Key points:
- 1,030 businesses across Northern Ireland were employing higher level apprentices in 2025.
- Businesses employing HLAs span a wide range of industries, with Legal and accounting activities being the most prominent sector.
- The geographic distribution of HLA businesses broadly reflects the location of the wider NI business population.
- Employer participation shows a balanced spread by business size: 30% micro, 36% small and 34% with 50+ employees.
- While large businesses (250+ employees) accounted for a small number of HLA employers (125), this represented over one‑third of IDBR large businesses (350).
Summary
This explores data relating to the Department for the Economy (DfE) funded Higher Level Apprenticeships (HLA) and the employers who support their delivery. HLA employer records for 2025 were linked to an enterprise level extract of the Inter-Departmental Business Register (IDBR), based on a snapshot taken in March 2025. In most cases, the enterprise‑level information reflects the registered head office and the primary industry of the business, rather than individual local operating sites. The IDBR holds a wide range of administrative information on VAT and/or PAYE registered businesses. For this analysis the IDBR extract included information on business postcode, two-digit Standard Industrial Classification (SIC), SIC description and organisational size for registered businesses operating in Northern Ireland.
Using this linked dataset, this aims to provide an overview of employers offering DfE funded HLAs, focusing on their SIC description, organisational size (micro, small, medium or large) and geographical distribution. By examining these characteristics, the analysis highlights the breadth of employer engagement in HLAs, identifies the industries most actively supporting higher level skills development, and explores the regional distribution of HLA opportunities across Northern Ireland. Findings are considered alongside HLA students in 2023/24, the most recent year for which participant data are available. In that year, there were 2,760 HLA students, of whom 2,705 were domiciled in Northern Ireland.
The Minister’s Economic Vision focuses on increasing productivity, ensuring regional balance, decarbonising the economy and increasing the number of people in Good Jobs. Collectively, findings in this bulletin provide a clearer understanding of how HLA employers are contributing to the development of higher level skills and supporting Northern Ireland’s economic priorities.
Introduction
Higher level Apprenticeships (HLAs) provide an opportunity for individuals to undertake high quality work based training while gaining a recognised higher education qualification at Levels 4 to 7 (Higher National Certificate (HNC) to Master’s level). HLAs continue to play an increasingly important role within Northern Ireland’s skills landscape, with employers across a broad range of sectors contributing to their delivery.
HLAs are delivered across both further and higher education settings. At further education level, provision is delivered by the six regional further education colleges and the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE), covering qualification levels 4 to 7, with the majority of provision concentrated at Level 5 (foundation degree). Higher education provision is delivered by Queen’s University Belfast (QUB) and Ulster University (UU) at levels 6 and 7. For each HLA participant, a tripartite agreement is established between the apprentice, the employer, and the training provider.
DfE records identified 1,745 instances where a business was linked to a provider and a specific HLA programme. Individual businesses could work with more than one provider and employ multiple HLA students, both within the same programme and across different programmes, this equated to 1,030 unique businesses. Overall, these 1,030 businesses across Northern Ireland were working in partnership with training providers to deliver HLA opportunities.
Businesses and providers
The number of businesses employing HLA students varied across providers. Within further education, South West College (SWC) partnered with the largest number of employers, working with 285 unique businesses, and accounting for 28% of all unique employers. In higher education, Ulster University recorded the highest number of employer partnerships, with 200 businesses, representing 19% of the total. This is reflective of the distribution of HLA participants across providers as reported in the HLA publications.
Figure 1: Number of businesses employing HLA participants, by provider (2025)
Note: Counts of businesses by provider exceed the total number of unique businesses, as individual employers may be associated with more than one provider.
Business SIC Description
The IDBR uses the UK Standard Industrial Classification of Economic Activities 2007 (SIC 2007) to categorise businesses based on their economic activity. This comprises 88 two-digit divisions (SIC 01 to SIC 99), covering the full spectrum of economic activity; not all two-digit codes within this range are used. Analysis of the businesses engaged in higher level apprenticeships identified employers across 70 of these divisions, demonstrating participation from a broad cross-section of industries.
Due to the wide spread of industries, small numbers were observed in many SIC divisions. Consequently, analysis focused on the ten most prevalent divisions which accounted for 60% of the 1,030 HLA businesses.
There was notable difference across the ten most popular two-digit SIC divisions. ‘Legal and accounting activities (SIC 69)’ emerged as the dominant division, with 130 businesses employing HLAs. This aligns with the strong participation of HLA learners in the ‘Business and Management’ subject area in higher education and the ‘Business, Administration and Law’ sector subject area in further education.
There was a drop to the second most prevalent division, ‘Specialised construction activities (SIC 43)’, which accounted for 80 businesses, or 8% of the total HLA business population. The next four divisions: SIC 88, SIC 71, SIC 62 and SIC 41 recorded business counts from 70 down to 50. SIC 42, SIC 28 and SIC 25 each accounted for 45 businesses, while the tenth most common division ‘Wholesale trade, except of motor vehicles and motorcycles (SIC 46)’ recorded 40 businesses employing HLAs.
The Department supporting higher level apprenticeship provision across such a wide industrial base helps to maintain a diverse economic structure and contributes to the wider economic vision of increasing the number of Good Jobs. Notably, several of the most common industries delivering HLAs correspond to ‘Green’ jobs, reflecting an alignment with circular economy objectives. These divisions also feed into the ‘Decarbonisation of the NI built environment’ report commissioned by the Department which highlights the importance of investing skills to support low-carbon technologies and construction methods.
