Australian Bureau of Statistics
Celebrating the International Year of Statistics 2013

STATES AND TERRITORIES

In 2009, the proportion of 25-64 year olds who had a vocational qualification as their highest qualification ranged from a high of 38% in Queensland to 24% in the Australian Capital Territory. The differences in the proportions of people with a higher education qualification were more pronounced - ranging from a high of 47% in the Australian Capital Territory to 21% in Tasmania.

These differences may be related to a number of factors, including: differences in the demand for different types of skilled labour, differences in the age distribution of the populations, different composition in the types of industry, and differences in the proportions of skilled migrants (both interstate and overseas) attracted to a particular state or territory. In 1999, there was less disparity between the states and territories in the proportion of people with a vocational qualification, ranging from a high of 34% in New South Wales to 28% in the Australian Capital Territory.

In 2009, Year 12 apparent retention rates differed substantially across the states and territories, ranging from 87% in the Australian Capital Territory to 55% in the Northern Territory. Since the mid 1990s the general pattern in the Year 12 apparent retention rate has been one of relative stability or slight increase for most of the states and territories.

Level of highest vocational or higher education qualification for people aged 25-64 years
	1999						2009
	Vocational qualification		Higher education qualification		Total		Vocational qualification		Higher education qualification		Total
	%		%		%		%		%		%
NSW	33.6		18.6		52.2		35.2		28.8		65.3
Vic.	28.9		19.7		48.6		29.7		29.9		60.7
Qld	32.4		14.3		46.7		38.1		22.0		61.5
SA	31.3		14.1		45.3		35.2		21.7		58.4
WA	32.4		17.2		49.5		36.5		24.5		62.4
Tas.	30.4		12.7		43.1		36.5		20.6		58.6
NT	28.6		16.6		45.2		34.7		24.2		60.7
ACT	28.1		33.0		61.0		24.1		46.9		73.0
Aust.	31.7		17.7		49.3		34.4		26.8		62.5
Source: ABS data available on request, 2009 Survey of Education and Work; ABS data available on request, 1999 Transition from Education to Work Survey