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This technical paper contains information about the variables in the LSAY (Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth) Y95 cohort data set. It groups each variable into data elements which identifies common variables within and across waves. Information is provided about each data element including its purpose, values, base populations and relevant notes. [For the main report, "Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY): 1995 Cohort User Guide. Technical Report 49," see ED536757. For related reports, see "Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY): 1995 Cohort--User Guide. Data Elements B1: Education. Technical Report 49B1" (ED536761); "Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY): 1995 Cohort--User Guide. Data Elements B2: Education. Technical Report 49B2" (ED536759); "Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY): 1995 Cohort--User Guide. Data Elements C: Employment. Technical Report 49C" (ED536762); and "Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY): 1995 Cohort--User Guide. Data Elements D: Social. Technical Report 49D" (ED536760).]

Go8 universities account for over two-thirds of the research undertaken at Australian universities. Go8 universities attract the highest levels of industry and competitive government grant funding for research. This paper presents an analysis of trends in research performance for Go8 and non-Go8 universities including research income as reported by institutions to the Department of Innovation, Industry, Science, Research and Tertiary Education (DIISRTE) as part of the Higher Education Research Data Collection (HERDC) and the DIISRTE Research Block Grant Allocations as well as ERA outcomes and commercialisation data from the National Survey of Research Commercialisation. This analysis shows clearly that while the absolute amount of higher education research funding has grown significantly, the relative shares of research income (as reported in the Higher Education Research Data Collection) and research block grant funding of the major university groupings in Australia has been largely unchanged over the period 1992 to 2010 and 2002 to 2012 respectively with most redistribution of shares occurring between non-Go8 institutions. The National Survey of Research Commercialisation showed that in 2009 Go8 universities dominated in the number of invention disclosures and active licensing agreements as well as in licensing income and the number of patents issued. Based on the Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA) 2010 outcomes, research of the highest quality (ie research well above world average and rated 5) is predominately undertaken at Go8 universities. Government policy should focus on selectivity and concentration of the higher education research effort with the aim of ensuring that funds flow to the best research wherever it may be and that Australia's research universities can sustain international research excellence. (Contains 18 figures.)

The Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY) program studies the progress of several groups of young Australians as they move from school into post-secondary education and work. This technical paper contains the frequency tables for the LSAY 2009 cohort Wave 2 (2010) data set.

The Australian vocational education and training (VET) system provides training across a wide range of subject areas and is delivered through a variety of training institutions and enterprises (including to apprentices and trainees). The system provides training for students of all ages and backgrounds. Students may study individual subjects or full courses that lead to formal qualifications. This publication estimates the qualification completion rates of publicly funded VET qualifications in Australia, in order to fill a gap in performance measures for the VET sector. For qualifications commencing in 2009: (1) The national estimated completion rate for VET qualifications at certificate I and above was 31.7%, up from 28.8% for qualifications commenced in 2008; (2) For students in full-time study aged 25 years and under with no prior post-school qualification, the national estimated completion rate for VET qualifications was 42.9%, up from 37.9% for qualifications commenced in 2008; (3) VET qualifications at certificate IV (38.5%), diploma and above (37.4%) and certificate III (37.3%) had the highest national estimated completion rates; (4) For students in full-time study aged 25 years and under with no prior post-school qualification, the national estimated completion rate for VET qualifications at certificate III was 50.1%; and (5) VET qualifications in education (51.5%), society and culture (44.3%), and natural and physical sciences (43.3%) had the highest national estimated completion rates. (Contains 6 tables and 3 notes.) [Funding for this paper was provided through the Department of Industry, Innovation, Science, Research and Tertiary Education.]

The Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY) program studies the progress of several groups of young Australians as they move from school into post-secondary education and work. This technical paper contains the frequency tables for the LSAY 2009 cohort Wave 3 (2011) data set. [For the related questionnaire, see ED536306.]

This annual publication provides a summary of training activity in apprenticeships and traineeships in Australia for the period 2001 to 2011. It includes information on training rates, individual completion rates, and duration of training. Highlights include: (1) 3.9% of Australian workers were employed as an apprentice or trainee as at December 2011, compared with 3.4% in 2001; (2) Within the trades, 11.9% of workers were employed as an apprentice or trainee as at December 2011, compared with 9.5% in 2001; (3) Overall commencements increased by 1.4% from 2010 to 2011, with trade commencements down 5.9%; (4) The individual completion rate for apprentices and trainees commencing in 2006 was 57.3% for trade occupations and 54.4% for non-trade occupations; and (5) 36.4% of trade apprentices and trainees completing at certificate III and above in 2011 finished their training in two years or less, compared with 23.9% in 2001. (Contains 4 figures, 17 tables, and 14 notes.) [Funding for this paper was provided through the Australian Government Department of Industry, Innovation, Science, Research and Tertiary Education. For the "Australian Vocational Education and Training Statistics: Apprentices and Trainees, 2010--Annual," see ED522595.]

