6227.0 - Education and Work, Australia, May 2010 Quality Declaration 
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 24/11/2010   
   Page tools: Print Print Page Print all pages in this productPrint All

EXPLANATORY NOTES


INTRODUCTION

1 The statistics in this publication were compiled from data collected in the Survey of Education and Work (SEW) that was conducted throughout Australia in May 2010 as a supplement to the monthly Labour Force Survey (LFS). Respondents to the LFS who were in scope of the supplementary survey were asked further questions.

2 The SEW provides a range of key indicators of educational participation and attainment of persons aged 15-74 years, along with data on people's transition between education and work. The annual time series allows for ongoing monitoring, and provides a link with the more detailed range of educational indicators available from the four-yearly Survey of Education and Training. Specifically, the supplementary survey provides information on: people presently participating in education; level of highest non-school qualification; level of highest educational attainment; characteristics of people's transition between education and work; and data on apprentices.

3 The publication Labour Force, Australia (cat. no. 6202.0) contains information about survey design, sample redesign, scope, coverage and population benchmarks relevant to the LFS, which also apply to supplementary surveys. It also contains definitions of demographic and labour force characteristics, and information about telephone interviewing relevant to both the LFS and supplementary surveys. For more details on recent changes to the LFS, including the reinstatement of the full LFS sample in 2010, see Information Paper: Labour Force Sample Design, Nov 2007 (cat. no. 6269.0).


CONCEPTS SOURCES AND METHODS

4 The conceptual framework used in Australia's LFS aligns closely with the standards and guidelines set out in Resolutions of the International Conference of Labour Statisticians. Descriptions of the underlying concepts and structure of Australia's labour force statistics, and the sources and methods used in compiling these estimates, are presented in Labour Statistics: Concepts, Sources and Methods, April 2007 (cat. no. 6102.0.55.001) which is available on the ABS website <https://www.abs.gov.au>.


SCOPE

5 The scope of the SEW was restricted to persons aged 15-74 years and excluded the following persons:

  • members of the permanent defence forces;
  • certain diplomatic personnel of overseas governments, customarily excluded from the Census and estimated resident population figures;
  • overseas residents in Australia;
  • members of non-Australian defence forces (and their dependants) stationed in Australia;
  • persons who are permanently unable to work;
  • persons aged 65-74 years who are permanently not intending to work, or not in the labour force, or not marginally attached to the labour force;
  • special dwelling type institutionalised persons (e.g. patients in hospitals, residents of retirement homes, residents of homes for persons with disabilities, inmates of prisons); and
  • special dwelling type boarding school pupils.

6 Boarding school pupils have been excluded from the scope of the SEW since 2005, but were included in earlier collections. The LFS in May 2010 yielded an estimate of 11,500 boarding school pupils aged 15 years and over, who were excluded from the SEW.

7 In 2009, persons aged 65-74 years who were in the labour force, or were marginally attached to the labour force, were interviewed for the first time for SEW. In May 2010 there were an estimated 302,400 persons aged 65-74 years in the labour force or marginally attached to the labour force, out of a total 1,555,000 persons aged 65-74 years. Persons were determined to be marginally attached to the labour force if they were not in the labour force in the reference week, wanted to work and:
  • were actively looking for work but did not meet the availability criteria to be classified as unemployed; or
  • were not actively looking for work but were available to start work within four weeks or could start work within four weeks.

8 This supplementary survey was conducted in both urban and rural areas in all states and territories, but excluded people living in Indigenous communities in very remote parts of Australia. In 2009, persons who live in very remote areas that are not part of the Indigenous Community Frame (ICF) were interviewed for the first time for SEW. Approximately 0.5% of persons in scope of SEW in 2010 live in very remote areas that are not part of the ICF.


COVERAGE

9 The estimates in this publication relate to persons covered by the survey in May 2010. In the LFS, coverage rules are applied which aim to ensure that each person is associated with only one dwelling and hence has only one chance of selection in the survey. See Labour Force, Australia (cat. no. 6202.0) for more details.


SAMPLE SIZE

10 Approximately 96% of the selected households were fully responding to the SEW, which resulted in around 39,800 completed interviews. In 2010 there was a complete reinstatement of the full LFS sample, following reductions due to budgetary reasons in 2009, this resulted in an approximately 24% larger sample size for SEW compared with 2009. For more information see Information Paper: Labour Force Sample Design, Nov 2007 (cat. no. 6269.0).


RELIABILITY OF THE ESTIMATES

11 Estimates in this publication are subject to sampling and non-sampling errors:
  • Sampling error is the difference between the published estimate and the value that would have been produced if all dwellings had been included in the survey. For more details see the Technical Note.
  • Non-sampling errors are inaccuracies that occur because of imperfections in reporting by respondents and interviewers, and errors made in coding and processing data. These inaccuracies may occur in any enumeration, whether it be a full count or a sample. Every effort is made to reduce the non-sampling error to a minimum by careful design of questionnaires, intensive training and supervision of interviewers, and efficient processing procedures.


SEASONAL FACTORS

12 The estimates are based on information collected in the survey month, and due to seasonal factors they may not be representative of other months of the year.


