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Firm-based training doubles for young women

Posted on:Wednesday, 20th March 2002

Participation of young Australian women in formal and informal training programs       provided by their employers as part of their work (firm-based training) has       more than doubled between 1985 and 1997, according to a report released today       by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER).

In 1985, 15 per cent of women aged 19 to 26 participated in external firm-based       education and training, compared with 32 per cent in 1997. The incidence       of in-house training also increased for young women – from 32 per cent       in 1985 to 37 per cent in 1997. For young men there was little change in       that period, increasing marginally from 28 per cent to 29 per cent for external       training and 29 per cent to 32 per cent for internal training.

The report, Firm-based Training for Young Australians: Changes from the 1980s       to the 1990s by Michael Long and Stephen Lamb, examines changes in the extent,      pattern and outcomes of participation in short episodes of firm-based education       and training by young Australians. The study uses data from the Longitudinal       Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY) project, which is jointly managed by ACER       and the Commonwealth Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST).      It focuses on a national sample of more than 14 000 young Australians, the       most comprehensive available data to analyse the changes in training experienced       by young workers over the period 1985 and 1997.

According to the report, the extent of formal firm-based education and training       for young Australians is substantial, but uneven. As part of their work,      46 per cent of employees in the sample participated in formal training in       1994 receiving an average of 55.5 hours over the previous 12-months. However,      the distribution of training time is skewed with a small proportion of individuals       receiving extensive training and many receiving little training (the median       amount of training is 17.2 hours per year).

Most of the firm-based education and training was provided by the worker’s       own employer (76 per cent). Young women had a slightly higher incidence of       formal training (49 per cent) than young men (44 per cent), but on average       received fewer hours (73 hours for males over the previous 12 months, compared       with 40 for females).

The report also found that workers with “better” jobs (eg those       who are in full-time jobs requiring more education, or in professional or       managerial occupations) receive more training. Training tended to be higher       in public administration and community service industry sectors and lower       in agriculture and primary industry. Evidence also suggests that those who       undertook in-house firm-based training received, on average, higher hourly       wages.

Dr John Ainley, Deputy Director of ACER, said the report highlighted the importance       of ongoing training for employees to build on their initial skills. “Training       provided in the workplace is an important component of lifelong learning       and helps to build a more skilled workforce,” Dr Ainley said.

Long, M., Lamb, S. (2002). Firm-Based         Training for Young Australians: Changes from the 1980s to the 1990s, LSAY Research Report 23, Melbourne: ACER.

The full report will be available on the ACER web site in pdf format from       Wednesday 20 February 2002 and in print form from ACER Press, phone (03)      9277 5447; fax (03) 9560 4799; email sales@acer.edu.au

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