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The Vocational Education and Training (VET) National Data Asset (VNDA) is a collaborative project between Jobs and Skills Australia (JSA) and the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).
VNDA brings together a range of government administrative data assets to track the employment, economic and further study outcomes of VET students. This innovative approach to data assists JSA to provide advice on the performance of the Australian VET system, unlocking new insights and analyses.
New data insights for the VET sector
The statistics from VNDA track students’ progression to further education and changes to their income, employment and reliance on income support, both before and after training. It’s a unique data set that’s providing greater insights and more opportunities for analysis and advice.
In addition to being a policy tool for government, the statistics from VNDA will better inform everyone involved in the VET sector – students, teachers, workers, employers, training providers and researchers.
How does the data work? VNDA leverages the Person Level Integrated Data Asset (PLIDA) managed by the ABS. It links records from the Total VET Activity data collected by the National Centre for Vocational Education Research with other government administrative data, including data from the ABS, the Australian Taxation Office, Department of Education and Department of Social Services.
It’s worth noting the VET sector serves a diverse student base. The descriptive statistics from VNDA do not account for the impact of individual attributes or socio-demographic circumstances on student outcomes. JSA acknowledges the challenges in interpreting results when the capabilities, preferences, experiences and ambitions of students vary. Therefore, direct comparisons – such as between qualifications, jurisdictions, or student demographic groups – should be made cautiously and always with appropriate contextual information.
Strong and responsive VET pathways identified
Our latest VNDA data release is summarised in our report called Strong and Responsive VET pathways: 2019-20 graduate outcomes from the VET National Data Asset. The report summarises the national level outcomes for graduates who completed a nationally recognised VET qualification in 2019-20. Analysis is focused on priority cohorts (female graduates, First Nations graduates, and graduates with disability), and a range of different student types, including age group, location and prior employment status of graduates.
The report is accompanied by an extensive data release, providing national outcomes on 500 qualifications, compared to 100 courses previously. For the first time, state and territory outcomes are also available, by level of qualification completed and broad field of education.
The report highlights the positive economic and employment gains for VET graduates, including among priority groups such as First Nations, females and students with disability. First Nations students had a median income uplift of $13,000, higher than the national uplift of $11,800. Female graduates experienced a notable rise in employment rates, with a 17-percentage point increase compared to a 15-percentage point increase nationally. The VET system also reduces graduates’ reliance on income support, with 39% of students who were on income support prior to their study, no longer on income support after completion.
The importance of VET in creating pathways to higher-level training is also apparent, with 40% of graduates in Certificate I progressing to higher-level VET, and 22% of Advanced Diploma graduates commencing higher education. Women, First Nations and graduates with disability all had higher rates of progression to higher-level VET study than the national total (18%, 20% and 21%, compared to 16% nationally).
Key highlights from latest release
In the year following completion, Vocational Education and Training (VET) graduates had a median income uplift of $11,800 and earned a median employee income of $48,500.
- First Nations graduates attained a median income uplift of $13,000 and earned a median income of $43,100.
- Female graduates attained a median income uplift of $11,400 and earned a median income of $41,900.
- Graduates with disability attained a median income uplift of $9,100 and earned a median income of $26,100.
Nationally, 84% of VET graduates were employed after completing their VET qualification, representing a 15 percentage point increase from before enrolment.
- First Nations graduates had a 16 percentage point increase in employment, reaching an employment rate of 79% after completion.
- Female graduates had a 17 percentage point increase in employment, reaching an employment rate of 83% after completion.
- Graduates with disability had a 14 percentage point increase in employment, reaching an employment rate of 65% after completion.
Approximately 8% of all VET graduates pursued higher education after completion and 16% enrolled in a higher-level VET qualification than the one completed in 2019-20.
- 5% of First Nations graduates enrolled in higher education and 20% in higher-level VET.
- 10% of female graduates enrolled in higher education and 18% in higher-level VET.
- 7% of graduates with disability enrolled in higher education and 21% in higher-level VET.
Among VET graduates who received income support prior to study, 39% were no longer on income support two years after completion (i.e. income support exit rate).
- First Nations graduates had a 34% income support exit rate.
- Female graduates had a 36% income support exit rate.
- Graduates with disability had a 22% income support exit rate.
Where to find the latest data
Read the full report Strong and Responsive VET pathways: 2019-20 graduate outcomes from the VET National Data Asset.
To accommodate the extensive new data, JSA has developed an interactive dashboard to navigate and explore the data in a user-friendly format.
Future work
JSA is advancing analyses within VNDA, including rigorous modelling to better understand the relationships and impact of students’ demographic characteristics on their outcomes. Furthermore, JSA is continuously working to enhance VNDA’s methodology and explore deeper insights into other key dimensions of Australia’s job market, such as occupation outcomes, industry profiles, and employment type to maximise the potential of VNDA.
Contact
JSA welcomes feedback and engagement to help shape the focus of future VNDA analysis.
Please get in touch at VNDA@jobsandskills.gov.au.