Publication of Higher Level Apprenticeships in Northern Ireland Statistical Bulletin: Academic years 2017/18 – 2018/19

The Department for the Economy has today published a statistical bulletin on Higher Level Apprenticeship (HLA) activity.

Publication of Higher Level Apprenticeships in Northern Ireland Statistical Bulletin: Academic years 2017/18-2019/20

This official statistics release presents a range of analysis on the Higher Level Apprenticeship (HLA) programme in Northern Ireland. This covers provision across the academic years 2017/18 to 2018/19 and reports on HLAs delivered in Northern Ireland Further Education (FE) colleges and the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE). The statistics presented in this bulletin cover the characteristics of the participants enrolled on HLA courses and analysis of performance in terms of achievements.

Key points include:

• In the 2018/19 academic year, there were 452 HLA starts. This is an increase of 128 (39.5 per cent) compared to 324 HLA starts recorded in 2017/18.
• In total there were 702 participants on HLA programmes in 2018/19; this included both first years (452) and those continuing from 2017/18 (250).
• Two thirds (66.1 per cent) of HLA participants in 2018/19 were male; the number of males (464) was almost double the number of females (238).
• In 2018/19, the most popular subject area was ‘Engineering and manufacturing technologies’; almost two in every five (38.3 per cent) HLA participants were studying in this area.
• Four out of five (82.8 per cent) participants in their final year achieved success in 2018/19.

This full statistical bulletin and other information is available to download at: Higher level apprenticeship activity

Notes to editors: 

1. The statistics presented in this bulletin are based on data derived from two sources: i) The FE colleges submit an electronic data return called the Consolidated Data return (CDR) to The Department. ii) College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) Administration System.
2. An academic year period is defined by each provider and can potentially differ; an academic year traditionally starts in August and finishes in July the following year.
3. Further notes and details are available in the bulletin on the Department’s website.
4. For further information, please contact the Department for the Economy Press Office on 028 9052 9604 or pressoffice@economy-ni.gov.uk. Outside office hours please contact the Duty Press Officer on 028 9037 8110.
5. Follow the Department for the Economy on Twitter

Share this page