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This article features in Episode 7 of the Australian Social Trends Podcast series.
Education plays an increasingly critical role in preparing individuals for entry into the labour force, and ensuring they have the skills necessary for employment and life-long learning. The changing structure of the labour market, as well as the fast pace of technological change in an increasingly global economy, requires a workforce capable of development throughout their life.
Over recent decades there has been an increasing demand for vocational and higher education qualifications across many sectors of the labour market. This has resulted in a steady increase in the proportion of the working-age population with these qualifications. However, while the proportion of Australian workers with qualifications has increased, there is concern that many of these workers are employed in a field of work that has little relevance to their qualifications.
