Why VET pays off

Students who complete vocational education and training (VET) courses have better job prospects and can earn up to 25 percent more than those who leave school early and don't have a higher qualification, according to new research conducted by the Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic Research at the University of Melbourne The research paper , Long-term outcomes for Australian Vocational Education , released today, shows that women benefit more than men from having a VET qualification and these benefits continue for up to five years after graduation.  But, there are also positive effects on wages and full-time employment for men whose VET qualification adds to existing post-school credentials. For example, real hourly wages for men in this category increase by 9 percent in the first year after completing a VET course. This is particularly true for new VET qualifications that are higher than those already held, while those that are not higher don't enhance a student's position in the labour market.  The authors, Associate Professor Chris Ryan and Dr Cain Polidano, say many of the benefits for men from completing a VET course occur when they begin their training because it is often undertaken in conjunction with a related job held though an apprenticeship.  Meanwhile, women - who are less likely to hold an apprenticeship - benefit more when they complete a VET course and gain the higher credential than goes with it. This improves their full-time employment rates by up to 10 percentage points for those completing a qualification higher than any they already held.