VET numbers drop in schools

The number of students undertaking vocational education and training (VET) as part of secondary education has decreased in the past year, according to the latest data from the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER).

In 2022 there were 242,945 VET in Schools students according to NCVER, a 3.3 percent decline from 2021.

Of those students, 8.5 percent or 20,765 participated in a school-based apprenticeship or traineeship, and 91.5 percent or 222,180 in other VET in Schools programmes.

Certificate II programmes continue to be the most popular qualification, with 57.3 percent of enrolments or 203,580 at this level. However, the numbers have decreased by 12.1 percent since 2012.

NCVER Managing Director Simon Walker said: “Although Certificate II programs continue to have the highest uptake, we have seen a significant increase in Certificate III enrolments over the past decade, up 69.7 percent from 68,250 in 2012 to 115,800 in 2022.

“Further, we have observed a 74.1 percent decrease in Certificate I enrolments over the same period.”

The most popular training package was Tourism, travel and hospitality, followed by Sport, fitness and recreation.

Over the last year there has also been a notable decline in the number of program enrolments in Foundation Skills, with a decline of 38.5 percent.

Picture: NCVER