Apprentice completion rates rise slightly

The completion rate for nationally recognised vocational education and training (VET) qualifications has risen slightly, according to new data released by the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER).

VET qualification completion rates data for 2019 shows 43.4 per cent of all VET qualifications started in 2016 were completed, compared with 42.9% per cent of qualifications started in 2015.

Completion rates are based on calculations that match commencements with completions using student and qualification identifiers over four years. This timeframe provides sufficient time for most VET students to complete their qualification.

The completion rate was higher for training package qualifications started in 2016, at 44.2 per cent than for accredited qualifications, at 36.9 per cent.

Compared with qualifications started in 2015, completion rates for both types of qualifications have improved, slightly more so for training package qualifications which up from 43.6 per cent, than accredited qualifications, which were up from 36.4 per cent.

The rise is against a background where the Covid-19 pandemic caused significant economic disruption to VET training during 2020.

The number of contract suspensions increased by more than 650 per cent in March and April 2020, and by almost 300 per cent in May 2020 compared with the same period in 2019.

By September 2020, the number of contracts put on suspension was approximately 10 per cent lower than it had been in September 2019.

More information here.

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