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2010 Early School Leavers Survey

The 2010 Early School Leavers survey was the fourth statewide survey of the destinations of students who left Queensland Government schools in Years 10, 11 or early in Year 12. The survey results show the initial study and work destinations of young people after leaving school during 2009.

Student enrolment data was used to identify 7947 individuals who were in scope of the survey. During the interview process 744 individuals were identified as having recommenced secondary school study, leaving 7203 early school leavers in 2009.

The survey was conducted in three stages from:

5 November to 24 November 2009;
1 February to 11 February 2010;
12 May to 27 May 2010.

A total of 4355 interviews were completed, representing a 60.5 per cent response rate.

Summary results of the 2010 Early School Leavers survey show:

over nine in ten early school leavers (91.9 per cent) were studying, in paid employment or actively seeking work at the time of the survey;
seven in ten (69.6 per cent) were studying or in paid employment;
almost four in ten (37.4 per cent) continued in some recognised form of education or training in the year after they left the government school system;
one in five (20.3 per cent) were undertaking employment-based training as an apprentice or trainee;
over half of all early school leavers (54.5 per cent) were not participating in education or training but had entered the labour force, with 13.2 per cent engaged in full-time work, 19.0 per cent in part-time work and 22.3 per cent looking for work;
approximately one in twelve early school leavers (8.1 per cent) were neither studying nor in the labour force.

Detailed results of the 2010 Early School Leavers survey are available in a comprehensive statewide report 1.2M.

Thank you to the young people who took part in the 2010 Early School Leavers survey and contributed to its success.

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This page was last reviewed on 30 May 2011