90 per cent plus of employment growth is in occupations that “typically” require post-school  qualifications

Which led to a media statement from Skills and Training Minister Brendan O’Connor headlined, “VET key to tackling regional skills shortages.”

While Universities Australia announced, “Unis producing skilled workers the economy needs”.

UA’s case is made by a job adverts index for the year to March showing a 6.6 per cent increase in demand for jobs requiring bachelor degrees or higher but at all lower skill levels adverts fell.

Employment in professional, scientific and technical services was up 0.7 per cent in the year to the February quarter and education and training grew 1.5 per cent. While total employment increased 3 per cent, the education-training growth was a record, largely due to a 23 per cent increase in preschool education in the February quarter.