4250.0.55.005 - Perspectives on Education and Training: Australians with qualifications in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), 2010–11 Quality Declaration 
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 24/02/2014  First Issue
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MEDIA RELEASE
24 February 2014
Embargoed: 11.30 am (Canberra time)
20/2014

Qualifications paying off in science, technology, engineering and maths


Those who have studied in the areas of science, technology, engineering and maths may be the best off when trying to find work.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has released a report today showing that jobs such as scientists, ICT professionals and engineers, grew about 1.5 times the rate of other jobs in recent years.

Mr Kerry O'Brien from the ABS said "the number of people in jobs commonly held by workers with science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) qualifications grew by 14 per cent between 2006 and 2011. This compares with only nine per cent growth for other jobs."

"Many people have caught on with the trend, with around 2.1 million workers in Australia having STEM qualifications in 2010-11.

“People with these qualifications make up around 18% of the Australian workforce and of these 2.1 million, around three quarters said that their STEM qualification was relevant to their work,” said Mr O’Brien.

The jobs that showed the highest growth between 2006 and 2011 were design, engineering, science and transport professionals (23 per cent) (predominantly engineers and scientists), and ICT professionals (19 per cent).

"For those workers with university level STEM qualifications, 75 per cent were employed in higher skill jobs such as Professionals or Managers. However, those with vocational level STEM qualifications fared differently, with 41 per cent working as Technicians and trades workers and 25 per cent working as Managers or Professionals," said Mr O'Brien.

More details are in Perspectives on education and training: Australians with qualifications in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), 2010-11 (cat. no. 4250.0.55.005), available from the ABS website www.abs.gov.au.

Media Notes:
· Higher level non-school qualifications in STEM fields (referred to as STEM qualifications) are qualifications at the Postgraduate degree level, Master degree level, Graduate diploma and Graduate certificate level, Bachelor degree level, Advanced diploma and Diploma level, and Certificates III and IV levels in the following fields:
· Natural and Physical Sciences (NPS)
· Information Technology (IT)
· Engineering and Related Technologies (ERT)
· Agriculture, Environmental and Related Studies (AERS)
· The term 'relevant' refers to where people stated they currently work in the same field as at least one of the STEM qualifications, or if not in the same field, stated that a STEM qualification was relevant or highly relevant to their current job.
· Data comes from Census of Population and Housing 2006 and 2011, as well as the Survey of Learning and Work 2010-11.
· When reporting ABS data the Australian Bureau of Statistics (or ABS) must be attributed as the source.