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Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth

National Centre for Vocational Education Research, National Surveys, Survey

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The Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY) track young people as they move from school into further study, work, and other destinations. LSAY provides a rich source of information about young people and their pathways, helping researchers and policymakers make educated decisions about youth policies. Survey participants enter the study when they are about 15 years old and are contacted once a year until they are 25. Information on a wide range of school and post-school topics is collected, including:

student achievement and aspirations
attitudes to school
social background
vocational and further education
employment and job seeking
satisfaction with various aspects of life
Groups of survey participants are collectively known as a 'cohort'. LSAY began in 1995 with the Y95 cohort, followed by additional cohorts in 1998 (Y98), 2003 (Y03), 2006 (Y06) and 2009 (Y09). The most recent cohort began in 2015 (Y15).

Nationally representative samples of over 10,000 young people start out in each cohort. Since 2003, participants have been recruited from Australian schools that take part in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA).

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Papers by Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth

Participation in and progress through new apprenticeships

New Apprenticeships provide a pathway from school to adult working life for a significant proport... more New Apprenticeships provide a pathway from school to adult working life for a significant proportion of each cohort of young people and thus make a potentially important contribution to the formation of skills for individuals and for the community as a whole. New Apprenticeships are based on a formal combination of study and work that links learning in the workplace with learning in an educational institution. They incorporate both traditional apprenticeships and traineeships. This report focuses on two broad research questions : What are the characteristics of young people who commence a New Apprenticeship overall, as well as of those in traditional apprenticeships or traineeships separately and those in different fields of training? What are the points of entry to and patterns of progress through New Apprenticeships? [p.v]

Reading comprehension and numeracy among junior secondary school students in Australia

This report examines the performance, and levels of mastery, on tests of reading comprehension an... more

Influences on achievement in literacy and numeracy

This report examines the influence of a range of factors on the literacy and numeracy achievement... more This report examines the influence of a range of factors on the literacy and numeracy achievement levels of Year 9 students in Australia. The data were obtained from students in the first wave of LSAY and were analysed using hierarchical linear modelling to account for the sample design of LSAY. Modelling procedures followed a theoretical construct, incorporating variables believed to be important influences on achievement in literacy and numeracy. In addition, variables were selected to ensure consistency between cohorts and between literacy and numeracy. Included in the analyses were variables relating to students (gender, Indigenous background, language background, home location), their parents (education level, occupation, birthplace), attitudes toward school, aspirations and self-concept.

Education and happiness in the school-to-work transition

Assessing the value of additional years of schooling for the non academically inclined

Life satisfaction of young Australians : relationships between further education, training and employment and general and career satisfaction

This report has three broad aims : To describe the relationship between life satisfaction and par... more This report has three broad aims : To describe the relationship between life satisfaction and participation in a range of post-school education, training and labour market activities each year between 1999 and 2002; To assess whether the relationship between life satisfaction and post-school activities holds after prior levels of life satisfaction are taken into account; To assess whether movement between activities in the post-school years is associated with changes in life satisfaction. [p.v]

Attitudes, intentions and participation in education: Year 12 and beyond

Attitudes, intentions and participation in education: Year 12 and beyond, Oct 12, 2010

This briefing paper draws on findings from several LSAY Research Reports (5, 27, 31, 33 and 41) w... more This briefing paper draws on findings from several LSAY Research Reports (5, 27, 31, 33 and 41) which report on how student attitudes and engagement in the formative school years influence subsequent participation in post-compulsory education and training. Data is used from two LSAY cohorts: students who were in Year 9 in 1995, and students who were in Year 9 in 1998. Attitudes to school in the LSAY program are based on student responses to a set of 30 items, and intentions to further study are recorded in Year 9. This paper, published by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER), is part of the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY) research program.

Apprenticeships and traineeships: participation, progress and completion

Apprenticeships and traineeships: participation, progress and completion, Oct 12, 2010

This briefing paper draws together findings from two LSAY (Longitudinal Surveys of Australian You... more This briefing paper draws together findings from two LSAY (Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth) research reports: 'Participation in and progress through New Apprenticeships'; and the 'VET pathways taken by school leavers'. These two reports use data obtained from young people who were in Year 9 at school in 1995 and whose educational and occupational activities were traced each year thereafter. Student characteristics, fields of training, commencement and completion rates, and reasons for discontinuing are all explored. This paper, published by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER), is part of the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth research program.

