The three pie charts illustrate the proportions of Australian school leavers who were unemployed, employed, or engaged in further education in 1980, 1990, and 2000.
Overall, employment became increasingly dominant over the period, while unemployment showed an overall decline. On the other hand, the percentage of students pursuing further education fell initially and then remained relatively stable.
In 1980, further education was the most common choice, accounting for 50% of school leavers. Employment followed at 40%, while only 10% were unemployed. By 1990, employment had risen sharply to 50%, becoming the leading catagory. Meanwhile, the proportion of those continuing their studies dropped significantly to 38%, and unemployment experienced a slight increase to 12%.
In 2000, employment continued its upward trend, reaching 55%, the highest figure across all three years. At the same time, unemployment declined notably to just 8%, suggesting improved job opportunities. The percentage of students opting for further education remained almost unchanged at 37%, indicating a stable preference compared to the previous decade. so, the data reflects a clear shift towards empoyment as the prefered choice among school leavers over time.