Australia Yearbook - 2001

Chapter 10—Education and training 419
10.17 PERSONS AGED 15–64, Education Participation Rates—May 1999
15–19
20–24
25–44
45 and over
Age (years)
All 15–64
%
%
%
%
%
Attending
School 50.8 *0.2 *0.1 **0.0 5.4
Tertiary
Full-time 18.4 20.2 2.6 0.4 5.4
Part-time 6.9 11.4 6.5 2.0 5.6
Total tertiary 25.3 31.6 9.1 2.4 11.0
Total attending 76.1 31.8 9.2 2.4 16.4
Not attending 23.9 68.2 90.8 97.6 83.6
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Source: Unpublished data, Transition from Education to Work Survey.
Participation in education
While participation in education may occur at any
age, many people obtain some qualifications in
the years immediately after they leave school.
Depending on whether or not they plan to obtain
tertiary education (as well as the type they wish
to undertake) some leave school immediately
after completing compulsory schooling (until
15 years of age, or 16 in Tasmania) while others
go on to complete Years 11 and 12. Table 10.17
shows that in 1999, 51% of 15–19 year olds were
still at school while a further 25% were in tertiary
education. In all, 69% of 15–19 year olds were
either still at school or were in full-time tertiary
education.
By the age of 20–24 years there is a substantial
decline in the proportion of people participating
in education, with 32% of this age group in
tertiary education. However, of those in
education, a higher proportion were in full-time
than in part-time education (64% and 36%
respectively). Of the few people who participate
in education from their mid-twenties on, most
are in part-time education.
Educational attendance and the
labour force
In May 1999, over 2 million people aged
15–64 years attended an educational institution,
either part-time or full-time, in order to obtain a
recognised qualification (table 10.18). Of these,
62% were also participating in the labour
force—that is, they were employed or
unemployed.
Most people attending an educational institution
full-time were either not in the labour force
(53%) or were employed part-time (37%). On the
other hand, most people attending an
educational institution part-time were employed
full-time (70%). There were 30,000 persons who
combined full-time study and full-time
employment.
Graph 10.19 indicates the labour force status of
students aged 15–64 who were studying in May
1999 to gain a recognised educational
qualification. Some 61% of school students were
not in the labour force while 31% were employed.
In contrast, 26% of tertiary students were not in
the labour force and 68% were employed.