Participation in VET in Schools

Participation in VET in Schools, Feb 4, 2009

This briefing paper looks at participation in VET in Schools programs by members of three groups ... more This briefing paper looks at participation in VET in Schools programs by members of three groups of young people who have been part of LSAY since 1995, when VET in Schools offerings experienced sustained growth. The first group comprises young people who were in Year 9 in 1995 and included vocational education and training (VET) subjects as part of their Year 11 or Year 12 studies in 1997 and 1998. The second group comprises young people who were in Year 9 in 1998 and included VET subjects as part of their senior secondary studies in 2000 and 2001. Both of these groups participated in VET in Schools while the program was still developing and have provided valuable data on their post-school pathways. The third group included in this briefing paper were 15 years old in 2003. At the time, some were in Year 11, but most were in Year 11 in 2004. For this group, data are available for Year 11 only. The three cohorts provide an opportunity to examine changes in participation in VET in Schools between 1997 and 2004 and their outcomes. This paper, published by the Australian Council for Educational Reasearch (ACER), is part of the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY) research program.

Initial educational experiences of tertiary students

This briefing paper presents information about the initial tertiary education experiences, such a... more This briefing paper presents information about the initial tertiary education experiences, such as satisfaction with aspects of student life and changes to initial enrolments, of two groups of young people, based on two recent LSAY research reports. One study focussed on the first year experiences of a group of young people who completed Year 12 in 2001 and entered tertiary education (university and TAFE) the following year. In this study, TAFE students who were enrolled in traineeships or apprenticeships were excluded from the analyses. The second study examined course changes and attrition from university study among a group of young people who completed Year 12 in 1998 and entered university in 1999 or 2000. Their experiences of university study were analysed up until the end of 2001, that is, during their first two years of study. This paper, published by the Australian Council for Educational Reasearch (ACER), is part of the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY) research program.

University study in Australia Persistence, completion and beyond

University study in Australia Persistence, completion and beyond, Feb 4, 2009

The data for this briefing paper were collected from two LSAY cohorts: the Year 9 class of 1995 a... more The data for this briefing paper were collected from two LSAY cohorts: the Year 9 class of 1995 and the Year 9 class of 1998. Information on the education and labour market activities of these groups has been collected annually. The findings reported here follow the experiences of university entrants from these groups up to age 23. The findings are discussed in further detail in three recent LSAY research reports on the first year experience (Hillman, 2005), university completion (Marks, 2007) and unmet demand (Marks, 2005). Earlier LSAY research, based upon previous groups of young people followed over longer periods of time, are also used. This paper, published by the Australian Council for Educational Reasearch (ACER), is part of the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY) research program.

Participation in vocational education and training to age 24

Participation in vocational education and training to age 24, Feb 4, 2009

The data for this briefing paper are from the 1995 cohort of the Longitudinal Surveys of Australi... more The data for this briefing paper are from the 1995 cohort of the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY). The findings reported here are from three recent LSAY research reports, which are listed at the end of this briefing paper. The cohort comprises young people who were in Year 9 at school in 1995. Data in this briefing paper have been collected annually to 2005. This briefing paper concentrates on those who undertook an apprenticeship or traineeship after leaving school, or enrolled for non-apprenticeship study at a TAFE institution or a private VET provider. This paper, published by the Australian Council for Educational Reasearch (ACER), is part of the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY) research program.

School experiences of 15 and 16 year olds

School experiences of 15 and 16 year olds, Feb 4, 2009

This briefing paper provides a summary of students' experiences at school and their attitudes and... more This briefing paper provides a summary of students' experiences at school and their attitudes and perceptions of these experiences at ages 15 and 16. It is based on information obtained in both years from these young people who participated in PISA in 2003 and who are now part of the LSAY 2003 cohort. Table 1 shows the distribution, by year level, of the cohort in both 2003 and 2004. This paper, published by the Australian Council for Educational Reasearch (ACER), is part of the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY) research program.

