1301.0 - Year Book Australia, 2002  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 25/01/2002   
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Contents >> Education and Training >> Vocational education and training

Vocational education and training institutions

Most VET in Australia is provided in government-administered colleges. In some States and Territories these are referred to as Colleges or Institutes of Technical and Further Education (TAFE). To a lesser extent, VET may also be provided by: Institutes of Technology; some higher education institutions; schools and agricultural colleges; adult and community education authorities; private providers of education (such as business colleges); and employers. VET institutions offer a wide range of programs, ranging from recreation and leisure, through basic employment and educational preparation, to trades training, and para-professional and professional levels.

In 2000 there were 86 TAFE and other government institutes with 1,322 provider locations delivering VET training. A further 1,139 community education providers and 3,388 other providers delivering VET were at least partly publicly funded.

Staff

Table 10.13 shows the number of teachers working in VET institutions in 1999-2000. Of all VET teachers, the majority (55%) were employed full-time. A majority of full-time VET teachers (56%) were male. In contrast, 69% of part-time VET teachers were female.


10.13 VOCATIONAL EDUCATION TEACHING STAFF - 1999-2000(a)

Full-time staff

’000
Part-time staff

’000
All teaching staff

’000

Males
7.6
3.4
11.0
Females
6.0
7.8
13.8
Persons
13.6
11.2
24.8

(a) Average over the financial year.

Source: ABS data available on request, Labour Force Survey, May 2000.


Students and courses

Table 10.14 shows participation in publicly-funded VET programs. While there were more males than females in VET courses overall, from ages 30 to 59 more women undertook VET courses than men.

10.14 VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING(a) CLIENTS(b), Vocational and Preparatory Courses(c) - 2000

Age
Males

’000
Females

’000
Persons(d)

’000

Under 16
19.3
16.3
35.7
16
37.8
33.4
71.4
17
48.1
38.8
87.0
18
55.4
43.0
98.6
19
50.5
38.0
88.7
20-24
147.1
117.2
264.9
25-29
99.2
91.7
191.3
30-39
164.3
172.7
337.7
40-49
124.6
157.8
283.1
50-59
70.6
83.2
154.0
60-64
15.7
15.5
31.2
65 and over
16.5
15.9
32.5
Not stated
35.9
34.4
73.3
Total clients
884.9
857.9
1,749.4

(a) Includes all VET delivery by TAFE and other government providers, registered community providers, some VET delivered in schools, and publicly-funded delivery by private providers. Fee for service VET delivery by private providers has been excluded.
(b) A client is any individual participating in a specific enrolment or training contract with a specific organisation.
(c) Courses leading to a vocational award.
(d) Includes sex not stated.


Source: National Centre for Vocational Education Research, ‘Australian Vocational Education and Training Statistics 2000: In Detail’.

VET programs are classified according to 12 fields of study on the basis of similar emphasis or subject matter orientation. These are broadly consistent with the fields of study covered by higher education institutions. Table 10.15 shows the number of course enrolments in each field of study in 2000. Since clients may be enrolled in more than one VET course, the number of course enrolments is greater than the total number of clients - there were 2.1 million course enrolments in 2000 compared with 1.7 million clients.

The more popular fields of VET study included: Business, administration and economics; and Services, hospitality and transportation. Together these fields accounted for 37% of VET clients in 2000.

Over 50% of enrolments in Land and marine resources, animal husbandry; Architecture and building; and Engineering and surveying were by males. In contrast, in Business, administration and economics; Art, humanities and social sciences; Health and community services; and Veterinary science, animal care the enrolments were predominantly by females.


10.15 VET(a) COURSE ENROLMENTS, Vocational and Preparatory Courses(b) by Field of Study and Sex - 2000

Males

’000
Females

’000
Persons(c)

’000

Land and marine resources, animal husbandry
80.3
30.0
110.5
Architecture, building
92.0
9.3
101.4
Art, humanities and social sciences
54.3
90.8
145.5
Business, administration, economics
157.6
282.7
442.1
Education
22.2
31.6
53.9
Engineering, surveying
216.1
29.3
246.1
Health, community services
53.1
117.1
170.9
Law, legal studies
7.1
6.3
13.4
Science
83.8
78.7
163.1
Veterinary science, animal care
0.6
3.8
4.4
Services, hospitality, transportation
172.1
170.4
343.8
VET multi-field education
143.7
168.9
313.1
Total enrolments(a)
1,082.9
1,018.8
2,108.0

(a) Includes all VET delivery by TAFE and other government providers, registered community providers, some VET delivered in schools, and publicly-funded delivery by private providers. Fee for service VET delivery by private providers has been excluded.
(b) Courses leading to a vocational award.
(c) Includes sex not stated.


Source: National Centre for Vocational Education Research, ‘Australian Vocational Education and Training Statistics 2000: In Detail’.


Apprenticeships and traineeships

Some 45% of all apprentices and trainees in training at 31 December 2000 were in the broad occupational group Tradespersons and related workers. In this group, Construction and Automotive trades accounted for 23% and 18%, respectively, of the group total (table 10.16).

Some 86% of apprentices and trainees in the broad occupational group Trades and related workers were male. Within this group, however, over 90% of those in Hairdressing were female.

10.16 APPRENTICES AND TRAINEES(a), In Training at 31 December 2000

Major group
Males

’000
Females

’000
Persons

’000
Total

%

Managers and administrators
2.0
0.6
2.7
1.0
Professionals
1.3
1.1
1.5
0.6
Associate professionals
6.7
2.3
6.9
2.7
Tradespersons and related workers
- Mechanical and fabrication engineering
16.6
0.2
16.8
5.7
- Automotive
22.7
0.4
23.1
7.8
- Electrical and electronic
16.5
1.4
17.9
6.0
- Construction
29.7
0.3
30.0
10.1
- Food
14.5
4.7
19.2
6.5
- Skilled agricultural and horticultural workers
4.2
0.5
4.7
1.6
- Hairdressers
0.9
9.4
10.3
3.5
- Tradespersons & related workers (n.e.c.)
0.1
0.0
0.1
0.0
- Other
8.5
1.3
9.7
3.3
- Total
113.7
18.2
131.9
44.6
Advanced clerical and service workers
0.1
0.5
0.5
0.2
Intermediate clerical, sales and service workers
14.1
38.0
52.2
17.6
Intermediate production and transport workers
16.6
2.4
19.0
6.4
Elementary clerical, sales and service workers
16.0
21.4
37.3
12.6
Labourers and related workers
29.0
8.4
37.4
12.6
Total
199.5
96.1
295.6
100.0

(a) Major groups are classified according to the Australian Standard Classification of Occupations (ASCO).

Source: National Centre for Vocational Education Research, ‘Australian Vocational Education and Training Statistics 2000: In Detail’.



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