INTRODUCTION
In recent years there has been increasing focus on raising the educational qualifications of Australia's population to increase labour force productivity. Much of the focus has been on young people, but with an ageing workforce and an increasingly complex economy it has become necessary for governments to ensure that education pathways exist to allow individuals of all ages to acquire new skills and relevant qualifications. The result of this has been not only a rise in the overall qualification levels of the community but also a rise in the proportion of the population with multiple qualifications. Between 2001 and 2009 the proportion of people aged 25-64 years in Australia with at least one qualification increased from 54% to 62%, and the proportion with multiple qualifications rose from 20% to 25%.
This analysis uses data from the ABS 2009 Survey of Education and Training to investigate the levels at which qualifications were first attained and the subsequent education pathways people undertook in attaining multiple qualifications. The analysis focuses on people aged 25-64 years.
DATA SOURCE AND DEFINITIONS
Data in this article are drawn from the four-yearly ABS Survey of Education and Training (SET) most recently conducted in 2009. This survey collects detailed information on the qualifications of the Australian population, participation in non-formal learning activities including work-related training and a broad set of socio-demographic characteristics. Information from the ABS Survey of Education and Training complements that available from the annual ABS Survey of Education and Work (SEW).
Higher education comprises Bachelor degrees (Pass and Honours), Graduate Diplomas, Graduate Certificates, Master degrees, Doctorates and other postgraduate degrees. Vocational education comprises Certificates I to IV, Diplomas and Advanced Diplomas. This article focuses on vocational and higher education qualifications that were identified as such in the survey and therefore the small group of people who had qualifications that could only be classified as 'Certificate not further defined' or whose level of qualification could not be determined were excluded from the total with a qualification. As a consequence, data presented here may differ slightly from results published in Education and Training Experience, Australia, 2009 (cat. no. 6278.0). |
|
Print Page
Print All