Trend continues for higher-level qualifications in STEM subjects

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Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce has today welcomed figures showing a growing proportion of domestic graduates are completing qualifications in STEM-related subjects (science, technology, engineering and maths).

“More people are qualified to move into jobs where STEM skills are required,” Mr Joyce says. “The Tertiary Education Strategy 2015-2019 set a target to prioritise getting industries the skills they needed. This new report shows that the Government is delivering on that.”

In engineering and related technologies, the number of graduates reached 2,075 in 2015, an increase of more than 500 from 2008. In 2015, engineering graduates represented 5.0 per cent of all graduates at bachelors level or higher, an increase from 4.3 per cent in 2008.

“Further to that, the number of female graduates completing civil engineering qualifications increased 82 per cent from 2008 to 2015. Females now represent 19 per cent of civil engineering graduates. Women completing electrical and electronic engineering degrees also rose 71 per cent from 2008.

“Graduates completing Information technology qualifications increased to 1,610 in 2015, an increase of 515 from 2008. We expect that to increase further with the introduction of three new ICT Graduate Schools in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.”

Natural and physical sciences also increased as a proportion of graduates at bachelors level or higher, reaching 9.6 per cent in 2015, up from 9.0 per cent in 2008. The number of graduates completing a qualification in this field was 4,000 in 2015, an increase of 765 from 2008.

Today’s report is an extension of research released earlier this year as part of the What did they do? The field of study of domestic graduates 2011-2014. This extended research now includes figures through to 2015 and draws a comparison back to 2008.

Overall, the number of domestic students completing a qualification at a tertiary education provider was 121,700 in 2015, an increase from 107,285 in 2008.

What did they do? The field of study of domestic graduates 2008-2015 is available at https://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/publications/tertiary_education/education-outcomes/what-did-they-do-the-field-of-study-of-domestic-graduates-2008-2015

More analysis of people completing qualifications at tertiary education providers can be found at http://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/statistics/tertiary-education/retenti...