I propose to take Questions Nos. 1217 and 1262 together.
The number of undergraduate new entrants and total enrolments in health and welfare courses, by subject area, is available in the table below. This data is from the 2020/21 academic year, the latest available.
ISCED Detailed Field of Study
|
New Entrants
|
Total Enrolments
|
(0913) Nursing and midwifery
|
1965
|
8117
|
(0912) Medicine
|
1246
|
7676
|
(0923) Social work and counselling
|
993
|
4412
|
(0922) Child care and youth services
|
778
|
3313
|
(0915) Therapy and rehabilitation
|
693
|
2763
|
(0910) Health Not Further Defined
|
485
|
1869
|
(0914) Medical diagnostic and treatment technology
|
331
|
1432
|
(0916) Pharmacy
|
392
|
1315
|
(0911) Dental Studies
|
171
|
714
|
Other
|
10
|
272
|
I requested that my officials engage with the higher education sector on the creation of additional places in key areas as identified by our skills architecture. These engagements are at an advanced stage, and we hope to create places in areas of acute skills including healthcare. However it is important to create these places in a sustainable way, cognisant of the expanded facilities, lecturing expertise and clinical and other placements needed, and to do so in areas that open up continuing career opportunities for learners.