Education and training choices, skills, outcomes and pathways – like jobs, work and pay – are highly gendered in Australia, and contribute to both ongoing gender economic inequalities and high levels of gender occupational segregation intensity. This report provides insights on these education and training divides. It shows that gendered patterns in education and training remain deeply entrenched, with little sign of change that could shift Australia’s occupational gender segregation.

Key findings

• Only 1 in 5 fields of education have a similar number of men and women completing programs and graduating studies, mirroring recent analysis around workforce gender segregation.
• Gender segregation in education and training make future shifts in occupational segregation unlikely.
• Men generally achieve stronger economic outcomes than women across most qualifications, including female dominated fields.
• Women earn less than men and are more likely to leave the workforce, despite equal or higher qualifications.
• Women are more often employed below their skill level, leaving their qualifications underused.
• Social and cultural norms continue to shape study choices, career pathways and long-term outcomes.

The report is accompanied by a technical paper and a dashboard to explore outcomes by gender, cohort (First Nations, CALD and people with disability) as well as outcomes by gender across the life course for different age groups.