Completion rates for vocational education and training (VET) qualifications in Australia have continued to improve, according to new figures from the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER).
The VET qualification completion rates 2024 report shows that 49.0% of all VET qualifications that commenced in 2020 were completed by the end of 2024. This represents a 1.5 percentage point increase compared with qualifications that commenced in 2019 and were completed by the end of 2023.
'It’s encouraging to see qualification completion rates continue to rise, particularly for a cohort that began their training during the disruptions of COVID-19,' said NCVER Managing Director John King.
'Based on current trends in the data, we forecast completion rates as likely to continue improving,' he said.
Mr King said completion rates are an important national performance indicator and priority, with a completed qualification an entry-level requirement for some occupations like licensed trades.
'The broader challenge in VET is to lift both commencements and completion rates in areas of high labour market demand and for priority learner groups. The Certificate III in Individual Support is a great example, with both commencements and completion rates growing since 2016 in a qualification that’s fundamental to Australia’s expanding care industry.'
Completion rates vary across qualifications, jurisdictions and provider types. This reflects influences such as qualification level, learner background and intention, funding source, delivery mode, and industry makeup.
'There’s no single, one-size-fits-all measure of success in VET,' Mr King said.
'We also know from our National Student Outcomes Survey that students who complete part of a VET qualification often get what they wanted, gaining skills that lead directly to work, promotion or further study.'
'Some programs, such as those focused on foundation skills or targeted skill sets, are designed to help people take the next step, not to complete a full qualification'.
'Understanding these differences helps policy makers and training providers support learners and industry to get better outcomes and improve the impact of the VET system,' Mr King said.
Background:
VET qualification completion rates 2024 presents completion rates for nationally recognised VET qualifications at Certificate I or higher delivered by Australian registered training organisations (RTOs) to students in both onshore (Australian) and offshore locations.
A VET qualification completion rate is defined as the proportion of VET qualifications that commenced in a year that completed. NCVER compares observed rates four years after training commencement, as well as projected completion rates. The proportion completed as at the latest submission, i.e. as at 31 December 2024, referred to as ‘to date’ are also presented.
The publication introduces important improvements to how completion rates are calculated and presented, making the statistics more transparent, easier to interpret, and more suitable for detailed analysis. It incorporates a new longitudinal data construct that better links training records through the Unique Student Identifier, providing a clearer picture of learner progress and outcomes.
Download the report: VET qualification completion rates 2024
Enquiries: Elise Stone P: +61 8 8230 8443 E: communications@ncver.edu.au
About NCVER: we are the main provider of research, statistics and data on Australia’s VET sector. Our services help promote better understanding of VET and assist policy makers, practitioners, industry, training providers, and students to make informed decisions.
This work has been produced by NCVER on behalf of the Australian Government and state and territory governments, with funding provided through the Australian Government Department of Employment and Workplace Relations.