Participation in work-related training has decreased from 27 per cent in 2013 to 22 per cent in 2016-17 for working age Australians, according to survey data released today from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). Approximately 3.8 million people across the country participated in work-related training in the 12 months prior to the survey.
ABS expert Stephen Collett said: “The survey results show a decrease in work-related training over about three years. Men’s participation dropped from 27 per cent to 22 per cent, while women’s participation dropped from 27 per cent to 21 per cent.”
People with a non-school qualification were more than twice-as-likely to participate in work-related training than those without a non-school qualification in 2016-17 (28 per cent compared with 12 per cent). However, participation has decreased for both these groups since 2013, from 35 per cent for those with a non-school qualification and 16 per cent for those without a non-school qualification.
One in 10 Australians aged 15 to 74 years would like to participate in more work-related training. For almost half of these people, too much work or too little time were the main reason that they could not participate more. For about one in four people who wanted more training, the cost was prohibitive.
Further information is available in Work-Related Training and Adult Learning, Australia (cat. no. 4234.0) available from the ABS website: abs.gov.au/work-related-training
Media note
· Work-related training refers to structured learning activities (e.g. training courses, seminars, conferences) that do not lead to a formal qualification (such as a Certificate, Diploma or Bachelor Degree). This includes training reported by people who are employed, not employed, or business owners.
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