Hoops, hurdles and high jumps: Physical activity and bodyweight among 17 year olds

Hoops, hurdles and high jumps: Physical activity and bodyweight among 17 year olds, Feb 1, 2007

This briefing paper, which is based on data from a sample of 17 year-olds in 2005, reports on the... more This briefing paper, which is based on data from a sample of 17 year-olds in 2005, reports on the participation levels in sport and exercise, their health, their body mass index (BMI) and associations between these and other characteristics. Highlights include: six out of 10 young people play sport or exercise at least once a week; just over seven out of 10 17 year-olds rated their general health as either excellent or very good; one in five 17 year-olds were classified as overweight or obese; 30% of females were classified as underweight compared to 15% of males; and three in four obese males played computer or video games at least once a week. This paper, published by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER), is part of the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY) research program.

Year 12 subjects and further study

Year 12 subjects and further study, Sep 1, 2005

The briefing looks at: recent distribution of Year 12 subject enrolments; changes in Year 12 subj... more The briefing looks at: recent distribution of Year 12 subject enrolments; changes in Year 12 subject uptake; influences on subject participation; and Year 12 studies and post-school education. Highlights include: since the 1990s, participation in business and secretarial studies, creative arts and computer studies have grown while humanities, biology, physics, chemistry, economics and accounting have declined; the combination of subjects studied in Year 12 influences entry to university and vocational education and training. Briefing paper no.11 This report, published by the Australian Council for Educational Reasearch (ACER), is part of the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY) research program.

Post-school education and training pathways to age 20

Post-school education and training pathways to age 20, Dec 1, 2005

This paper looks at participation in post-school study, pathways through higher education and voc... more This paper looks at participation in post-school study, pathways through higher education and vocational education and training (VET) and New Apprenticeships. Findings of this study include: 80% of young people have taken some form of post-school study by age 20; more than 75% of young people have completed study or are continuing in the course of study commenced after school; those that change courses do so within the first year; young people who are working are more likely than those not working to withdraw from post-school study; and young people tend to stop post-school study because the course was not what they had expected or because personal interests had changed. This paper, published by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER), is part of the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY) research program.

Work experience work placements and part time work among Australian secondary school students

Work experience work placements and part time work among Australian secondary school students, Oct 1, 2001

This briefing paper, which focuses on the labour force experiences of secondary school students i... more This briefing paper, which focuses on the labour force experiences of secondary school students in Australia, highlights that: students who undertake short work experience programs benefit in terms of learning skills appropriate to a particular job; work placement programs encourage some students to complete their schooling; part-time jobs are perceived as being useful for developing general employment skills; part-time jobs of less than 10 hours a week do not affect academic performance of Years 11 and 12 students; and students with part-time jobs are less likely to be unemployed at age 19 than those who did not work part-time while at secondary school. This report, published by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER), is part of the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY) research program.

Vocational education and training Participation achievement and pathways

Vocational education and training Participation achievement and pathways, Feb 1, 2002

This brief looks at findings on participation in VET in school programs, pathways associated with... more This brief looks at findings on participation in VET in school programs, pathways associated with these programs and how students who do not complete their high school education can be helped by VET courses post-school. The highlights include: VET in schools programs provide greater choice and opportunities to meet the ranging needs and interests of students; VET in schools subjects were undertaken by approximately one quarter of those students who completed Year 12; VET in schools programs have value for all students in preparing them for the transition from school to workplace or further education and training; VET programs play an important and growing role in providing pathways for young people who do not complete Year 12; and young people in areas of high unemployment and those who are least job ready in terms of educational attainment are least likely to participate in VET. This report, published by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER), is part of the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY) research program.

Rural and urban differences in Australian education

Rural and urban differences in Australian education, Jan 1, 2002

This briefing paper, which examines whether students' educational performance is influenced by wh... more This briefing paper, which examines whether students' educational performance is influenced by where they live, highlights that: there are small differences between the literacy and numeracy performances of rural and urban students in the middle years of their education; there are only slight differences in their choice of subjects in Year 12 between rural and urban students, with rural students studying in the areas of health, home science and agriculture more frequently than their urban counterparts; the participation of young people living in regional and remote areas in Year 12 and higher education is lower than that of their urban counterparts; and the rates of participation in vocational education and training (VET) for rural people are at least as high as in urban areas. This report, published by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER), is part of the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY) research program.

