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 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 persons aged 25-29 years for each sex. Source: ABS data available on request, Survey of Education and Work.

ATTAINMENT OF A NON-SCHOOL QUALIFICATION, 15-64 years
	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
Males	53.6	54.2	54.5	54.5	55.3	56.4	56.9	57.4
Females	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 proportion of 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 54% in 2004, 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 48% in 2004, with the largest increase (around 4 percentage points) in those with Certificate III or IV, or with a Bachelor Degree or above.




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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