CLASSIFICATIONS

COUNTRY OF BIRTH

13 Country of birth data are classified according to the Standard Australian Classification of Countries (SACC) 1998 (Revision 2.03) (cat. no. 1269.0). Revision 2.03 amends the Standard Australian Classification of Countries, 1998 (cat. no. 1269.0) according to the creation of the independent republics of Montenegro and Serbia; updates to International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and UN classification codes; and valid output code options for some supplementary codes. These revisions have been effective since January 2007.


INDUSTRY

14 Industry data are classified according to the Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification (ANZSIC), 2006 (cat. no. 1292.0).


OCCUPATION

15 Occupation data are classified according to the Australia and New Zealand Standard Classifications of Occupations (ANZSCO), First Edition, 2006 (cat.no. 1220.0).


EDUCATION

16 Education data are coded to the Australian Standard Classification of Education, 2001 (cat. no. 1272.0). The ASCED is a national standard classification which can be applied to all sectors of the Australian education system including schools, vocational education and training and higher education. The ASCED comprises two classifications: Level of Education and Field of Education.

17 Level of Education is defined as a function of the quality and quantity of learning involved in an educational activity. There are nine broad levels, 15 narrow levels and 64 detailed levels. For definitions of these levels see the Australian Standard Classification of Education, 2001 (cat. no. 1272.0).

18 Field of Education is defined as the subject matter of an educational activity. Fields of education are related to each other through the similarity of subject matter, through the broad purpose for which the education is undertaken, and through the theoretical content which underpins the subject matter. There are 12 broad fields, 71 narrow fields and 356 detailed fields. For definitions of these fields see the Australian Standard Classification of Education, 2001 (cat. no. 1272.0).


LEVEL OF HIGHEST EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT

19 Level of highest educational attainment was derived from information on highest year of school completed and level of highest non-school qualification. The derivation process determines which of the 'non-school' or 'school' attainments will be regarded as the highest. Usually the higher ranking attainment is self-evident, but in some cases some secondary education is regarded, for the purposes of obtaining a single measure, as higher than some certificate level attainments.

20 The following decision table is used to determine which of the responses to questions on highest year of school completed (coded to ASCED Broad Level 6) and level of highest non-school qualification (coded to ASCED Broad Level 5) is regarded as the highest. It is emphasised that this table was designed for the purpose of obtaining a single value for level of highest educational attainment and is not intended to convey any other ordinality.

Diagram: LEVEL OF HIGHEST EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT

21 The decision table is also used to rank the information provided in a survey about the qualifications and attainments of a single individual. It does not represent any basis for comparison between differing qualifications. For example, a person whose highest year of school completed was Year 12, and whose level of highest non-school qualification was a Certificate III, would have those responses crosschecked on the decision table and would as a result have their level of highest educational attainment output as Certificate III. However, if the same person answered 'certificate' to the highest non-school qualification question, without any further detail, it would be crosschecked against Year 12 on the decision table as Certificate not further defined. The output would then be Year 12. The decision table, therefore, does not necessarily imply that one qualification is 'higher' than the other. For more details, see Education Variables, 2002 (cat. no. 1246.0).


LEVEL OF EDUCATION OF CURRENT STUDY

22 Level of education of current study is derived using the decision table displayed above, taking into account Level of education of school study in current year and Level of education of non-school study in current year for persons who are undertaking concurrent qualifications.


COMPARABILITY OF TIME SERIES

23 Supplementary surveys are not always conducted on the full LFS sample. Since August 1994 the sample for supplementary surveys has been restricted to no more than seven-eighths of the LFS sample. Since it was introduced, this survey has been conducted on various proportional samples and therefore sampling errors associated with previous supplementary surveys may vary from the sampling error for this survey.

24 Since 2005, boarding school pupils have been excluded from the scope of the SEW, but were included in earlier collections. For more details, see paragraph 6 of the Explanatory Notes.

25 Since 2007, industry data in the SEW are classified according to the Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification, 2006 (cat. no. 1292.0). Industry data prior to this were classified according to the Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification, 1993 (cat. no. 1292.0). Therefore, industry data from SEW prior to 2007 are not directly comparable to 2009 industry data.

26 Since 2007, occupation data in the SEW are classified according to the Australia and New Zealand Standard Classifications of Occupations, First Edition, 2006 (cat.no. 1220.0). Occupation data prior to this were classified according to the Australia Standard Classifications of Occupations, Second Edition, 1997 (cat.no. 1220.0). Therefore, occupation data from SEW prior to 2007 are not directly comparable to 2009 occupation data.

27 In previous years, only persons aged 15-54 years were included in the apprenticeship/traineeship survey questions. In 2008, the age scope was extended to include persons aged 55-64 years for these questions. In 2009, the age scope was further extended to include persons aged 65-74 years for these questions. In 2008, the definition for apprentices and trainees changed from those employed as apprentices/trainees to include only those with a formal contract under the Australian Apprenticeship Scheme. Therefore data on apprentices from previous years are not directly comparable to 2008 and subsequent data. Note that Australian School-based Apprenticeships are excluded.