Pathways from school to work

Pathways from school to work, Nov 1, 2001

This briefing paper looks at the pathways through which Australian youth move from school to work... more This briefing paper looks at the pathways through which Australian youth move from school to work and it highlights that: the school-to-work pathways in Australia are highly diverse and individualised; by the mid-1990s, 43% of Year 10 students from the late 1980s had obtained either a university degree or a TAFE diploma or were studying for one of these qualifications; tertiary qualifications had considerable influence in maintaining full-time employment; the majority of school leavers without tertiary qualifications spend most of their first seven post-school years in full-time work; about 16% of male Year 10 students and 20% of female students had problematic pathways; young people whose main after school activity in the first year was either an apprenticeship, full-time employment or full-time study were more likely to experience successful pathways. This report, published by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER), is part of the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY) research program.

Participation in and progress through new apprenticeships

New Apprenticeships provide a pathway from school to adult working life for a significant proport... more New Apprenticeships provide a pathway from school to adult working life for a significant proportion of each cohort of young people and thus make a potentially important contribution to the formation of skills for individuals and for the community as a whole. New Apprenticeships are based on a formal combination of study and work that links learning in the workplace with learning in an educational institution. They incorporate both traditional apprenticeships and traineeships. This report focuses on two broad research questions : What are the characteristics of young people who commence a New Apprenticeship overall, as well as of those in traditional apprenticeships or traineeships separately and those in different fields of training? What are the points of entry to and patterns of progress through New Apprenticeships? [p.v]

Reading comprehension and numeracy among junior secondary school students in Australia

This report examines the performance, and levels of mastery, on tests of reading comprehension an... more

Influences on achievement in literacy and numeracy

This report examines the influence of a range of factors on the literacy and numeracy achievement... more This report examines the influence of a range of factors on the literacy and numeracy achievement levels of Year 9 students in Australia. The data were obtained from students in the first wave of LSAY and were analysed using hierarchical linear modelling to account for the sample design of LSAY. Modelling procedures followed a theoretical construct, incorporating variables believed to be important influences on achievement in literacy and numeracy. In addition, variables were selected to ensure consistency between cohorts and between literacy and numeracy. Included in the analyses were variables relating to students (gender, Indigenous background, language background, home location), their parents (education level, occupation, birthplace), attitudes toward school, aspirations and self-concept.

Education and happiness in the school-to-work transition

Assessing the value of additional years of schooling for the non academically inclined

Life satisfaction of young Australians : relationships between further education, training and employment and general and career satisfaction

This report has three broad aims : To describe the relationship between life satisfaction and par... more This report has three broad aims : To describe the relationship between life satisfaction and participation in a range of post-school education, training and labour market activities each year between 1999 and 2002; To assess whether the relationship between life satisfaction and post-school activities holds after prior levels of life satisfaction are taken into account; To assess whether movement between activities in the post-school years is associated with changes in life satisfaction. [p.v]

Attitudes, intentions and participation in education: Year 12 and beyond

Attitudes, intentions and participation in education: Year 12 and beyond, Oct 12, 2010

This briefing paper draws on findings from several LSAY Research Reports (5, 27, 31, 33 and 41) w... more This briefing paper draws on findings from several LSAY Research Reports (5, 27, 31, 33 and 41) which report on how student attitudes and engagement in the formative school years influence subsequent participation in post-compulsory education and training. Data is used from two LSAY cohorts: students who were in Year 9 in 1995, and students who were in Year 9 in 1998. Attitudes to school in the LSAY program are based on student responses to a set of 30 items, and intentions to further study are recorded in Year 9. This paper, published by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER), is part of the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY) research program.

Apprenticeships and traineeships: participation, progress and completion

Apprenticeships and traineeships: participation, progress and completion, Oct 12, 2010

This briefing paper draws together findings from two LSAY (Longitudinal Surveys of Australian You... more This briefing paper draws together findings from two LSAY (Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth) research reports: 'Participation in and progress through New Apprenticeships'; and the 'VET pathways taken by school leavers'. These two reports use data obtained from young people who were in Year 9 at school in 1995 and whose educational and occupational activities were traced each year thereafter. Student characteristics, fields of training, commencement and completion rates, and reasons for discontinuing are all explored. This paper, published by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER), is part of the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth research program.

