Vocational completion rates showing strong results - and getting stronger

Australia’s Vocational Education and Training (VET) sector has shown strong results in new data released today, with record completion rates seen across a range of metrics, including record finish rates in critical areas like construction and electrotechnology.

The data, released by the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER), shows almost half of students who started a VET qualification in 2021 completed it within four years, with the national completion rate rising from 43.7 per cent for the 2016 cohort to 48.9 per cent for the 2021 cohort, despite disruptions stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The results are particularly encouraging for students who have traditionally faced greater barriers to completing training and show a clear demonstration of the importance of continued investment in skills and training.

Record completion rates were achieved by people living in regional and remote Australia, students from disadvantaged communities, First Nations students, and those who speak a language other than English at home. 

Strong results were also recorded in priority industries including construction and electrotechnology, helping grow the skilled workforce Australia needs, including to build more homes.

NCVER is also projecting the 2022 and 2023 commencing cohorts could achieve the highest qualification completion rates since records began, with the 2023 cohort achieving a completion rate of 50.2 per cent to date with expectations it will continue climbing.

These results underline the value of targeted support to help more Australians finish their training and move into careers where Australia needs more workers, a priority of the Albanese Labor Government.

The Government’s National Skills Agreement (NSA), struck with states and territories in 2023, is a five-year, $30 billion agreement providing funding certainty for investing in the training and building the skills Australia needs.

The NSA includes agreements with each state and territory that commits specific funding towards measures that improve student completion rates, including increased student support services and interventions to re-engage students at risk of dropping out of training.

The NCVER report can be viewed at www.ncver.edu.au 

Quotes attributable to Minister for Skills and Training, Andrew Giles:

“These results show that when we invest in skills and support people to complete their training, we get better outcomes for students, employers and the economy.

“We're seeing more Australians complete their qualifications, including record results for regional Australians, people from disadvantaged backgrounds and First Nations students.

“When the Coalition left office, they left Australia with the worst skills shortages in 50 years. Our Government’s work is turning that around, with occupations in shortage dropping from 36 per cent in 2023 to 29 per cent in 2025.”