TAFE enrolments in school jumped 5.8% in 2024 – representing just over a quarter of school students aged 15-19.
The NCVER reports that school TAFE enrolments had reached their highest level since data collection began in 2006.
Queensland has the highest proportion of TAFE school students, with a 3.3% rise from 2023-24 to 105,125 – representing 39.4% of students in the 15-19 age group. Queensland enrolments are twice the number of Victoria or NSW. The ACT was the only state or territory to lose ground, with a 10.3% dip in enrolments to 1,805.
There has been strong growth in diversity of participation including:
- 46.9% of enrolments are female students, up 2.6% from 2023
- 6% of students are Indigenous, up 17.9% from 2023
- 3% of students have a disability, a 10.8% rise from 2023
- 29.6% of students are rural and remove, a 5.8% rise
Business was the most popular discipline, attracting 16.1% of students and 15% of completions.
There was a significant increase also in completions, with a 6.6% rise in Cert II completions to 83,330 in 2024, and an 8.8% increase in Cert III completions to 40,865. Cert IVs and Diploma completions also grew.