Data from Australia's Department of Employment, Education and Training were analyzed to determine the relationship between the costs and returns of secondary education in Australia. The analysis focused on changes in the following: the earnings premium from having a level of educational attainment equivalent to completing at least secondary…

The overall participation and performance of disabled students in vocational education and training (VET) programs in Australia in 2000 were analyzed. The analysis was based on data from National Centre for Vocational Education Research collections and surveys. The following were among the key findings: (1) the number of VET students reporting a…

A study investigated implications of the increase in non-standard forms of employment (casual work, working through labor-hire companies, and work that is outsourced) for vocational education and training (VET) in Australia. Data sources were published statistics on growth of non-standard work; research on reasons for the growth and the business…

The study of early school leavers was the first phase of a three-year project which looked at the social processes implicated in the transition from school to work or to further education. Data for the study was obtained by mail questionnaire during the summer of 1978-79 from an Australia-wide sample of 4,919 individuals who were between seventeen…

A study investigated industry and employment characteristics and outcomes of module enrollees and completers in vocational education and training (VET) in Australia. VET enrollment data showed module students were older than course enrollment students, more likely to be female, and to have completed Year 12. While VET module students and…

As of December 31, 2000, an estimated 295,620 Australians were undertaking an apprenticeship or traineeship, which represented an increase of 15.1% over the number in training in 1999. The increase in participation rates for apprentices and trainees in training almost doubled from 1.2% on December 31, 1995, to 2.3% on December 31, 2000. The…

The literature on employment growth in the United States and selected industrialized countries and the wage, benefits, and job security characteristics of new and existing jobs were analyzed to determine how job growth and quality in the United States during the 1980s and 1990s compares to that in other industrialized countries. Among the study's…

Five reports present findings of research into professional development (PD) issues in vocational education and training (VET) in Australia. "Lessons Learnt: An Analysis of Findings of Recent Evaluation Reports on PD in VET" (Kate Perkins) provides an overview of issues, insights, and ideas emerging from past PD experience that may be…

A study examined how the occupational structure of the Australian labor market evolved and how individuals fared in the process. It identified issues in defining skill and knowledge and followed Elias and McKnight (2001) in stating that sufficient evidence showed a very high correlation between job-required cognitive ability and ordinal skill…

An Australian study investigated the destinations of adult literacy students in nationally-funded programs, including their economic and employment patterns, educational development (maintenance of educational involvement and advancement, skill development), social well-being (family and personal development, life satisfaction, self-esteem), and…

The occupational pathways of a representative national sample of Australian school leavers were examined over a 7-year period after leaving school. The study was based on the initial vocational interests of male (n=1436) and female (n=1273) high school pupils and formed part of the longitudinal 1970 Youth in Transition study, a national…

This study investigated ways in which Australian vocational education and training (VET) students in the 1990s combined study and work to prepare for future long-term career paths. The study was conducted throughout 1998 in three technical and further education (TAFE) institutes in three states, using the following methods: a survey of about 1,400…

Surveys of Australian college faculty, conducted in 1977 and 1993, provide data for tracing trends in workload. While time devoted to teaching and research have remained stable, changes at the margins of academic workload are considerable. These tasks are largely generated by demands of institutional competition, accountability, and quality…

This report, one of a series of country studies on higher education and employment particularly in the humanities and social sciences, looks at employment prospects for social science and humanities graduates in Australia. An opening section describes government studies and initiatives and changes in the Australian higher education system since…

Manufacturing in Australia is a large and diverse industry, employing more than 1.1 million people. Despite its decline in relative importance (from providing 16.3% of jobs to providing 13.4%), it is still the second largest employing industry. Manufacturing makes up the major component of exports, accounting for 51 percent in 1994-95. Over the…