Vocational Education and Training

The Hon. J.M. GAZZOLA (15:46): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Employment, Higher Education and Skills a question about young people in vocational education and training.

Leave granted.

The Hon. J.M. GAZZOLA: We all know the important role that participation in vocational education and training provides, enabling employment in our communities particularly for young people. Minister, will you provide information about the extent to which young South Australians are engaged in vocational education and training?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Employment, Higher Education and Skills, Minister for Science and Information Economy, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Business Services and Consumers) (15:46): I thank the honourable member for his most important question. This government shares his view in terms of the vitally important role that education and training play for young people in their ability to find work as well as the broader benefits obviously provided to our economy and community. The short answer to the honourable member's question is that South Australia's young people are highly engaged in vocational education and training (VET) programs. The National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) recently released data on this very issue and it makes interesting reading in the context of the government's training guarantee for SACE students program.

Analysis of the NCVER data that was just released (it is data for the 2013 year) indicates that nationally most young people were participating in one form of education and training. The national estimates of participation by young people in education and training in 2013 show a 1 per cent increase in school enrolments and a 3.6 per cent increase in higher education compared to 2012. In South Australia more young people were participating in VET in schools: there was a 2.3 per cent increase, and in VET overall a 2.5 per cent increase in 2013 compared with the previous year. The percentage increases, as you can see, were above the national average and the highest in the nation.

In South Australia, the number of young people in higher education increased by 3.8 per cent, or 700 students, compared with 2012. South Australia boasted the second highest proportion of young people who successfully completed at least one unit of competency or module as part of a VET qualification at certificate II or above in the nation. In South Australia this was 28.7 per cent, which again was above the national average by nearly 2 per cent.

This government recognises the importance of promoting VET qualifications to secondary school students. That is why we have put in place policies and funding to encourage and improve access and take-up by students. The Department of State Development subsidises training delivered to eligible secondary school students by approved RTOs in three ways: the training guarantee for SACE students (TGSS), school based apprenticeships and/ or trainees and Innovative Community Action Networks (ICAN). Around $1 million of funding is allocated by the department to TAFE, who auspice VET delivered in schools, and the government is also committed to quality VET delivery in the school sector through fee-for-service arrangements as well.

As the Minister for Education recently announced, a massive 96 per cent of public school students continued their studies into year 12 last year—the highest proportion ever. It's also pleasing to note that the NCVER Student Outcomes Survey released in December last year tells us that 78.7 per cent of South Australian graduates were employed after training, and this is well above the national average. In fact, if I recall, South Australia was one of the leading jurisdictions in employment after training.

This government has a strong record of believing in and investing in our young people and backing them in decisions that they make to prepare for their future. It's sad to see that the Liberal federal government is so keen to slash important funding to these training initiatives.