Vocational, adult and professional education research

Publication Date

1-2010

Comments

This report was prepared by ACER for the Victorian Department of Education and Early Childhood Development.

Abstract

Findings presented in this report are based on the On Track telephone survey of 36,022 Year 12 or equivalent completers and 4,676 early leavers from the 2008 school year in Victoria. Year 12 or equivalent completers are defined as those who completed a Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE), International Baccalaureate (IB) or Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL, Senior or Intermediate). The sample includes those who completed such qualifications in schools (98.7%), or in TAFE colleges or adult and community education providers (1.3%). Early leavers are defined as those students in Years 10, 11 and 12 who had registered their details with the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) by enrolling in a VCE or VCAL unit and who left school before completing any one of the certificates mentioned in the previous paragraph. Consenting leavers were contacted in April–May 2009 and destination data were collected from them on two dimensions: education and training, and employment and occupation. In addition, respondents were asked about the reasons for their choices and their views on aspects of their schooling. The first On Track survey was in 2003 and this is the seventh annual report in the series. The project is designed to provide a valuable database and tool for guiding policy and practice at government, school, regional and local levels. On Track also collects background information on students so that the destinations of particular sub-groups can be considered, for example, those from different socioeconomic status (SES) backgrounds and those of Indigenous origins. Transition differences between regions in Victoria are also documented in this report. An important feature of On Track is that it also offers a referral service for school leavers who appear to be experiencing difficulties in the transition process. The 2009 data were collected by the Social Research Centre (SRC) and analysed by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER). This report was prepared by ACER for the Victorian Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD). Results for Year 12 or equivalent completers, broken down by school, was published in the Victorian print media in June 2009 and reports were prepared for schools, Local Learning and Employment Networks (LLENs) and TAFE institutions in July. Participants in the On Track survey are guaranteed confidentiality and it is not possible to identify individual school leavers in any reporting.

Place of Publication

East Melbourne, Victoria

Publisher

Department of Education and Early Childhood Development

ISBN

978-0-7594-0598-1

Geographic Subject

Victoria

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