Participation in VET in Schools

Participation in VET in Schools, Feb 4, 2009

This briefing paper looks at participation in VET in Schools programs by members of three groups ... more This briefing paper looks at participation in VET in Schools programs by members of three groups of young people who have been part of LSAY since 1995, when VET in Schools offerings experienced sustained growth. The first group comprises young people who were in Year 9 in 1995 and included vocational education and training (VET) subjects as part of their Year 11 or Year 12 studies in 1997 and 1998. The second group comprises young people who were in Year 9 in 1998 and included VET subjects as part of their senior secondary studies in 2000 and 2001. Both of these groups participated in VET in Schools while the program was still developing and have provided valuable data on their post-school pathways. The third group included in this briefing paper were 15 years old in 2003. At the time, some were in Year 11, but most were in Year 11 in 2004. For this group, data are available for Year 11 only. The three cohorts provide an opportunity to examine changes in participation in VET in Schools between 1997 and 2004 and their outcomes. This paper, published by the Australian Council for Educational Reasearch (ACER), is part of the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY) research program.

Initial educational experiences of tertiary students

This briefing paper presents information about the initial tertiary education experiences, such a... more This briefing paper presents information about the initial tertiary education experiences, such as satisfaction with aspects of student life and changes to initial enrolments, of two groups of young people, based on two recent LSAY research reports. One study focussed on the first year experiences of a group of young people who completed Year 12 in 2001 and entered tertiary education (university and TAFE) the following year. In this study, TAFE students who were enrolled in traineeships or apprenticeships were excluded from the analyses. The second study examined course changes and attrition from university study among a group of young people who completed Year 12 in 1998 and entered university in 1999 or 2000. Their experiences of university study were analysed up until the end of 2001, that is, during their first two years of study. This paper, published by the Australian Council for Educational Reasearch (ACER), is part of the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY) research program.

University study in Australia Persistence, completion and beyond

University study in Australia Persistence, completion and beyond, Feb 4, 2009

The data for this briefing paper were collected from two LSAY cohorts: the Year 9 class of 1995 a... more The data for this briefing paper were collected from two LSAY cohorts: the Year 9 class of 1995 and the Year 9 class of 1998. Information on the education and labour market activities of these groups has been collected annually. The findings reported here follow the experiences of university entrants from these groups up to age 23. The findings are discussed in further detail in three recent LSAY research reports on the first year experience (Hillman, 2005), university completion (Marks, 2007) and unmet demand (Marks, 2005). Earlier LSAY research, based upon previous groups of young people followed over longer periods of time, are also used. This paper, published by the Australian Council for Educational Reasearch (ACER), is part of the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY) research program.

Participation in vocational education and training to age 24

Participation in vocational education and training to age 24, Feb 4, 2009

The data for this briefing paper are from the 1995 cohort of the Longitudinal Surveys of Australi... more The data for this briefing paper are from the 1995 cohort of the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY). The findings reported here are from three recent LSAY research reports, which are listed at the end of this briefing paper. The cohort comprises young people who were in Year 9 at school in 1995. Data in this briefing paper have been collected annually to 2005. This briefing paper concentrates on those who undertook an apprenticeship or traineeship after leaving school, or enrolled for non-apprenticeship study at a TAFE institution or a private VET provider. This paper, published by the Australian Council for Educational Reasearch (ACER), is part of the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY) research program.

School experiences of 15 and 16 year olds

School experiences of 15 and 16 year olds, Feb 4, 2009

This briefing paper provides a summary of students' experiences at school and their attitudes and... more This briefing paper provides a summary of students' experiences at school and their attitudes and perceptions of these experiences at ages 15 and 16. It is based on information obtained in both years from these young people who participated in PISA in 2003 and who are now part of the LSAY 2003 cohort. Table 1 shows the distribution, by year level, of the cohort in both 2003 and 2004. This paper, published by the Australian Council for Educational Reasearch (ACER), is part of the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY) research program.

Hoops, hurdles and high jumps: Physical activity and bodyweight among 17 year olds

Hoops, hurdles and high jumps: Physical activity and bodyweight among 17 year olds, Feb 1, 2007

This briefing paper, which is based on data from a sample of 17 year-olds in 2005, reports on the... more This briefing paper, which is based on data from a sample of 17 year-olds in 2005, reports on the participation levels in sport and exercise, their health, their body mass index (BMI) and associations between these and other characteristics. Highlights include: six out of 10 young people play sport or exercise at least once a week; just over seven out of 10 17 year-olds rated their general health as either excellent or very good; one in five 17 year-olds were classified as overweight or obese; 30% of females were classified as underweight compared to 15% of males; and three in four obese males played computer or video games at least once a week. This paper, published by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER), is part of the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY) research program.