Taking a break between completing high school and entering university is common overseas, and is becoming more popular in Australia. There are many reasons why young people take a gap year. It may be to travel, to take a break, to study, or to work. The authors' definition of a "gapper" is a young person who commenced university one to two years after completing Year 12. While the concept of a gap year is related to the deferral of a university offer, it is different. Some gappers have deferred, others decide to enrol during their gap year, not beforehand. Similarly, some who defer a university offer subsequently do not take up a place and are thus not defined as gappers. This report was prepared for the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations in 2009 prior to the Australian Government's announcement of proposed changes to Youth Allowance as an initiative in the 2009-10 Budget and the subsequent reforms based on recommendations from the "Review of Student Income Support Reforms" (Dow 2011). The research uses data from three cohorts of the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY) to throw light on the incidence of gap-taking, the characteristics of those taking a gap year, the activities undertaken in the gap years, and subsequent study and employment outcomes. The report also looks at whether there is any evidence that young people were taking a gap year in order to qualify for Youth Allowance payments. This report reveals that: (1) The incidence of gap-taking has increased and it is estimated that around 20% of Australian students who complete high school will take a gap year; (2) Gap-takers tend to be weaker academically, with lower-than-average tertiary entrance rank (TER) scores, lower than average Year 9 mathematics achievement, and less favourable attitudes to school. In addition to academic factors, young people from English speaking backgrounds and from regional locations are more likely to take a gap year. Students who do not receive Youth Allowance payments while at school (and thus who were from higher socioeconomic status families) are also more likely to take a gap year; (3) The most common activities of Australian gap students are work (40%) and study or training (33%), with only 3% reporting travel as their main activity; (4) It appears that relatively few took a gap year principally to qualify for Youth Allowance: four out of 69 who deferred a university place gave "needing to qualify for Youth Allowance" as a reason for their deferral; and (5) The university completion rates of "gappers" are a little lower than "non-gappers". Appended are: (1) Variables and methods; and (2) Supplementary tables. (Contains 25 tables and 15 footnotes.) [For "Who Takes a Gap Year and Why? Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth. Briefing Paper 28," see ED533076.]

This publication presents estimates of apprentice and trainee activity in Australia for the December quarter 2011. The figures in this publication are derived from the National Apprentice and Trainee Collection no.71 (March 2012 estimates). The most recent figures in this publication are estimated (those for training activity from the June quarter 2010 to the December quarter 2011). Estimates take into account reporting lags that occur at the time of data collection. Consequently, the figures in this publication may differ from those published in earlier or later reports. Estimated data are presented in this publication on a seasonally adjusted, quarterly and 12-month ending series basis. The 12-month ending series is particularly useful in showing longer-term data trends, but is less useful in identifying turning points. The seasonally adjusted data involve the use of a mathematical model to smooth out fluctuations due to seasonal influences. Seasonally adjusted data are useful to illustrate trends from one quarter to the next, but cannot be further disaggregated. There were 449,000 apprentices and trainees in-training as at 31 December 2011, an increase of 2.5% from the previous year. In the 12 months to 31 December 2011, compared with the previous year: (1) commencements increased by 1.4%, to 318 400; (2) completions increased by 6.9%, to 180 000; and (3) cancellations and withdrawals increased by 5.6%, to 138 600. For seasonally adjusted data, comparing the December quarter 2011 with the September quarter 2011: (1) commencements in trades occupations decreased by 1.3%; (2) commencements in non-trades occupations increased by 1.3%; (3) completions increased by 1.3%; (4) cancellations and withdrawals decreased by 1.1%; and (5) in-training numbers increased slightly. (Contains 19 tables, 3 figures and 5 notes.) [Funding for this paper was provided through the Department of Industry, Innovation, Science, Research and Tertiary Education.]

