2016 Next Step Survey

The 2016 Next Step survey was the twelfth statewide survey of students who completed Year 12 at state, Catholic and independent schools across Queensland. The survey results show the initial study and work destinations of young people who finished school in 2015.

The survey was conducted between March and June 2016 and achieved a response rate of 78.7%.

Summary results of the 2016 Next Step survey are as follows:

the majority of Year 12 completers (86.8%) were studying or in paid employment at the time of the survey
further study was a common destination for Year 12 completers, with 60.6% continuing in some recognised form of education or training in the year after they left school
students undertaking a Bachelor Degree accounted for 39.7% of all Year 12 completers
a further 20.9% of all Year 12 completers were participating in vocational education and training (VET)
campus-based VET students - those with a main destination of VET Certificate I-IV or higher - were more likely to be studying at Certificate IV level or higher (6.9% of all Year 12 completers compared to 2.5% for Certificate III level and 2.7% for Certificate I-II level)
employment-based training accounted for 8.8% of Year 12 completers, either in apprenticeships (6.3%) or traineeships (2.5%)
the remaining 39.4% of Year 12 completers did not enter post-school education or training, and were either employed (26.2%), seeking work (10.7%) or not in the labour force, education or training (2.4%)
there were 3340 Year 12 completers (8.3% of all Year 12 completers) who had deferred a tertiary offer. Among this group, 17.3% were undertaking an alternative education or training pathway. A further 65.9% were employed, 12.2% were seeking work and 4.6% were not in the labour force, education or training.

Detailed results of the 2016 Next Step survey are available in a comprehensive statewide report and 19 regional reports.

Thank you to the many thousands of Queensland Year 12 completers who took part in the 2016 Next Step survey and contributed to its success.

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This page was last reviewed on 20 September 2017