs.gov.au>.
3. Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2011, Australian Social Trends, Mar 2011 (cat. no. 4102.0) <www.abs.gov.au>.


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