This publication presents estimates of apprentice and trainee activity in Australia for the September quarter 2010. The figures in this publication are derived from the National Apprentice and Trainee Collection no.66 (December 2010 estimates). The most recent figures in this publication are estimated (those for training activity from the March quarter 2009 to the September quarter 2010). Estimates take into account reporting lags that occur at the time of data collection. Consequently, the figures in this publication may differ from those published in earlier or later reports. Estimated data are presented in this publication on a seasonally adjusted, quarterly and 12-month ending series basis. The 12-month ending series is particularly useful in showing longer-term data trends, but is less useful in identifying turning points. The seasonally adjusted data involve the use of a mathematical model to smooth out fluctuations due to seasonal influences. Seasonally adjusted data are useful to illustrate trends from one quarter to the next, but cannot be further disaggregated. There were 448 800 apprentices and trainees in-training as at 30 September 2010, an increase of 5.1% from the previous year. In the 12 months to 30 September 2010, compared with the previous year: (1) commencements increased by 14.2%, to 305 400; (2) completions increased by 4.5%, to 166 100; and (3) cancellations and withdrawals increased by 2.9%, to 128 600. For seasonally adjusted data, comparing the September quarter 2010 with the June quarter 2010: (1) commencements in trades occupations increased by 1.0%; (2) commencements in non-trades occupations increased by 1.9%; (3) completions increased by 1.0%; (4) cancellations and withdrawals increased by 0.9%; and (5) in-training numbers increased by 0.6%. (Contains 19 tables, 3 figures, and 5 notes.) [For related documents, see "Apprentices and Trainees: September Quarter 2010. Terms and Definitions. Support Document" (ED516825) and "Adjustment Notes for Apprentice and Trainee Estimates. Technical Paper" (ED516872).]

In this paper the researchers ask how completing Year 12 and undertaking vocational education and training (VET) and university studies assist young people to make a successful transition from school. As part of their research they analyse whether those who are less academic benefit from completing Year 12 and post-school education and training options to the same extent as the more academically inclined. Unlike other studies addressing the issue of successful youth transition, this research looks at the education path chosen (or not), rather than an individual's return from the completion of a particular path (qualification); not all those who embark on a path complete it. The researchers are interested in finding out how the route an individual chooses affects the later employment, wages, job status, financial wellbeing and happiness of young people. They do this by analysing data from the 1995 cohort of the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY). The analysis suggests that, on average, completing Year 12 is no longer sufficient; rather, young people today need to have Year 12 plus further study to get them on a path to success. For males an apprenticeship after Year 12 is an attractive route, as is university study; for females the best choice is university, even for those with lower levels of academic orientation. The researchers are not suggesting that everyone should be forced to complete Year 12 and to go on to further study. While the best paths involve Year 12 and certain types of post-school study, it is also the case that paths that include Year 12 do not necessarily lead to superior outcomes, relative to those involving leaving school before Year 12. In addition, Karmel and Liu find that the choice of path is not always of consequence. For males, paths only have salience for satisfaction with life, the occupational status of full-time workers and the pay of full-time workers. For the other variables they investigate--engagement with full-time work or study, full-time employment, financial wellbeing, satisfaction with work--the paths do not really matter. That is, the transition from school to adulthood can work well--in relation to these outcome measures--for young men following any of the paths. For females, educational paths matter for attaining full-time engagement and pay for full-time workers and occupational status for full-time workers, but do not matter for financial wellbeing, satisfaction with life and job status for part-time workers. Finally, the researchers note that the analysis relates to people who did Year 12 in 1998, during a buoyant economic period, which, they point out, is also an important factor in contributing to good transitions for young people. Appended are: (1) Final propensity score models; (2) Full outcome models; and (3) Final outcome models. (Contains 46 tables and 6 footnotes.)

The Australian vocational education and training (VET) system provides training across a wide range of subject areas and is delivered through a variety of training institutions and enterprises (including to apprentices and trainees). The system provides training for students of all ages and backgrounds. Students may study individual subjects or full courses that lead to formal qualifications. This publication estimates the qualification completion rates of publicly funded VET qualifications in Australia, in order to fill a gap in performance measures for the VET sector. For qualifications commencing in 2008: (1) The national estimated completion rate for VET enrolments at certificate I and above is 28.4%, and the subject load pass rate is 80.4%; (2) For students in full-time study aged 25 years and under with no previous post-school qualification, the national estimated qualification completion rate is 37.3% and the corresponding subject load pass rate is 77.5%; (3) Students enrolled in qualifications at certificate IV level (34.6%), certificate III level (33.5%) and diploma level and above (32.9%) have the highest estimated completion rates; (4) Full-time students aged 25 years and under with no previous post-school qualification enrolled in a certificate III have estimated completion rates of 45.9%; and (5) Enrolments in education (52.0%), society and culture (37.3%) and health (37.2%) have the highest estimated qualification completion rates. (Contains 6 tables and 4 notes.) [For related report, "The Likelihood of Completing a VET Qualification: A Model-Based Approach. Technical Paper," see ED511677.]

