The Minister for Education, Julia Gillard, has welcomed the release of the Australian Council of Education Research (ACER) report on VET Pathways Taken by School Leavers written by David D Curtis.
The report reveals that school leavers who participate in Vocational Education and Training (VET) are more likely to succeed in their careers, as they increase their employment prospects and earning power.
The study followed more than 6000 Year 9 students in 1995, through education and training pathways commenced by age 20 and onto their labour market outcomes at age 23. By the end of the study in 2004, most had entered the workforce.
The study showed that by age 23, young people who had undertaken VET programs were more likely to be in full-time employment than those who had not undertaken any post-school study.
69 per cent of those who had not undertaken any post-school study were in full-time employment compared with 91 per cent of participants in apprenticeship courses, 81 per cent of participants in traineeships, and 75 per cent of participants in non-apprenticeship VET programs.
Apprenticeships were taken predominantly by males (85 per cent) who did not complete Year 12 while most traineeship participants were female (60 per cent) and 24 per cent of Indigenous young people had participated in a traineeship by age 20 compared with 9 per cent of non-Indigenous young people.
ACER’s report on VET Pathways is a valuable addition to the evidence on transitions from school through tertiary education and training and into work.
It shows that VET programs provide important pathways that can lead to improved employment opportunities for young people.
The Rudd Government is investing $2.5 billion in Trades Training Centres in Schools to help ensure that young Australians are equipped with knowledge and skills they need.
The Rudd Government is also committed to reforming the nation’s vocational education and training system to drive productivity growth, increase workforce participation and address skills shortages.
The Rudd Government is committed to establishing a flexible national training system that has meeting the needs of industry and students as its central priority.
The ACER report was produced under the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth program, funded by the Australian Government with support from the states and territories.
LSAY research report no. 52, VET Pathways Taken by School Leavers, by David D Curtis, is available on the Australian Council of Education Research website, www.acer.edu.au/news