Vocational Education and Training

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS (14:37): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Employment, Higher Education and Skills a question about vocational education and training outcomes.

Leave granted.

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS: Research has shown the importance of vocational education to employment and as a pathway into further training opportunities. Can the minister update the chamber regarding student outcomes and government funded training in 2015?

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) (14:38): I thank the honourable member for his inaugural question and extremely good question. It is certainly the best and most insightful question that I have received so far today, so congratulations. The National Centre for Vocational Education Research today released its government funded student outcomes 2015 data. This data is representative of all VET training delivered by public providers and government funded activity delivered by community education providers and private training providers.

I am pleased to be able to advise that the South Australian VET graduates in 2015 were the most satisfied in the nation in relation to the overall quality of their training. The 2015 figure was that 88.7 per cent of South Australian VET graduates from government funded courses were satisfied with the quality of training. This is two percentage points above the national figure, which is currently sitting at 86.7 per cent.

South Australia's employment and further education outcomes for graduates were higher than the national average in 2015 in the vast majority of categories, with 78.1 per cent of 2015 South Australian graduates employed after training, compared with 74.2 nationally.

Additionally, 87.7 per cent of South Australian graduates in 2015 were employed or in further study after training, compared with 85.2 per cent nationally—so, again, above the national average. Eighty per cent of the 2015 South Australian graduates employed after training found their training relevant to their current job, and 59.7 per cent reported an improved employment status after training. This compares with the national figures of 78.8 and 58.6 per cent respectively. So, again, we are above the national average.

In South Australia, the proportion of graduates reporting that they found their training relevant to their current job increased to 80 per cent in 2015 from 75.8 per cent in 2014. These results are particularly encouraging because they show, when you read them in conjunction with our state government conducted graduate surveys, that students who complete state government funded VET in South Australia are not only satisfied with the training that they are receiving, but they are also achieving employment outcomes or putting themselves in a position to complete further training.

The task of ensuring that students are provided with valuable training and equipped with the skills they need to obtain a job is obviously ongoing. As I have mentioned in this chamber before, the Department of State Development undertakes a process of surveying students and graduates regarding their overall satisfaction with courses, but also conducting independent validations of assessment of key courses to identify improvements that can be made. It is important that South Australia remains at the forefront of quality VET in Australia, and we are continuing to ensure that quality training focused on jobs is delivered through WorkReady.