PARTICIPATION


In May 2013, it was estimated that, of the 15.5 million people aged 15-64 years in Australia, 2.9 million, or 19%, were enrolled in formal study. This comprised 2.1 million people undertaking a non-school qualification and 813,600 undertaking school level study. Of those people enrolled in formal study:

• 53% were female
• 41% were aged 15-19 years and 24% were aged 20-24 years
• 66% were enrolled full time
• 25% were born overseas and
• 5.7% held a current student visa. (Table 1)

Approximately 1.2 million (40%) were attending a higher education institution, 828,600 (29%) were at school, 528,800 (18%) were at Technical and Further Education (TAFE) institutions and 381,800 (13%) were at other educational institutions. (Table 1)

The proportion of people aged 15-64 years who were enrolled in formal study increased from 17% in May 2001 to 19% in May 2013. Of females aged 15-64 years, the proportion enrolled in formal study rose from approximately 17% in 2001 to 20% in 2013. Male enrolments increased from 17% in 2001 to 18% over the same time period. (Table 2)


More than one third (39%) of people aged 15-64 years who were enrolled in a non-school qualification were studying for a Bachelor Degree. Of people studying for a Bachelor Degree, almost three quarters were aged less than 25 years (47% were aged 20-24 years and 26% were aged 15-19 years). (Table 3)

More females than males were studying at every level of non-school education, other than Certificate III or IV. Of males enrolled in a non-school qualification 29% were studying for a Certificate III or IV, compared with 22% of females. (Table 3)

As in previous years, the most commonly reported main field of study for people aged 15-64 years enrolled in a non-school qualification was Management and commerce (24%), followed by Society and culture (20%). People studying Information technology decreased from 8.5% in 2001 to 3.0% in 2013, while the proportion of people studying Health increased from 8.7% to 13% over the same period. (Table 7)


More females than males were studying in the fields of Society and culture (288,000 and 128,000 respectively) while one-fifth (22%) of males were studying Engineering and related technologies, compared with 2.0% of females. Of the 161,200 people aged 15-64 years enrolled in the field of Education, 77% were female. (Tables 4)