Education Minister Grace Grace has farewelled graduating Year 12 students on their last day of school, wishing them all the best for the future.
A recent survey shows that future is brighter than ever, with their predecessors, the Queensland Class of 2021, recording the highest engagement in education and training in over a decade under the Palaszczuk Government.
Minister Grace said the 2022 Next Step survey showed overall engagement in education, training or employment by Queensland students who completed Year 12 in 2021 was 90.6% – the highest since 2008.
It also represented a 4.3 percentage point increase since the last pre-pandemic result in 2019.
“This year’s graduating Queensland Year 12 students can celebrate their success knowing a bright future of good jobs and a great lifestyle lies ahead of them,” Ms Grace said.
“The Palaszczuk Government is committed to ensuring all Queensland students get a world-class education, regardless of where in our state they live.
“Participation in employment by last year’s Year 12 students has increased 3.2 percentage points to above pre-pandemic levels and the highest rate since 2009, while participation in education and training has also reached pre-pandemic levels.
“The Palaszczuk Government is making sure graduating students’ pathways to their future careers are more accessible than ever as we continue our plan for economic recovery from COVID-19.
“The 2022 Next Step survey shows us that young people have been highly resilient in their learning during the COVID pandemic.
“I’m pleased to see the rate of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander graduates engaging in education, training or employment has continued to increase and is now up to 76.7%, an increase of almost 7 percentage points since 2019.
“This constitutes an increase of almost 7 percentage points since 2019.
“Bachelor Degree studies remain the most popular destination for our Year 12 students after graduating.
“In the Brisbane local government area alone, participation in education, training and employment by the most recent Year 12 graduates rose to 93.8% in 2022 from 90.6% in 2019.
“Over the same period, that figure rose from 78.8% to 85.8% in Logan, 84.5% to 90.3% in Moreton Bay, 78.3% to 84.2% in Ipswich and 87.7% to 90.2% in Redland.
Calamvale Community College Class of 2021 graduate Sally Hoang said the Calamvale teaching staff provided wonderful opportunities and guidance for students to succeed beyond school.
“It’s an honour to be a Calamvale International Baccalaureate graduate,” Ms Hoang said.
Calamvale Community College Principal Lisa Starmer said it was a delight to share in her students’ achievements.
“As a successful academic, a recognised artist and a popular and humble student leader, Sally epitomises all that we hope to achieve in our state schools; a curious, creative and clever young person who has an open mind and a global perspective,” Ms Starmer said.
More than 51,000 Year 12 students from 2021 were invited to participate in the 2022 Next Step survey, with more than 39,000 providing a response.
