The upper secondary level gives a first qualification to young people who have completed compulsory education. The secondary school diplomas acquired in this way give access to the next level (e.g. the Matura followed by university); alternatively, they enable young people to enter the labour market as skilled workers.
The proportion of women with a completed secondary level general education is higher than that of men. But men account for a higher proportion of graduates from vocational training at secondary level and complete more often than women a professional education and training. At universities, the graduation rate of women has been higher than that of men since several years.
