By Danielle Buckley, Albert and Logan News | January 17 2019
TRADES are a less popular career path for Logan students than they were 10 years ago, as more students break the glass wall and head to university.
A state wide survey of school leavers by the Department of Education has revealed that 32 per cent of Logan students were enrolled to start a bachelor degree in 2019 — 3 per cent more than in 2008.
Just 6.5 per cent will pursue an apprenticeship and there has been a 4.2 per cent drop in students in trades over the past 10 years.
Traineeships and VET training also proved popular with 17 per cent of graduates going on to pursue a qualification of some sort.
Founder of social service organisation YFS Cath Bartolo said the shift towards university was thanks to institutions “breaking down” generational and economic barriers.
“People who don’t have a lot of money or whose parents never went to university didn’t think it was an option,” she said.
“Griffith University has done a lot of work in that space.” While 81 per cent of Logan’s Year 12 graduates were in further education, training or paid employment — the number of graduates seeking work has risen by 7.8 per cent since 2008. Over 15 per cent of Logan graduates were hunting for jobs — well above the state average of 11 per cent.
Ms Bartolo believed it is a lot harder for young people to get work today because of the “casualisation” of the work force. Over 70 per cent of graduates employed were only part-time.
DESTINATIONS
› 32 per cent of Logan school leavers go to university
› 17 per cent were pursuing VET training or a traineeship
› 6.5 per cent will do an apprenticeship
› 15 per cent of graduates were looking for work, double the amount looking for work in 2008.