RECENT revelations about what the future holds for graduates and school leavers makes for interesting reading.

It seems most school leavers are opting for a GAP year if they can; either heading off to find adventure or invest in the community and welfare of the future.

Those who are pursuing study and career employment options are being urged, mainly by parents, to take up a trade rather than pursue high-status professions such as law and medicine, according to a new survey.

The survey by LinkMe.com, a career networking site, claims 44 per cent of respondents would advise the trade option because of the very high wages, and high demand in these areas.

Work-life balance and job flexibility were also factors.

The Department of Education and Training Apprenticeships & Traineeships supports this finding, claiming enrolments have increased significantly.

The IT industry is experiencing a second wave of popularity with the internet again being viewed as ‘‘the industry of the future and 40.9 per cent of parents saying they would prefer their children to make their way in the world of dot coms and web sites.’’

Also interesting was the revelation that more than half of the respondents said they would not make the same study choices if they had the chance to choose again.

Also keeping education in the spotlight was the State Government’s `about face’ yesterday.

State premier John Brumby announced plans to build 10 new Victorian public schools, using private sector partnerships.

Mr Brumby said the use of private consortia partnerships had become necessary because state schools could no longer afford to exist alone and needed to offer assets such as sporting facilities, to the community.

What do you think?

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