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  • Higher Level Apprenticeship and Apprenticeship statistics for 2024/25 released

    Topics:
    • Further education, 
    • Higher education, 
    • Employment and skills programmes (including apprenticeships)

    Date published: 27 August 2026

    The Department for the Economy has published two official statistical reports covering apprenticeship provision in Northern Ireland during the 2024/25 academic year.

    Latest news

    The publications provide information on Higher Level Apprenticeships (HLA) delivered through Higher Education Institutions (HEI), as well as overall apprenticeship activity across ApprenticeshipsNI and Higher Level Apprenticeships.

    Higher Level Apprenticeships in Higher Education Institutions, academic year 2024/25

    This report includes statistics on the characteristics of the HLA students enrolled at HEIs, along with information on new starts, overall participation and qualifications.

    Key Points:

    Starts

    • HLA starts in NI HEIs rose in academic year 2024/25, with 390 students joining an HLA programme. This was an increase of 14% (50) from 2023/24.
    • In 2024/25, more males (235) than females (155) began an HLA programme in higher education institutions.

    Participants

    • There were 1,120 Higher Level Apprenticeship students in HEIs in 2024/25, an annual increase of 26%.
    • Business and management remained the most popular subject area with HLA HEI students, accounting for 42% (470) of all HLAs in 2024/25.

    Achievers

    • In 2024/25, 160 Higher Level Apprenticeship students successfully qualified at NI HEIs.

    This full publication, including associated tables and documents, is available on the DfE Website.

    All Apprenticeships in Northern Ireland, 2024/25

    This report presents the overall number of apprenticeships in Northern Ireland in 2024/25. It combines information from ApprenticeshipsNI and Higher Level Apprenticeships delivered in both Further and Higher Education Institutions.

    Key Points:

    Starts

    • There were 8,655 new starts on Apprenticeships programmes in 2024/25.

    Participation

    • 14,825 students were enrolled on an apprenticeship programme in 2024/25.
    • Mid-Ulster LGD recorded the highest apprenticeship participation rate (1,889) relative to 100,000 population aged 16-64 years.
    • Seven in 10 apprentices (72%) were male in 2024/25.

    Achievers

    • 4,740 students successfully achieved their full apprenticeship qualification in 2024/25.

    This full publication, including associated tables and documents, is available on the DfE website.

    Notes to editors:

    Notes to editors:

    1. For media enquiries, please contact the Department for the Economy Press Office.
    2. The Executive Information Service operates an out of hours service for media enquiries only between 1800hrs and 0800hrs Monday to Friday and at weekends and public holidays. The duty press officer can be contacted on 028 9037 8110.
    3. To keep up to date with news from the Department for the Economy you can follow us on the following social media channels:  X, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.



     

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