For the first time, student enrolment data for the vocational education and training (VET) and higher education sectors are now available in one publication.
Released by the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER), the publication Tertiary education and training in Australia 2009 provides an overview of educational activity across the tertiary sector.
“This publication gives us a much better understanding of the similarities between the two sectors and their points of difference”, said Ms Sandra Pattison, General Manager, Statistics, NCVER.
In 2009, of the 113 100 equivalent full-time students studying a diploma qualification, 96 400 were enrolled with a VET provider and 16 700 were enrolled with a higher education provider.
The majority of VET and university business still comes from their established positions. In 2009, the majority of the VET sector’s business came from people studying certificate level qualifications; 69.3% of equivalent full-time students were enrolled in certificate I-IV qualifications. In contrast, almost three quarters (73.6%) of equivalent full-time university students were enrolled in a Bachelor degree.
Students enrolled in the VET sector come from all walks of life, from those who are most disadvantaged to those who are least, while the higher education sector has a greater concentration of students from less disadvantaged backgrounds.
Copies of Tertiary education and training in Australia 2009 are available from www.ncver.edu.au/publications/2385.html
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