Sta/Medr/10/2025: Apprenticeships learning programmes started: August to October 2024

Key points

• There were 7,185 apprenticeship learning programmes started in 2024/25 Q1, compared with 8,145 starts in 2023/24 Q1. This is a 12% fall in apprenticeships started.
• The fall in starts coincides with a reduction in apprenticeship funding in the 2024-25 budget, following the loss of European Social Fund contributions. Changes to delivery started from November 2023, in anticipation of the budget.
• Higher Apprenticeships saw the largest fall compared to Q1 the previous year.
• Healthcare and Public Services apprenticeships were the most popular sector in 2024/25 Q1 with 2,210 programmes started. This accounted for 31% of all apprenticeship learning programmes started.
• 53% of apprenticeship learning programmes started were by male learners in 2024/25 Q1, a one percentage point decrease from 2023/24 Q1.
• 34% of apprenticeship learning programmes started were by learners aged 19 and under in 2024/25 Q1, compared to 35% in Q1 for the previous year.
• 12% of apprenticeship learning programmes started were by learners with ethnic minority backgrounds in 2024/25 Q1, a three percentage point increase from 2023/24 Q1.
• 12% of apprenticeship learning programmes started in 2024/25 Q1 were by learners identifying as having a disability and/or learning difficulty, this is unchanged from Q1 for the previous year.
• There have been 70,110 apprenticeship starts since Q4 2020/21, as part of progress towards Welsh Government’s target of 100,000 apprenticeships.
• The Programme for Government contained a target to create 125,000 all-age apprenticeships. During the Economy, Trade and Rural Affairs Committee meeting on 26 June 2024, the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Welsh Language agreed a new target of 100,000 all-age apprenticeships to maintain the previous Senedd term’s target of 100,000.