This paper produces two sets of estimates of future student demand for higher education in Australia. The two sets of estimates allow Go8 to consider the capacity of the university sector to accommodate future growth in student numbers (including staff and facilities), and to identify the costs involved, including for the Government which has undertaken to fund student demand at the undergraduate level and postgraduate coursework level for programs leading to a first professional qualification. The first projection method, "Method A," uses Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) data on university and FEE-HELP approved Higher Education Provider (HEP) enrolments (student numbers) by age and level of study. Method A is a conservative approach in that it counts only university and HEP enrolments, not broader tertiary education participation. The second approach to estimating future student demand, "Method B," uses Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) estimates of participation in education and training through its annual survey of "Education and Work." Method B is more expansionary than Method A in that it captures participants across the range of education and training institutions, public and private, funded and unfunded. It also includes those international students who were resident in Australia for 12 months or more. Attached are: (1) The choice of "Series A"; (2) Estimating Method A: data; (3) Estimating Method B: data sets; (4) Projected enrolment growth by qualification: Access Economics; and (5) Projected increase in 16-19 year olds under ABS "Series A" population growth. (Contains 6 figures, 15 tables, and 13 footnotes.) [This is an updated version of "Go8 Backgrounder 10" previously released in June 2010. A number of amendments have been made due to errors found in the base participation rates used in the modelling for Method B. The key findings have not significantly altered.]

In 2008 as part of a national push to increase Australia's skill levels, the Council of Australian Governments agreed on targets that would see, by 2020, a doubling of diploma and advanced diploma completions and a halving of the proportion of 20 to 64-year-old Australians without at least a certificate III. Such targets assume there is a financial return as a result of undertaking vocational education and training (VET). Using data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics' (ABS) Surveys of Education and Training (1993-2005), this study investigated this assumption by looking at the employment and earnings for individuals who had completed a VET course and how these may have changed over time. This work examines the effect of field of education on the returns from VET for individuals, as well as the returns from VET for mature-age students (defined here as persons between 30 and 64 years). It also compares these with higher educational qualifications. This paper suggests that: (1) Compared with those who have completed Year 12, employment and earnings benefits are only gained by completing a VET course at the diploma level. This result differs from some previous studies (for example, Long & Shah 2008). However, by comparison with individuals who do not complete Year 12, both employment and earnings benefits can be gained from completion of a VET qualification at any level, an outcome which accords with previous research; (2) Undertaking courses in the area of business, engineering, architecture, building and automotive provides the greatest benefits relative to those who did not complete Year 12; (3) For mature-age students, those who have not completed Year 12 and undertake a VET course at the certificate III level or higher gain the greatest employment and earnings benefits. However, there is a lag of several years before these benefits materialise; and (4) The study covers the period 1993 to 2005 to assess whether VET qualifications have continued to attract similar returns relative to Year 12 and non-school completers. The earning benefits from completing a diploma were shown to be relatively stable during this period. At the sub-diploma level there were more fluctuations but, relative to non-school completers, returns from these qualifications were positive. This was not the case when comparisons were made to Year 12 completers. This study makes it clear that people cannot assume VET has a financial return to the individual; it all depends on educational background and the level and field of the qualification being undertaken. Appendices include: (1) How propensity-score matching works; (2) The two-step matching/ regression approach; and (3) Sample sizes of treatment and comparison groups in the 1993, 1997, 2001 and 2005 SET data. (Contains 74 tables and 9 footnotes.) [For the support document, see ED508929.]

