This publication presents information on the vocational education and training (VET) undertaken by school students as part of their senior secondary certificate of education (SSCE). Students can undertake VET through a school-based apprenticeship or traineeship pathway, or other pathway. Highlights include: (1) In 2022, in Australia there were 242…

This publication presents completion and attrition rates for apprentices and trainees four years after commencement for contracts and individuals. (1) Contract completion and attrition rates are derived by tracking the outcomes of contracts of training over time; and (2) Individual completion rates account for individuals recommencing; or ceasing…

As part of a study investigating research productivity of sociology PhD students in Australia, an application to the federal government's Department of Education, Skills and Employment (DESE) aimed to establish a baseline count of completed sociology doctorates by university. It was anticipated that university totals might be different from PhD…

This research explores the many faces of course completion and non-completion in vocational education and training. By tracking student enrolments via the unique student identifier in the National VET Provider Collection, we gain a greater understanding of how individuals mix and match training types and their movement through VET, enabling…

This document provides technical detail and supporting data for the research findings discussed in 'The student journey in VET: the many faces of completion and non-completion'. The analysis in this technical paper explores: (1) an approach to identifying VET subject enrolment activity that serves a compliance or regulatory purpose; (2)…

This paper examines the demographic factors of the subjects enroled and completed by an hyperflexible online MBA Leadership (L) programme for 1034 students at Central Queensland University using the deductive research methodology and statistical analysis. Australian-born students are influenced by their industry experience when enroling in…

This case study research, informed by an Indigenous Research Paradigm, sought to ascertain the impact of a university's decentralised health faculty Aboriginal engagement program. It involved analysis of health faculty and other faculties' 2016-2020 student commencement, enrolment, completion, and retention data. The health faculty was more likely…

Increasing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander participation in higher education can play a critical role in transforming lives and is the trajectory to closing the gap and reducing disadvantage. Despite recent progress, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples remain significantly under-represented in higher education. Poor retention and…

Indigenous student completion rates remain very low relative to non-Indigenous students. Some universities have higher Indigenous student completion rates than the national average but research-based evidence of these universities as 'success models' is limited. Drawing on findings from interviews with Indigenous university graduates and staff as…

For refugees, education provides life-changing opportunities, including tools for effective social integration. This study explores higher education (HE) participation among refugee-background African youth in Australia. Drawing on policy review, national HE statistics and population census data, and using theoretical insights from critical…

Shame is a 'slippery' concept in educational contexts but by listening to Aboriginal philosophy and Country, we can rethink its slipperiness. This article contemplates how multiple understandings of shame are derived from and coexist within colonised educational contexts. We focus on one positive example of Indigenous education to consider how…

Internationally, there is a gap in high-school completion rates for Indigenous and non-Indigenous students. In Australia, gap estimates are commonly based on lag indicators, precluding examination of underlying mechanisms. Using two longitudinal representative samples of Australian youth, we explored differences in high-school completion between…

This "Spotlight" presents data and analysis on vocational education and training (VET) from Education at a Glance 2023. VET is a key component of most education systems in OECD countries. About one in three 25-34 year-olds have a vocational qualification as their highest level achieved, whether at upper secondary, post-secondary…

This paper describes the creation of a dataset to enable the analysis of student academic performance at the unit level at a large Australian University. The dataset was designed to enable academic leaders to explore research questions concerning student performance and pass rates in units. Four example research questions are presented here and…

This publication presents information on how different equity groups fare in their VET journey. The featured equity groups have historically been disadvantaged in accessing and benefitting from education in Australia. The focus is on their participation, achievement in and outcomes from VET. Data on the following equity groups are presented: (1)…