The National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) today released the Government-funded VET data for the 2024 calendar year, which shows that almost two-thirds of all program enrolments (63.4%, or 49,600) were for courses aligned to health and care, building and infrastructure, defence and manufacturing, clean energy, education, and technology and AI.
This is a significant increase compared to 59.1% or 44,165 in 2022; and 61.8%, or 47,865 in 2023.
In total, there were 78,175 program enrolments in government-funded VET courses in 2024, almost 1% higher than 2023. The number of students studying government-funded VET was 7.7% higher in 2024 compared with than 2019.
The government’s success in rebuilding TAFE SA has continued, with a second year of growth following declines over the previous decade. The data shows that in 2024, compared to 2023:
• Overall student numbers increased by 2.4% (up by 825)
• Subject enrolments increased by 3.7% (up by 8,370)
In 2024, TAFE SA’s program enrolments grew by 5.1% (up by 1,890) compared to 2023, placing it second among TAFEs across the different states and territories, behind only to WA.
The latest report also shows that targeting government investment has resulted in changes in activity in lower priority areas. For example, Certificate III in Retail enrolments declined by 60.1% since 2022, after increasing 101% between 2019 and 2022; and Certificate III in Business enrolments declined by 56.6% since 2022 after increasing 171.1% between 2019 and 2022.
In comparison, from 2023 to 2024:
• Community services qualifications increased by 6.1% to 17,615 enrolments.
• Electrotechnology qualifications increased by 4.7% to 6,075 enrolments.
• Construction, plumbing and services integrated framework increased by 7.6% to 7,045 enrolments.
• Metal and engineering increased by 13.2% to 2585 enrolments.
Other highlights from the report include increases in the number of students:
• Attending secondary school: by 10.4%, from 8,055 in 2023 to 8,895
• Aged 24 years and under: by 4.1%, from 29,655 in 2023 to 30,885
• Reporting a disability: by 3.2%, from 6,010 in 2023 to 6,200
• Identifying as Aboriginal: by 2.4%, from 3,520 in 2023 to 3,605
• From regional areas: by 1.5%, from 16,365 in 2023 to 16,605.
Of the 19,775 qualification completions in 2024, 13,005 were in courses aligned to South Australian Government priority areas, an increase of 9.2% compared to 2023, and a 10.8 per cent increase from 2022.