This publication presents estimates of apprentice and trainee activity in Australia for the December quarter 2009. The figures in this publication are derived from the National Apprentice and Trainee Collection no.63 (March 2010 estimates). There were 414 900 apprentices and trainees in-training as at 31 December 2009, a decrease of 0.6% from the previous year. In the 12 months to 31 December 2009, compared with the previous year: (a) commencements decreased by 6.0%, to 271 400; (b) completions increased by 3.5%, to 159 400; and (c) cancellations and withdrawals decreased by 8.7%, to 122 000. For seasonally adjusted data, comparing the December quarter 2009 with the September quarter 2009: (a) commencements in trades occupations increased by 4.3%; (b) commencements in non-trades occupations increased by 1.7%; (c) completions increased by 1.2%; (d) cancellations and withdrawals decreased by 0.9%; and (e) in-training numbers increased by 0.2%. (Contains 19 tables, 3 figures, and 5 notes.) [For the supporting documents, see the following: (a) "Estimation of Apprentice and Trainee Statistics. Technical Paper" (ED510131); and (b) "Apprentices and Trainees: December Quarter 2009: Terms and Definitions. Support Document" (ED510132).]

The Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY) program studies the progress of several groups of young Australians as they move from school into post-secondary education and work. This technical paper contains the frequency tables for the LSAY 2003 cohort Wave 7 (2009) data set. [For the related questionnaire, see ED512164.]

The Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY) program studies the progress of several groups of young Australians as they move from school into post-secondary education and work. This technical paper contains the frequency tables for the LSAY 2006 cohort Wave 4 (2009) data set. [For the "Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY): 2006 Cohort Wave 4 (2009)--Questionnaire. Technical Report 56A", see ED511904.]

The Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY) program studies the progress of several groups of young Australians as they move from school into post-secondary education and work. This technical paper contains the frequency tables for the LSAY 1998 cohort Wave 12 (2009) data set. [For the accompanying questionnaire, "Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY) 1998 Cohort: Wave 12 (2009)--Questionnaire. Technical Report 58A", see ED513952.]

This technical paper contains information about the variables in the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY) Year 95 cohort data set. It groups each variable into data elements that identify common variables within and across waves. Information is provided about each data element including its purpose, values, base populations and relevant notes. [For the main report, "Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY): 1995 Cohort User Guide. Technical Report 49," see ED536757. For related reports, see "Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY): 1995 Cohort--User Guide. Data Elements A: Demographics. Technical Report 49A" (ED536756); "Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY): 1995 Cohort--User Guide. Data Elements B1: Education. Technical Report 49B1" (ED536761); "Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY): 1995 Cohort--User Guide. Data Elements B2: Education. Technical Report 49B2" (ED536759); and "Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY): 1995 Cohort--User Guide. Data Elements C: Employment. Technical Report 49C" (ED536762).]

This technical paper contains information about the variables in the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY) Year 95 cohort data set. It groups each variable into data elements that identify common variables within and across waves. Information is provided about each data element including its purpose, values, base populations and relevant notes. [For the main report, "Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY): 1995 Cohort User Guide. Technical Report 49," see ED536757. For related reports, see "Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY): 1995 Cohort--User Guide. Data Elements A: Demographics. Technical Report 49A" (ED536756); "Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY): 1995 Cohort--User Guide. Data Elements B1: Education. Technical Report 49B1" (ED536761); "Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY): 1995 Cohort--User Guide. Data Elements B2: Education. Technical Report 49B2" (ED536759); and "Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY): 1995 Cohort--User Guide. Data Elements D: Social. Technical Report 49D" (ED536760).]

This technical paper contains information about the variables in the LSAY (Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth) Y95 cohort data set. It groups each variable into data elements which identifies common variables within and across waves. Information is provided about each data element including its purpose, values, base populations and relevant. [For the main report, "Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY): 1995 Cohort--User Guide. Data Elements A: Demographics. Technical Report 49A," see ED536756. For related reports, see "Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY): 1995 Cohort--User Guide. Data Elements B2: Education. Technical Report 49B2" (ED536759); "Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY): 1995 Cohort--User Guide. Data Elements C: Employment. Technical Report 49C" (ED536762); and "Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY): 1995 Cohort--User Guide. Data Elements D: Social. Technical Report 49D" (ED536760).]

This technical paper contains information about the variables in the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY) Year 95 cohort data set. It groups each variable into data elements that identify common variables within and across waves. Information is provided about each data element, including its purpose, values, base populations and relevant notes. [For the main report, "Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY): 1995 Cohort User Guide. Technical Report 49," see ED536757. For related reports, see "Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY): 1995 Cohort--User Guide. Data Elements A: Demographics. Technical Report 49A" (ED536756); "Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY): 1995 Cohort--User Guide. Data Elements B1: Education. Technical Report 49B1" (ED536761); "Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY): 1995 Cohort--User Guide. Data Elements C: Employment. Technical Report 49C" (ED536762); and "Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY): 1995 Cohort--User Guide. Data Elements D: Social. Technical Report 49D" (ED536760).]

