This study examines non-completion of Year 12 at school for a nationally representative sample of young people who were 15 years old and still attending school in 2003. The study explores relationships between non-completion and selected socio-demographic and school-related factors, and changes in rates of school non-completion from the early 1980s to 2005. There is...

The non-apprenticeship VET sector provides a successful pathway from school to further education and training for young Australians from all socioeconomic backgrounds, according to Julie McMillan, Sheldon Rothman and Nicole Wernert. They find that around 20 per cent of young Australians had enrolled in a non-apprenticeship VET course by age 19. By age 20 in...

Young Australians are highly satisfied with their life and careers, according to Kylie Hillman and Julie McMillan. A study of over 6000 young people explored how their self-reported life satisfaction is related to educational activities and various labour market outcomes during the early post-school years. The findings suggest that being fully occupied in work, study...

Each year, a number of university students in Australia leave the courses in which they have enrolled. Some change to other courses while others defer their course or leave the university altogether. What motivates students to change or leave their university course and does the decision result in a positive or negative outcome for the...

This is research report number 31 in the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY) research program. Among the report's key findings is that many early school leavers progress well in the first few years after leaving school. Taken together, the results indicate that during the late teenage years school non-completers are not unequivocally 'worse off'...