Sta/Medr/13/2026: Apprenticeships learning programmes started: February to April 2026 (provisional)

Key points

Official Statistics published on 20 August 2026, next update February 2027.

• There were 4,525 apprenticeship learning programmes started in 2025/26 Q3 (p), compared with 3,915 starts in 2024/25 Q3.
• Higher apprenticeships saw the largest rise compared to Q3 the previous year, a 28% increase (p).
• Healthcare and Public Services apprenticeships were the most popular sector in 2025/26 Q3 (p) with 2,415 programmes started. This accounted for 53% of all apprenticeship learning programmes started.
• 66% of apprenticeship learning programmes started were by female learners in 2025/26 Q3 (p), a 1 percentage point drop from 2024/25 Q3.
• 46% of apprenticeship learning programmes started were by learners aged 25 to 39 in 2025/26 Q3 (p), compared to 44% in Q3 for the previous year.
• 18% of apprenticeship learning programmes started were by learners with ethnic minority backgrounds in 2025/26 Q3 (p), a 2 percentage point rise from 2024/25 Q3.
• 13% of apprenticeship learning programmes started in 2025/26 Q3 (p) were by learners identifying as having a disability and/or learning difficulty, no change from 2024/25 Q3.
• 24% of apprenticeship learning programmes started were by learners living in the 20% most deprived neighbourhoods in Wales in 2025/26 Q3 (p).
• There have been 96,255 apprenticeship starts between May 2020 and April 2026, as part of progress towards the previous Welsh Government’s target in the 2021 to 2026 Senedd term of 100,000 apprenticeships. Including the starts which are not counted as part of the more rigorous target measure, there were 105,570 apprenticeship starts overall in the time period.
• The Programme for Government for the 2021 to 2026 Senedd term 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.

The Welsh Government financial year budget for apprenticeships in 2023-24 was £139m and £144m in 2024-25 (Source: Medr Funding Allocations 2025 to 2026). Previously, there was additional funding for apprenticeships from the European Social Fund (£43m in 2023-24 Medr Funding Allocations 2025 to 2026). This ceased by the 2024-2025 financial year.