In 2016-17, about one in ten working age Australians (10.6%) reported that they wanted to participate in more non-formal learning. Of those who did participate in non-formal learning, almost one in five (19.3%) reported they wanted to do more. The main reasons for not participating were:
- too much work or no time (44.7%)
- financial reasons (26.1%)
- personal reasons (10.9%)
- course not available (5.7%)
People with a non-school qualification were twice as likely as those without a non-school qualification to want to participate in more non-formal learning (13.5% compared with 6.2%).
Unemployed people (17.2%) were more likely than those working full-time (12.4%) or part-time (11.4%) to report that they wanted to participate in more non-formal learning. Unemployed people (39.3%) were also more likely than those working full-time (24.3%), part-time (29.1%) and those not in the labour force (21.5%) to report financial reasons as their main barrier to more non-formal learning.
Gender differences in barriers to participation
Different factors prevented women and men from doing more training in 2016-17. Women were more likely than men to report wanting to do more non-formal learning (12.1% compared to 9.0%). Men were more likely than women to report too much work or no time as the main barrier to participation (49.9% compared with 41.1%). A higher proportion of women reported personal reasons, such as ill health or a lack of childcare, as their main barrier (14.5% compared with 5.9%).
- Participation in the 12 months prior to survey; persons aged 15 to 74 years.
- Participation in the 12 months prior to survey; persons aged 15 to 74 years.
- Participation in the 12 months prior to survey; persons aged 15 to 74 years.