Regional differences in apprenticeships, traineeships, occupations and areas of study fact sheet (PDF, 480kB) or read online below.
Go to the main post-school destinations report for 2019
The 2019 NSW Post-School Destinations and Experiences Survey collects information about students' main destination1 and school experience in the year after completing Year 12 or leaving school early. We spoke to 18,777 Year 12 completers and 6,135 early school leavers.
This page provides a brief overview of regional differences in apprenticeships, traineeships, occupations and areas of study being undertaken by NSW School Leavers in 2019. Region (Greater Sydney, Rest of NSW) is based on the location of the school attended by the student. Greater Sydney and Rest of NSW are based on intuitive groupings of the 28 Statistical Area Levels (SA4) for NSW defined within the ABS Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS).
The most common apprenticeships2 of Year 12 completers
Greater Sydney
Elecricians 25.2%
Bricklayers, and carpenters and joiners 20.7%
Plumbers 13.1%
Rest of NSW
Electricians 21.9%
Fabrication engineering trades workers 15.1%
Bricklayers, and carpenters and joiners 14.4%
The most common apprenticeships2 of early school leavers
Greater Sydney
Bricklayers, and carpenters and joiners 23.0%
Plumbers 17.8%
Electricians 15.8%
Rest of NSW
Bricklayers, and carpenters and joiners 20.7%
Automotive electricians and mechanics 15.7%
Electricians 12.3%
The most common traineeships3 of Year 12 completers
Greater Sydney
Child carers 28.2%
General clerks 10.4%
Sales assistants and salespersons 8.7%
Attended school in the rest of NSW
Child carers 25.0%
General clerks 16.6%
Sales assistants and salespersons 12.2%
The most common traineeships3 of early school leavers
Greater Sydney
Child carers 37.9%
Sales assistants and salespersons 13.1%
General clerks 8.5%
Attended school in the rest of NSW
Sales assistants and salespersons 20.6%
Child carers 17.2%
Hospitality workers 7.5%
The most common occupations4 of year 12 completers
Greater Sydney
Community and personal service workers 26.4%
Sales workers 25.8%
Professionals 14.8%
Rest of NSW
Community and personal service workers 29.7%
Sales workers 26.9%
Labourers 13.9%
The most common occupations4 of early school leavers
Greater Sydney
Sales workers 24.7%
Labourers 22.2%
Community and personal service workers 19.5%
Rest of NSW
Labourers 27.6%
Sales workers 24.7%
Community and personal service workers 21.6%
The most common areas of study5 of year 12 completers
Greater Sydney
Health 21.4%
Society and culture 18.6%
Creative arts 11.6%
Rest of NSW
Society and culture 21.4%
Health 18.3%
Natural and physical sciences 12.4%
The most common areas of study5 of early school leavers
Greater Sydney
Management and culture 16.0%
Creative arts 15.3%
Health 14.3%
Rest of NSW
Health 17.9%
Society and culture 12.6%
Food, hospitality and personal services 7.5%
Footnotes
1A total of ten post-school destinations were defined from responses to a number of items relating to participation in further education and current employment. This classification system is a hierarchical classification system, which prioritises education related post-school destinations over participation in employmnet. As such, it represents a young person's main destination since leaving school.
2Of those undertaking an apprenticeship
3Of those undertaking a traineeship
4Of those who are employed full-time or part-time
5Of those undertaking further education
