State-wide Partnership Confirms Increasing Trend in Rural Deferment Disadvantage

A recently released report confirms that students from rural and regional Victoria are at least twice as disadvantaged when it comes to taking up their tertiary offers compared to their metropolitan counterparts.

The report, commissioned through a partnership of 14 Local Learning Employment Networks (LLENs) and the Youth Affairs Council of Victoria found that in 2007, 15.7% of regional Victorian school completers deferred a place at university.

This is two and a half times the rate of deferral found amongst metropolitan students.

The report is part of a longitudinal study carried out by the Centre for Post-Compulsory Education and Lifelong Learning at the University of Melbourne and provides information on the first 12 months of data gathered from 897 respondents.

"The LLENs and YACVic have been concerned for some time that the impact of the drought, coupled with high petrol prices, rental market increases and other higher costs of living are further limiting these young people’s opportunities to take up their tertiary offers”  YACVic CEO Georgie Ferrari said.

There are, however some positive findings in the study’s interim report with 7 out of 10 students having taken up a place at University in the following year,” Ms Ferrari said.

While these results on the surface seem positive, only a re-contact of the cohort in 2009 will confirm whether these important transitions prove to be successful in the longer term.

David Wheaton, CEO of the Central Grampians LLEN said, “This is an important partnership between many LLENs, the University of Melbourne and YACVic.”   It highlights that our communities must continue to do everything we can to ensure our young people succeed in making the transition from school to work and further study".

For further media comment, please contact:

Georgie Ferrari
YACVic CEO
0411 484 428

David Wheaton
CGLLEN CEO
0417 885 920