The Standard for Vocational Education and Training (VET) financial data offers a nationally consistent standard for the collection, reporting and analysis of the public vocational education and training system information throughout Australia. It forms part of the Australian Vocational Education and Training Management Information Statistical Standard (AVETMISS). The standards have been developed and refined over a number of years through consultations with major stakeholders. Data collections made under the standards will be used as the basis for reporting the key performance measures for the VET sector approved by Commonwealth, state and territory vocational training and education ministers. This document incorporates five main sections. Section 1 provides an introduction to the standard for VET financial data and the national financial data collection. Next, section 2 details the financial statements and definitions. Section 3 presents the collection guidelines. Section 4, unique to this updated release, details the audit of key data elements. Finally, section 5 describes the collection arrangements. [This paper was prepared on behalf of the National Training Statistics Committee. It was produced as a joint initiative of the Australian Government and state and territory governments, with funding provided through the Australian Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations.]

This annual publication provides a summary of training activity in apprenticeships and traineeships in Australia, from the period 1998 to 2008, including information on training rates, attrition rates, completion rates, training within the trades and duration of training. The figures in this publication are derived from the National Apprentice and Trainee Collection no.59 (March 2009 estimates), which is compiled under the Australian Vocational Education and Training Management Information Statistical Standard (AVETMISS) for Apprentice and Trainee Collection Specifications, Release 6.0, March 2008. (Contains 22 tables and 5 figures.) [Funding for this paper provided through the Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations.]

This summary provides a profile of both technical and further education (TAFE) institutes and private providers in the provision of publicly funded vocational education and training (VET). It provides data on student characteristics and outcomes, which demonstrate the extent of variation in the sector in 2006. (Contains 6 tables and 10 figures.) [This paper has been produced by the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) as a joint initiative of the Australian Government and state and territory governments, with funding provided through the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations.]

This technical paper contains information about the variables in the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY) Year 1998 cohort data set. It groups each variable into data elements which identifies common variables within and across waves. Information is provided about each data element including its purpose, values, base populations and relevant notes. This document focuses on the social aspect of the respondents' lives. [For the main report, see ED507545.]

This technical paper contains information about the variables in the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY) Year 1998 cohort data set. It groups each variable into data elements which identifies common variables within and across waves. Information is provided about each data element including its purpose, values, base populations and relevant notes. This document focuses on the employment information of the respondents. [For the main report, see ED507545.]

This technical paper contains information about the variables in the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY) Year 1998 cohort data set. It groups each variable into data elements which identifies common variables within and across waves. Information is provided about each data element including its purpose, values, base populations and relevant. This document focuses on the education information of the respondents. [For the main report, see ED507545.]

This technical paper contains information about the variables in the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY) Year 1998 cohort data set. It groups each variable into data elements which identifies common variables within and across waves. Information is provided about each data element including its purpose, values, base populations and relevant notes. This document focuses on the education information of the respondents. [For the main report, see ED507545.]

Early in 2005, the Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs (MCEETYA) Taskforce on Transition from School collected data on vocational education and training (VET) in Schools from all States and Territories in the following areas: (1) number of students enrolled in VET in Schools programs; (2) industry coverage by ANTA industry group; (3) annual student contact hours; (4) number of students undertaking structured workplace learning & total hours; and (5) number of students commencing a training agreement as a School-based New Apprentice. All jurisdictions have their own arrangements for collecting data and maintaining databases. Some data reported in this report are derived from collections maintained by Boards of Studies, while other data are derived from school system/authority collections or from state/territory training authorities. This paper presents the following data: (1) In 2004, a total of 211 885 students were enrolled in VET in Schools programs. This represents approximately 49 per cent of all senior secondary students; (2) The most popular industry areas for VET in Schools were Tourism & Hospitality, Business & Clerical, and Computing, which accounted for nearly 48 per cent of all enrolments; (3) 46.19 million hours of training were delivered representing an average of 218 hours per student across Australia. The average varies across States/Territories ranging from 332 to 28 hours per student; (4) 114 865 students spent a total of 6.71 million hours in structured workplace learning, an average of approximately 58 hours per student. The average varies across States/Territories ranging from approximately 11 to 160 hours per student; and (5) 12 998 School-based New Apprenticeships were commenced during 2004. More than 70 per cent of these apprenticeships were in the areas of Sales & Personal Services, Tourism & Hospitality, Business & Clerical, and Automotive. (Contains 31 exhibits.)

