Equity in VET: Participation, Achievement and Transitions Sheldon Rothman Principal Research Fellow

National Report on Social Equity in VET Baseline information on participation, achievement and transitions for six groups: Indigenous Australians people with a disability people from a CALD background people living in remote areas people from low SES backgrounds women plus intersections where possible

National Report on Social Equity in VET Baseline information on participation, achievement and transitions for ‘second chance learners’: less than Year 12 or equivalent returning to learning after a long period of absence from study and/or work re-skilling following redundancy involved in the criminal justice system of working age who are neither working nor studying (older workers aged 55-64)

Summary indicators: participation Representation

Summary indicators: participation Percentage of the population

Summary indicators: participation Enrolled at Certificate III or above

Summary indicators: Achievement Load Pass Rate

Summary indicators: Transitions Improved employment

Summary indicators: Transitions Graduates employed after training

Selected learner groups Indigenous Australians Participation rate more than 2 times the rate of non- Indigenous Australians Percentage of enrolments at Certificate I/II and in non- award courses much higher than for other groups Participation rate at Certificate III and above same as for non-Indigenous Australians

Selected learner groups Indigenous Australians Apprenticeship completions

Selected learner groups Culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds Participation in VET for persons born overseas highest among those who speak another language at home Persons from new and emerging communities tend to enrol at lower certificate levels and have lower completion rates Persons from new and emerging communities are less likely to undertake an apprenticeship or traineeship Persons who do not speak English well are more likely to enrol in further study and less likely to enter the labour force compared to those who speak English well

Selected learner groups CALD: new and emerging communities Field of education

Selected learner groups Certificate completed by SEIFA quintile

Selected learner groups Completers and non-completers of Year 12

Selected learner groups ‘Second chance learners’ Close to 60% of VET participants had not completed Year 12 – Most studying at Certificate III or below – Most were studying for employment-related reasons Among older workers, the most common reasons for undertaking VET study was to gain extra work skills for their current job—sometimes required, sometimes not—and to get a job

Summary What the report tells us VET provides a wide range of opportunities to learners in a wide range of circumstances – Improve or update skills – Acquire new skills to change careers – Ongoing personal or professional development Participation rates for equity groups higher than national average for participation in VET – Levels of qualification vary by group – Levels of achievement vary by group

by Sheldon Rothman, Chandra Shah, Catherine Underwood, Julie McMillan, Justin Brown and Phil McKenzie for the National VET Equity Advisory Council