Skills training qualifications on the rise.

The Federal Government claims an increasing percentage of students expected to complete their Vocational Education and Training (VET) qualifications shows the sector is going from strength to strength.

New figures from the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) predict a 5.2 per cent increase in completion rates for those who commenced a Certificate I or above in 2016.

Projected VET program completion rates across total VET activity are at 46.9 per cent, with increases in all states and territories and for all certificates and diplomas.

Assistant Minister for Vocational Education and Skills Karen Andrew said it was the result of hard work across the sector.

“The Australian Government is committed to improving the status of VET, and a key part of that is encouraging more students to complete their studies,” Ms Andrews said in a media statement.

“Government-funded full time students aged 25 years and under with no prior post-school qualifications have estimated completion rates more than 10 points higher than the national average.”

“The results show states and territory governments are better targeting their subsidies and increasingly looking towards toward skill set enrolments—where people study a small number of specific units, rather than dropping out of a full course once they’ve gained the skills they require.”    

“It’s further proof that VET provides real skills for real careers and I look forward to these figures continuing to stay strong in the years ahead.”

The ‘VET program completion rates 2016’ report can be found at www.ncver.edu.au.