In 2003, the Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB) released a "Strategic Plan for Early Childhood Health." In recognition of the critical role states play in the development of early childhood initiatives and of the unique contributions that state Title V programs can make to these initiatives, the Bureau operationalized their strategic plan through an all state grant program entitled State Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems (SECCS). Based on national reports and recommendations, MCHB has mapped out five critical components that support families and communities in the development of children that are healthy and ready to succeed in school. One of these is parenting education services. The purpose of this report is to (1) provide SECCS Initiative grantees and their partners with information about the current status of parenting education programs in the United States; (2) present some approaches to the provision of parenting education; (3) identify the role of the SECCS Initiative in relation to the development of affordable, high-quality parenting education programs and systems; and (4) present some promising practices and parenting education resources. The following are appended: (1) The Universe of Parent Education; and (2) Matrix of Stand-Alone Parent Education Programs for Parents of Children Birth to Five. (Contains 3 tables, 2 figures, and 71 endnotes.) [This publication was produced by the National Center for Infant and Early Childhood Health Policy, an active collaboration between the UCLA Center for Healthier Children, Families and Communities, the Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs (AMCHP), the Women and Children's Health Policy Center at the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). This paper been adapted from "Supporting Parents through Parenting Education" by Marlene Zepeda and Alex Morales.]

Discussion about Australia's ageing population has focused on the importance of increasing labour force participation rates of older people. This paper examines the influence of education and training on the participation of older people in the labour market, and the pay-off of undertaking education and training as an older-person compared to earlier in life. On the whole, the results indicate the more qualifications the better, and education, lifelong learning and training are beneficial to maintaining and increasing employment rates. Qualifications acquired later in life have as good, and in some cases, better, pay-off to employment-to-population rates for older age groups, suggesting education is an effective strategy for older people seeking employment. The authors also suggest that increasing education levels will partially offset the impact of ageing on labour force participation. (Contains 93 tables and 8 figures.)

In 2000, a quantitative telephone survey of 2,098 businesses in Australia determined employer awareness of and participation in structured workplace learning (SWL) programs. It explored "drivers" of participation and employers' decision-making process. Comparisons with a 1998 survey identified changes in employer awareness, attitudes, and perceptions. Findings indicated 97 percent of employers believed SWL was a good idea; participation remained low at 5 percent; 60 percent of those rating SWL as a good idea would take students in the future; "selling" angles more likely to appeal more widely were increased staff satisfaction, improved recruitment, and community recognition; and activities that increased employer satisfaction included regular coordinator contact, appropriate match of students with employer, assisting employers in planning for student activities, and good preparation of students for the placement. The survey highlighted areas for improvement, including that capital cities had lower levels of awareness and acceptance of SWL than rural areas. Appendixes contain the questionnaire and these five papers: "Students Gain a Lot, But Also Give a Lot in the Workplace"; "Students in the Workplace Save Time--and Money"; "Employer Participation in Student Workplacements Goes On, and On...and On"; "Help Is at Hand All the Way for Students--and Employers"; and "Great Student Workplacements Throw Employer Concerns Out the Window." (YLB)

In this paper, findings from two new instruments measuring the extent to which mathematics is stereotyped as a gendered domain are reported. The instruments were administered to Australian secondary students (grades 7-10) and to pre-service teachers. Comparisons were made with data from similar American samples of students and pre-service teachers who completed the same instruments. The Australian results revealed that students' beliefs about mathematics as a male domain were inconsistent with previous findings in the field; the pre-service teachers' views of the students' beliefs were more in-line with earlier research. There was remarkable similarity in the patterns of the results from Australia and the USA. (Author)

This 22-country survey was conducted between 1994 and 1998. Representative samples of adults aged 16-65 were interviewed and tested at home using the same literacy tests. The main purpose of the survey was to find out how well adults use information to function in society. Another aim was to investigate the factors that influence literacy proficiency and to compare these between countries. Ten international indicators are presented that allow readers to compare the literary proficiency of Americans with that of other populations as measured on the prose literary scale; similar results are provided in quantitative scales. The findings confirm how low literacy is an important issue in all regions in all countries surveyed. On the whole, the findings show that Americans are at an average level of prose literacy performance, behind the Nordic countries and the Netherlands but on a par with adults in Australia, Canada, and Germany. Literacy proficiency is more unequally distributed in the United States and Canada than in Europe, with the most literate 25% of North Americans scoring far higher than average. "Life-long" learning programs, as well as early childhood education, more access to adult education and to information and communication technologies, and the promotion of literacy-rich environments at work, home, and in the community are proposed as solutions to improve adult literacy. The paper is divided into 3 chapters, 4 annexes, and 10 data-rich figures. (Adjunct ERIC Clearinghouse for ESL Literacy Education) (KFT)

