Abstract:
This article provides some data on developments in vocational education
in Australia, especially with respect to trade training in technical and
further education institutes (TAPE). From 1981-2004 technical and
further education has increased its share of post compulsory education
and training by some 3%. This increase should have been higher given
(a) the demand for places, (b) a long-term decline in the number of
apprentices, and (c) the historical importance of technical qualifications
in the workforce. Although most employees in Australia who completed
a qualification after leaving school have obtained this from TAFE, such
vocational education is no longer the educational institution in Australia.
This article examines some features of post compulsory education and
training in Australia, especially in regard to technical and further education.
It has a narrow but important focus on the structure of postcompulsory
education, especially vis-a-vis the share of vocational education and
training. In this article, the term technical and further education refers
mainly to government-funded postcompulsory education and training up
to the advanced diploma level, including trade training. This analysis is
unique and is based on data from official statistics published annually
for 1998-2004 in Education and Work (Australian Bureau of Statistics,
Catalogue No. 6227.0), and its predecessors, Transition from Education
to Work (1981-1997). The information was obtained as a supplement
to the monthly labor force survey that provides national employment
and unemployment figures. It is conducted by the Australian Bureau of
Statistics and is based on a random sample of households. All references
are to these official statistics.
