ALIA LIS education, skills and employment trend report 2019

This is the fifth annual ALIA LIS Education, Skills and Employment Trend Report. [The intention is to provide students, educators, employees and employers with an understanding of the national library and information science (LIS) landscape, and the Association with the data we need to help inform our work as the sector’s peak professional body. This 2018 report updates some of the statistics in the previous editions, using the latest figures from the Commonwealth Departments of Education and Jobs and Small Business. In some sections we have included data for Gallery and Museum Technicians, Archivists, Curators and Records Managers., The 2018 report again notes that there will be modest growth in the number of qualified librarian positions over the next five years. In 2018 there were 10 higher education institutions offering 23 ALIA accredited courses, including Masters degrees, Bachelor degrees, and Graduate Diplomas. There were two universities, 14 TAFEs and one private RTO offering 17 ALIA accredited Diploma of Library and Information Services courses, making a total of 27 accredited institutions and 40 accredited courses. The number of LIS students enrolled in ALIA accredited higher education courses has dipped below 900 EFTSL (equivalent full-time student load) for the first time since 2011, and for VET students the figure has fallen below 600 FYTE (full year training equivalent) students. Are we producing enough graduates to meet demand? At this stage it would appear so, given employment demand and unemployment levels.