A policy of the Victoria (Australia) government is to provide all Victorian children access to 1 year of preschool prior to entry into the formal education system. This paper provides an overview of preschool programs funded by the Department of Health and Community Services (H&CS) during 1994. The first section of the report gives a statistical overview of the 1994 preschool program. This section contains the 1994 funded enrollment figure, that is, the total number of enrollments which attracted funding in February 1994, or later in the year as additional enrollments. These figures represent the official 1994 preschool figures. Also included in this section is information relating to the number of preschool locations which received State Government preschool funding in 1994 as well as other programs for children offered from these locations. The second section provides analyses of the data, collected primarily via the "Preschool Monitoring Form-1994, under the following topics: Enrollments, Koorie Children, Children from a Non-English Speaking Background (NESB), Health Card Holders, Fees, Program Delivery, Staff Hours, Volunteer Contribution, and Support Services. These analyses indicate that participation in preschool programs was very high, with 93.3 percent of eligible 4-year-olds attended preschool. However, only half of eligible Koorie children attending preschool. Children with NESB backgrounds comprised 15.2 percent of 1994 preschool population, concentrated in metropolitan regions. Approximately 30 percent of 1994 enrollments were Health Card holders. There was a trend toward greater flexibility in program delivery in 1994. Overall, it appears that initial fears that preschool programs would have to either close or increase fees to operate under new funding conditions were unfounded, although volunteer hours play a large part in maintaining programs. (WJC)

This paper, written from an Australian perspective, examines the contribution of oral language disorders to the classroom performance of secondary students. Five brief case examples illustrate the effects of language disorders on social competence, ability to follow verbal instructions and routines, ability to cope with a bilingual background, and development of self-esteem. Suggestions for identifying language disorder in high school students are listed under the categories of: (1) problems with speaking and listening, (2) problems with school work, and (3) behavioral problems. Also offered are specific guidelines for modifying teacher talk to assist students with language disorders such as requesting feedback, slowing the rate of presentation, and encouraging students' seeking help and clarification. Suggestions for modifying classroom work to help students with language disorders include ways to make instructions explicit and to ensure that students complete tasks without experiencing failure. (Contains 13 references.) (DB)

Noting that a small portion of older emergent readers are usually found in all primary classes, this pamphlet discusses how teachers can help students with reading difficulties see how to fit together the snippets of literacy-related information they may have already acquired. After a brief introduction, the pamphlet suggests that children learn to read by using reading for real purposes and by focusing on meaning, and that this can be accomplished most effectively by exposing the children to "real" books rather than purpose-written "scheme materials." The remaining sections of the pamphlet discuss aspects of the Directed Reading and Thinking Activity (DRTA), including: the rationale for the activity; a summary of the DRTA procedure; a discussion of each step in the procedure using Anthony Browne's book "Look What I've Got!"; and a discussion of several sub-strategies (involving reading and writing) that may be used within and after the DRTA. The pamphlet concludes with a list of 11 books by Anthony Browne for further reading. (RS)

This publication is part of the study materials for the distance education course, Adults Learning: The Changing Workplace A, in the Open Campus Program at Deakin University. The first part of the document examines the relationship between technological change and skills development. The following topics are discussed: the new technological revolution and its effects on public institutions; the positive potential and negative aspects of new technology and necessary choices; defining technology (the significance of the labor process and technological determinism); social transformations of technology (the examples of telephone companies and IBM and exposing the myth that technology is always progressive); the systems life cycle (criticisms of the traditional design method and worker involvement in systems development); the social mediation of skills (stages in an administrative revolution and the progression from the mechanical office to the paperless office); and the cycle of labor transforming technology transforming labor. The first section contains seven references. The following papers constitute approximately 80% of the document: "Educational Implications of High Technology" (H. M. Levin, R. W. Rumberger); "Office Technology as Exile and Integration" (S. Zuboff); "Social Choice in Machine Design" (D. F. Noble); and "The Material of Male Power" (C. Cockburn). Concluding the document is a 12-item annotated bibliography. (MN)