Western Sydney (LGA)
Qualifications
20.9% of people in the Western Sydney (LGA) had a Bachelor or Higher degree qualification in 2016, lower than Blue Mountains City. This represents an increase of 103,746 people since 2011.
Educational Qualifications relate to education outside of primary and secondary school and are one of the most important indicators of socio-economic status. With other data sources, such as Employment Status, Income and Occupation, the Western Sydney (LGA)'s Educational Qualifications help to evaluate the economic opportunities and socio-economic status of the area and identify skill gaps in the labour market.
Derived from the Census question:
'What is the level of the highest qualification the person has completed?'
Persons aged 15 years and over
| Highest qualification achieved | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Western Sydney (LGA) - Persons aged 15+ (Enumerated) | 2016 | 2011 | Change | |||||
| Qualification level | Number | % | Blue Mountains City % | Number | % | Blue Mountains City % | 2011 to 2016 | |
| Bachelor or Higher degree | 379,846 | 20.9 | 27.7 | 5001 | 276,100 | 17.0 | 24.1 | +103,746 |
| Advanced Diploma or Diploma | 162,293 | 8.9 | 11.7 | 5002 | 131,668 | 8.1 | 10.6 | +30,624 |
| Vocational | 305,446 | 16.8 | 20.8 | 5003 | 271,148 | 16.7 | 20.2 | +34,297 |
| No qualification | 804,693 | 44.3 | 31.9 | 5004 | 767,941 | 47.2 | 35.0 | +36,751 |
| Not stated | 165,764 | 9.1 | 7.9 | 5005 | 179,485 | 11.0 | 10.0 | -13,722 |
| Total persons aged 15+ | 1,818,042 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 1,626,345 | 100.0 | 100.0 | +191,697 | |
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing (opens a new window) 2011 and 2016. Compiled and presented by .id (opens a new window)(informed decisions).
(Enumerated data)
Compiled and presented in profile.id by .id (informed decisions).
Compiled and presented in profile.id by .id (informed decisions).
Dominant groups
Analysis of the qualifications of the population in the Western Sydney (LGA) in 2016 compared to Blue Mountains City shows that there was a lower proportion of people holding formal qualifications (Bachelor or higher degree; Advanced Diploma or Diploma; or Vocational qualifications), and a higher proportion of people with no formal qualifications.
Overall, 46.6% of the population aged 15 and over held educational qualifications, and 44.3% had no qualifications, compared with 60.2% and 31.9% respectively for Blue Mountains City.
The major differences between qualifications held by the population of the Western Sydney (LGA) and Blue Mountains City were:
- A larger percentage of persons with No qualifications (44.3% compared to 31.9%)
- A smaller percentage of persons with Bachelor or Higher degrees (20.9% compared to 27.7%)
- A smaller percentage of persons with Vocational qualifications (16.8% compared to 20.8%)
- A smaller percentage of persons with Advanced Diploma or Diplomas (8.9% compared to 11.7%)
Emerging groups
The largest changes in the qualifications of the population in the Western Sydney (LGA) between 2011 and 2016 were in those with:
- Bachelor or Higher degrees (+103,746 persons)
- No qualifications (+36,751 persons)
- Vocational qualifications (+34,297 persons)
- Advanced Diploma or Diplomas (+30,624 persons)