The recent press release from the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) identified Tourism, hospitality and events as the most popular choice for teenagers who are studying a training package as part of the VET in Schools programs offered in senior secondary schools. 

This is encouraging news for the hospitality sector who are concerned that recent changes to Australia's immigration criteria will lead to skills shortages. The cookery profession has faced skills shortages for years.

Australia has an enviable heritage when it comes to tourism. The release this week of the latest tourism campaign which hopefully will stimulate international visitors will, if successful, provide further jobs.

Tourism, hospitality and events offer young people great variety and an exciting range of career paths. The fact that these experiences are being sought and encouraged at senior secondary schools is positive- it's certainly a good start.

The media release is included below, for reference.

MEDIA RELEASE
31 March 2010

Hospitality: Top choice for school students

Tourism, hospitality and events is the most popular choice for teenagers who are studying a training package as part of the  VET in Schools programs offered in senior secondary schools. Released by the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER), Australian vocational education and training statistics, VET in Schools, 2008 provides a snapshot of the
vocational education and training (VET) activity undertaken by senior secondary school students.

Two out of five (41%) senior secondary students from across Australia studied a VET in Schools program in 2008 as part of their higher school certificate. Of these students, 17% studied the Tourism, Hospitality and Events training package.

Sandra Pattison, General Manager Statistics, NCVER, said VET in Schools programs offer a valuable opportunity to learn about a possible future career while still at school. "VET in School programs offer the opportunity to mix curriculum-based subjects with those that have a vocational focus and this appears to appeal as much to teenage girls as it does to boys," says Ms Pattison.

In the school setting, the uptake of VET programs is almost evenly split between teenage girls (49%) and boys (51%). In  publicly funded VET providers, such as TAFE, vocational courses tend to be favoured by young men (aged 15 to 19 years).
Australian vocational education and training statistics, VET in Schools, 2008 can be downloaded here.

Media enquiries:
Anna Payton, Marketing Officer 08 8230 8638