Education is important so people can develop the skills and knowledge they need to find employment and gain a high quality of life. Those with few qualifications are at a greater risk of unemployment and are more likely to have lower incomes and fewer employment opportunities than those with higher qualifications.
Key points
In 2013, the most common level of attainment for the population aged over 15 years was a school-level qualification (such as NCEA levels 1 to 3). In the Greater Christchurch urban area, as well as Christchurch City, 31% of people were in this group, 33% in Waimakariri, 36% in Selwyn. 30% of people across New Zealand were similarly qualified.
Of those with no qualification, there were 18% in Greater Christchurch and Christchurch City. There were 22% in Waimakariri, 17% in Selwyn, and 19% across New Zealand.
Those with a Bachelor’s degree comprised 12% in Greater Christchurch, 13% in Christchurch City, 8% in Waimakariri, 11% in Selwyn and 12% across New Zealand.
There were about half as many people with post-graduate qualifications such as Honours, Masters and Doctorates as those with Bachelor’s degrees.
Note this is an interactive chart and you can select the legend items to change what is shown on the graph.
Commentary
People in the Waimakariri District had a higher proportion of people with no qualification, school qualification, or tertiary certificates and diplomas than in other areas.
The Selwyn District had the highest proportion of school leaver qualifications but also high proportions of people with tertiary level qualifications compared with other urban areas. These statistics probably reflect Lincoln University and a number of Crown Research Institutes being situated in the District.
Data notes
The census usually resident population count of New Zealand is a count of all people who usually live in, and were present in, New Zealand on census night.
Excluded are:
overseas visitors
New Zealand residents temporarily overseas
The census usually resident population count of an area is a count of all people who usually live in that area and were present in New Zealand on census night.
