NON-SCHOOL QUALIFICATION


KEY SERIES

ATTAINMENT OF FORMAL QUALIFICATION AT CERTIFICATE III OR ABOVE(a), 25-29 years
	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	(b)2010	2011	2012
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
Males	53.3	53.5	55.1	56.1	57.9	59.1	60.8	62.1	59.8	65.4
Females	50.6	53.7	56.4	55.3	60.2	61.0	65.2	63.2	67.2	66.5
(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. (b) 2010 data revised since last publication. Source: ABS data available on request, Survey of Education and Work.

RELATED SERIES

ATTAINMENT OF BACHELOR DEGREE OR ABOVE(a), 25-29 years
	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	(b)2010	2011	2012
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
Males	23.1	22.2	26.5	26.0	27.7	28.5	30.3	29.9	29.8	31.8
Females	29.3	32.8	33.0	32.7	35.7	36.0	40.5	38.1	41.0	39.2
(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. (b) 2010 data revised since last publication. Source: ABS data available on request, Survey of Education and Work.

ATTAINMENT OF A NON-SCHOOL QUALIFICATION(a), 15-64 years
	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	(b)2010	2011	2012
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
Males	52.5	53.6	54.2	54.5	54.5	55.3	56.4	56.9	57.4	59.6
Females	45.6	48.1	48.9	50.4	50.6	52.6	53.6	54.6	55.7	58.0
(a) Males and females who have attained a non-school qualification as a proportion of total persons aged 15-64 years for each sex. (b) 2010 data revised since last publication. Source: ABS data available on request, Survey of Education and Work.

COMMENTARY

In 2012, similar proportions of women and men aged 25-29 years (66% and 65% respectively) attained a formal qualification at the Certificate level III or above. In contrast, the proportion of women aged 25-29 years who had attained a Bachelor Degree or above (39%) was higher than that for men (32%).

The 25-29 year age group was selected as people younger than this are likely to either not have commenced or still be completing a qualification.

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. Between 2003 to 2012, the proportion of females aged 25-29 years attaining such a qualification rose 16 percentage points compared to a rise of 12 percentage points for males. However, the difference between the men and women over this time period has remained similar.



For the 30-34 year age group the proportion of women who attained a formal qualification at Certificate III or above was 69% in 2012, up from 45% in 2003, while for men the proportion rose from 56% in 2003 to 68% in 2012.

ATTAINMENT OF A BACHELOR DEGREE OR ABOVE

From 2003 to 2012, in the 25-29 year age group, the proportion of women with a Bachelor Degree or above rose from 29% to 39%, and from 26% to 42% in the 30-34 year age group. For men in the 25-29 year and 30-34 year age groups, the rise was from 23% to 32% and from 22% to 35% respectively.

ATTAINMENT OF A NON-SCHOOL QUALIFICATION

In 2012, 60% of men and 58% 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 53% in 2003, 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 46% in 2003, with the largest increases (around 5 percentage points) in those with Certificate III or IV, or with a Bachelor Degree.




In 2012, the most common main field of highest non-school qualification for women was Management and commerce (29%), followed by Society and culture (19%), Health (15%), and Education (10%). For men the most common main field was Engineering and related technologies (29%), followed by Management and commerce (20%), 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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