University degrees on the rise for women

A HIGHER proportion of women in their early 30s are university educated, a new report from the Central Statistics Office found.

It shows 60pc of women aged between 30 and 34 had a third-level qualification, compared to 46pc of men of the same age group.

However, there was little difference in older age groups in terms of third-level qualifications. There was a

2pc difference between men

(32pc) and women (34pc) aged between 55 and 59.

Younger age groups reported the highest levels of third-level attainment, reflecting increased levels of participation over time, according to the latest figures.

Employment

One of the key findings of the ‘Educational Attainment Thematic Report’ was that people with a third-level qualification had an employment rate of 85pc in the second quarter of 2017, compared with a rate of 35pc for those with primary or no formal education.

Those with primary or no formal education were over four times more likely to be unemployed (14pc) when compared to those with a third-level qualification

(3pc).

The statistics revealed that the number of people with a third-level qualification is rising.

In the second quarter of

2017, some 45pc of 25- to

64-year-olds had a third-level qualification, compared to

36pc in the same period in

2009. Commenting on the report, statistician Helen McGrath said: “Educational attainment impacts on employment outcomes.”