28 Revisions are made to population benchmarks for the LFS after each five-yearly Census of Population and Housing. The last such revision was made in February 2009 to take account of the results of the 2006 Census of Population and Housing. Estimates from supplementary surveys conducted from and including 2009 are therefore based on these 2006 population benchmarks.


COMPARISON WITH OTHER ABS SOURCES

29 Since the SEW is conducted as a supplement to the LFS, data items collected in the LFS are also available. However, there are some important differences between the two surveys. The SEW sample is a subset of the LFS sample (see Paragraph 1 of these Explanatory Notes) and the SEW had a response rate of 96% which is lower than the LFS response rate for the same period of 97%. Due to these differences between the samples, the SEW data are weighted as a separate process to the weighting of LFS data. Differences may therefore be found in the estimates collected in the LFS and published as part of the SEW, when compared with estimates published in the May 2010 issue of Labour Force, Australia (cat. no. 6202.0).

30 Additionally, estimates from the SEW may differ from the estimates produced from other ABS collections, for several reasons. The SEW is a sample survey and its results are subject to sampling error. Results may differ from other sample surveys, which are also subject to sampling error. Users should take account of the RSEs on estimates and those of other survey estimates where comparisons are made.

31 Differences may also exist in the scope and/or coverage of the SEW compared to other surveys. Differences in estimates, when compared to the estimates of other surveys, may result from different reference periods reflecting seasonal variations, non-seasonal events that may have impacted on one period but not another, or because of underlying trends in the phenomena being measured.

32 Finally, differences can occur as a result of using different collection methodologies. This is often evident in comparisons of similar data items reported from different ABS collections where, after taking account of definition and scope differences and sampling error, residual differences remain. These differences are often the result of the mode of the collections, such as whether data are collected by an interviewer or self-enumerated by the respondent, whether the data are collected from the person themselves or from a proxy respondent, and the level of experience of the interviewers. Differences may also result from the context in which questions are asked, i.e. where in the interview the questions are asked and the nature of preceding questions. The impacts on data of different collection methodologies are difficult to quantify. As a result, every effort is made to minimise such differences.

33 The following table, Comparison of Data from SEW to Other ABS Sources, presents comparisons between a number of key SEW data items and similar data items from other ABS sources. These sources include data collected in the LFS, which were reported in the May 2009 issue of Labour Force, Australia (cat. no. 6202.0) and data collected from the Survey of Education and Training (SET), which were reported in the Education and Training Experience, 2009 (cat. no. 6278.0). The comparison shows SEW data are broadly consistent with these ABS sources.

COMPARISON OF DATA FROM SEW TO OTHER ABS SOURCES

Other ABS sources
SEW - May 2010
%
%

LFS-May 2010
Labour force status
Employed
72.1
74.0
Employed full time
51.0
52.3
Employed part time
21.0
21.7
Unemployed
4.1
4.2
Not in the labour force
23.9
21.8
SET-2009(a)
Highest year of school completed
Year 12
51.3
56.5
Year 11
12.4
10.9
Year 10 or below
36.3
32.5
Level of highest non-school qualification
Graduate Diploma/Graduate Certificate or above
7.7
6.5
Bachelor Degree
13.9
16.5
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
10.2
9.3
Certificate III/IV
17.4
17.2
Certificate I/II
1.2
4.0

(a) Data restricted to persons aged 15-64 years to align with SEW.



CONFIDENTIALISED UNIT RECORD FILE

34 Confidentialised unit record files (CURF) release confidentialised microdata from surveys, thereby facilitating interrogation and analysis of data. For the Education and Work survey, a basic CURF is released every two years. A CURF will not be released for the 2010 survey. The Education and Work CURF was last released in 2009. For more details, refer to the 2009 SEW CURF, Technical Manual: Survey of Education and Work, Australia - Confidentialised Unit Record File, May 2009 (cat. no. 6227.0.30.002).


PREVIOUS SURVEYS

35 Results of similar surveys have been published in previous issues. These surveys were conducted annually from February 1964 to February 1974, in May 1975 and 1976, in August 1977 and 1978, and annually in May since 1979. Results of previous surveys were published in Transition from Education to Work, Australia (cat. no. 6227.0) from 1964 to 2001. Since May 2002, the results of the survey have been published in Education and Work, Australia (cat. no. 6227.0).


NEXT SURVEY

36 The ABS intends to conduct this survey again in May 2011.


ACKNOWLEDGMENT

37 ABS publications draw extensively on information provided freely by individuals, businesses, governments and other organisations. Their continued cooperation is very much appreciated; without it, the wide range of statistics published by the ABS would not be available. Information received by the ABS is treated in strict confidence as required by the Census and Statistics Act 1905.


RELATED PUBLICATIONS

38 Other publications which may be of interest include:
39 Current publications and other products released by the ABS are available from the ABS website <https://www.abs.gov.au>. The ABS also issues a daily upcoming release advice on the website that details products to be released in the week ahead. The National Centre for Education and Training Topics @ a Glance page also contains a wealth of information and useful references. This site can also be accessed through the ABS website.