Completion and Partial Completion of Courses in TAFE, Australia. Working Paper No. 51

In the higher education sector most students enrol in a course with the intention of obtaining a qualification. In the vocational education and training (VET) sector many students tend to complete only some units of competencies or modules of a course. This study analysed the progress until 2000 of students who commenced a TAFE course in 1997, and provides analysis of course outcomes for students by a wider range of characteristics than has been done before. Reported findings include a twenty-nine percent partial completion rate. The same proportion withdrew from the course having failed at least one module. Seventeen percent were assumed to be continuing the course into 2001, with one quarter or more of them expected to complete their course. More females completed TAFE courses than males. Among different age groups, the rate of course completion was highest for eighteen-year-olds while the rate of partial course completion was highest for persons 40 years or older. A higher proportion of younger students were expected to be continuing with their courses in 2001. Students of indigenous background were found to have a lower course completion rate and a higher withdrawal rate. Although completion rate for students with a disability was almost the same as that for other students, their withdrawal rate was significantly higher. Students born in Asia had a higher course completion rate than students born elsewhere, but their withdrawal rate from courses was also one of the highest. Students who mainly spoke another language than English at home also had a high completion rate. In general, students who had attained Year 12 or other tertiary qualification had a higher completion rate than other groups. Those who had completed Year 11 had the lowest completion rate. A higher proportion of unemployed students completed their course than any other group. In contrast, a lower proportion of self-employed students completed their course then any other group, although the proportion of them partially completing was the highest among all groups. Course completion rate for residents in remote areas was substantially lower while partial completion rate was substantially higher compared to students from any other areas. (Contains 1 footnote and 6 tables.)