Year 12 subjects and further study

Year 12 subjects and further study, Sep 1, 2005

The briefing looks at: recent distribution of Year 12 subject enrolments; changes in Year 12 subj... more The briefing looks at: recent distribution of Year 12 subject enrolments; changes in Year 12 subject uptake; influences on subject participation; and Year 12 studies and post-school education. Highlights include: since the 1990s, participation in business and secretarial studies, creative arts and computer studies have grown while humanities, biology, physics, chemistry, economics and accounting have declined; the combination of subjects studied in Year 12 influences entry to university and vocational education and training. Briefing paper no.11 This report, published by the Australian Council for Educational Reasearch (ACER), is part of the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY) research program.

Post-school education and training pathways to age 20

Post-school education and training pathways to age 20, Dec 1, 2005

This paper looks at participation in post-school study, pathways through higher education and voc... more This paper looks at participation in post-school study, pathways through higher education and vocational education and training (VET) and New Apprenticeships. Findings of this study include: 80% of young people have taken some form of post-school study by age 20; more than 75% of young people have completed study or are continuing in the course of study commenced after school; those that change courses do so within the first year; young people who are working are more likely than those not working to withdraw from post-school study; and young people tend to stop post-school study because the course was not what they had expected or because personal interests had changed. This paper, published by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER), is part of the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY) research program.

Work experience work placements and part time work among Australian secondary school students

Work experience work placements and part time work among Australian secondary school students, Oct 1, 2001

This briefing paper, which focuses on the labour force experiences of secondary school students i... more This briefing paper, which focuses on the labour force experiences of secondary school students in Australia, highlights that: students who undertake short work experience programs benefit in terms of learning skills appropriate to a particular job; work placement programs encourage some students to complete their schooling; part-time jobs are perceived as being useful for developing general employment skills; part-time jobs of less than 10 hours a week do not affect academic performance of Years 11 and 12 students; and students with part-time jobs are less likely to be unemployed at age 19 than those who did not work part-time while at secondary school. This report, published by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER), is part of the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY) research program.

Vocational education and training Participation achievement and pathways

Vocational education and training Participation achievement and pathways, Feb 1, 2002

This brief looks at findings on participation in VET in school programs, pathways associated with... more This brief looks at findings on participation in VET in school programs, pathways associated with these programs and how students who do not complete their high school education can be helped by VET courses post-school. The highlights include: VET in schools programs provide greater choice and opportunities to meet the ranging needs and interests of students; VET in schools subjects were undertaken by approximately one quarter of those students who completed Year 12; VET in schools programs have value for all students in preparing them for the transition from school to workplace or further education and training; VET programs play an important and growing role in providing pathways for young people who do not complete Year 12; and young people in areas of high unemployment and those who are least job ready in terms of educational attainment are least likely to participate in VET. This report, published by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER), is part of the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY) research program.

Rural and urban differences in Australian education

Rural and urban differences in Australian education, Jan 1, 2002

This briefing paper, which examines whether students' educational performance is influenced by wh... more This briefing paper, which examines whether students' educational performance is influenced by where they live, highlights that: there are small differences between the literacy and numeracy performances of rural and urban students in the middle years of their education; there are only slight differences in their choice of subjects in Year 12 between rural and urban students, with rural students studying in the areas of health, home science and agriculture more frequently than their urban counterparts; the participation of young people living in regional and remote areas in Year 12 and higher education is lower than that of their urban counterparts; and the rates of participation in vocational education and training (VET) for rural people are at least as high as in urban areas. This report, published by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER), is part of the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY) research program.

Pathways from school to work

Pathways from school to work, Nov 1, 2001

This briefing paper looks at the pathways through which Australian youth move from school to work... more This briefing paper looks at the pathways through which Australian youth move from school to work and it highlights that: the school-to-work pathways in Australia are highly diverse and individualised; by the mid-1990s, 43% of Year 10 students from the late 1980s had obtained either a university degree or a TAFE diploma or were studying for one of these qualifications; tertiary qualifications had considerable influence in maintaining full-time employment; the majority of school leavers without tertiary qualifications spend most of their first seven post-school years in full-time work; about 16% of male Year 10 students and 20% of female students had problematic pathways; young people whose main after school activity in the first year was either an apprenticeship, full-time employment or full-time study were more likely to experience successful pathways. This report, published by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER), is part of the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY) research program.