Post-school education on the rise

AUSTRALIANS are upskilling like never before, with 56 per cent of Australians aged

15 and over – about 9.6 million people – holding post-school qualifications, an increase of 10 per cent since 2006.

Geographically speaking, 2016 was the first time the Census reported more than half the population aged 15 and over in each State and Territory had held a post-school qualification, with the ACT leading the way with the highest proportion of qualified people (65 per cent).

Tasmania had the lowest proportion with

51 per cent.

Census program manager Bindi Kindermann said attaining a university qualification remained an achievement Australians strive for, with 24 per cent of youths and adults in the 2016 Census having completed a Bachelor’s Degree or above, up from 18 per cent a decade ago.

“The Census has also revealed that those who go on to study at university aren’t necessarily stopping with just a Bachelor Degree, with more people than ever achieving Postgraduate qualifications,” Ms Kindermann said.

The number of people with Postgraduate Degree qualifications increased from 631,000 in 2011 to 921,000 in 2016; a jump of 46 per cent.

Federal Education and Training minister Simon Birmingham said the growing proportion of Australians with post-secondary qualifications was paying dividends.

“Australians understand the value of education and we’re backing them every step of the way,” Mr Birmingham said.

“Having more highly skilled Australians helps create more high-skilled opportunities.”

Further improvements

There had also been a 15 per cent rise in the proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander persons between the ages of 20 and 24 who had completed year 12.

Census data showed 47 per cent of had reported completing secondary studies, compared with 32 per cent in 2006.

There was also further growth across different levels of education attained.

The number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander persons in the Census holding Certificate III and IV level qualifications rose from 28,200 in 2006, to 70,900 in 2016, an increase of more than 150 per cent.

Those persons aged between 15 and

64 attending university or another tertiary institution more than doubled from 7000 in

2006, (2.6 per cent of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population) to 15,400 in 2016 (3.9 per cent).

The Census results also showed that the highest Year 12 completion rates in 2016 were in the ACT (57 per cent) and QLD

(42 per cent) while the Northern Territory had the lowest proportion (22 per cent).mr Birmingham said the strong improvements in education outcomes for Indigenous Australians were encouraging but more work needed to be done.

“We know that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders can face additional hurdles in the education system,” Mr Birmingham said.

“The Turnbull Government has been taking action across a variety of areas in Indigenous education including the Think Your Way portal to give students information on higher education and $5.75 million for the Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience to support 6000 more students to stay in school and complete their studies.

“Our new schools funding arrangements will also increase support for Indigenous students with an additional $4.3 billion over the coming decade.

“Ultimately, everything we’re doing is about helping more Indigenous students to finish year 12, to go on to further education or training and into employment.”

“Having more highly skilled Australians helps create more high-skilled opportunities.”