Figure 2: Top ten SIC divisions among HLA employers
Business Size
Businesses of all sizes are involved in supporting Higher Level Apprentices, though participation is more concentrated among micro and small businesses. Small employers with 10–49 employees make up the largest share, accounting for over a third (36%) of all employers engaging with HLAs. Micro businesses with fewer than 10 employees also represent a substantial proportion (30%). When employers with 50 or more employees are grouped, these account for 34%, indicating a relatively even spread of participation across business sizes overall.
Medium sized businesses, employing between 50 and 249 staff account for just over a fifth (22%) of HLA employing businesses, while larger employers with 250 or more employees represent a smaller share (12%). Overall, this distribution indicates that HLA provision is being taken up widely across the SME sector, suggesting that the HLA model is accessible and relevant to businesses of varying sizes across Northern Ireland.
Figure 3: Distribution of businesses employing Higher Level Apprentices by employee size
Across the wider Northern Ireland business population, micro enterprises dominate overall activity, whereas larger businesses make up the smallest share. Businesses with 250 or more employees account for just 0.4% of all businesses operating in Northern Ireland (350 employers). Despite this, more than a third of these large employers (125 businesses) are engaged in employing Higher Level Apprentices. This indicates a high level of engagement among larger organisations, suggesting that while they form a small part of the business base, they play an important role in the delivery of Higher Level Apprenticeships.
Table 1: Employee size profile of businesses employing HLAs compared with NI IDBR businesses (2025)
| Employee Size | HLA Businesses (No.) | HLA Businesses (%) | NI Businesses (No.) | NI Businesses (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Micro (0-9) | 305 | 30 | 72,470 | 89.3 |
| Small (10-49) | 365 | 36 | 6,920 | 8.5 |
| Medium (50-249) | 225 | 22 | 1,400 | 1.7 |
| Large (250+) | 125 | 12 | 350 | 0.4 |
| Total | 1,020 | 100 | 81,135 | 100.0 |
Note: (1) The IDBR publication reports rounded figures separately for the 0 and 1–9 employee size bands. These have been combined to create a single 0–9 employee category for comparison purposes, in line with the size band (0-9) used in the IDBR extract matched to the HLA business data. (2) A small number of businesses employing HLAs could not be assigned to an employee size band and have therefore been excluded from this analysis.
Location
HLA business location
The number of businesses employing HLA students across Local Government Districts (LGD) in Northern Ireland ranged from 35 to 200 per LGD. The LGD reflects the postcode of the business enterprise unit and does not necessarily represent the location of the unit in which the HLA student is based.
The proportion of businesses employing Higher Level Apprentices, relative to the total number of IDBR businesses, was calculated for each LGD. Belfast recorded the highest concentration, with 17 per thousand businesses employing an HLA student. This was closely followed by Mid Ulster, where 16 per thousand businesses employed an HLA. Newry, Mourne and Down and Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon recorded 15 and 14 HLA businesses per thousand IDBR businesses, respectively.
Mid and East Antrim recorded both the lowest number of businesses employing HLAs (35) and the lowest ratio (7) relative to every thousand IDBR businesses. Causeway Coast and Glens, a more rural and peripheral LGD, also recorded relatively low levels, with 8 in every thousand IDBR businesses employing an HLA student.
Overall, the distribution of businesses employing Higher Level Apprentices by LGD broadly aligns with the distribution of IDBR businesses, suggesting that the geographic spread of HLA employers is largely representative of the Northern Ireland business population.
Figure 4: Number of businesses employing HLAs per 1,000 IDBR businesses by LGD (2025)
Map
Examining the geographic distribution of these businesses across Northern Ireland using enterprise postcode data, the heat map highlights broad clusters where there are higher concentrations of businesses employing HLAs, as well as areas with comparatively fewer businesses.
The map shows that employers of HLAs are spread across NI, with the highest densities located in key urban areas, particularly the greater Belfast area and surrounding locations. Smaller but still notable clusters are also present in towns and cities such as Newry, Dungannon, Derry/Londonderry and Craigavon, indicating that HLA employment is not confined to a single region.
While rural areas show lower densities, there is a presence of activity across much of Northern Ireland highlighting widespread employer engagement in HLA provision.
Map data
| Local Government District | Number of HLA businesses | Number of IDBR businesses | Number of HLA businesses per 1,000 IDBR businesses |
|---|---|---|---|
| Antrim and Newtownabbey | 40 | 4,340 | 9 |
| Ards and North Down | 50 | 4,910 | 10 |
| Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon | 130 | 9,400 | 14 |
| Belfast | 200 | 11,815 | 17 |
| Causeway Coast and Glens | 50 | 6,340 | 8 |
| Derry City and Strabane | 60 | 5,770 | 10 |
| Fermanagh and Omagh | 90 | 8,850 | 10 |
| Lisburn and Castlereagh | 65 | 5,215 | 12 |
| Mid and East Antrim | 35 | 5,145 | 7 |
| Mid Ulster | 160 | 9,825 | 16 |
| Newry, Mourne and Down | 140 | 9,525 | 15 |
Figure 5: Businesses with HLA employees by postcode (2025)
Note: To maintain confidentiality and prevent the identification of individual employers, restrictions have been applied to the map’s zoom functionality.
HLA student location (NI domiciled)
Having explored the location of businesses employing HLAs, it is useful to also consider the geographic distribution of students enrolled in Higher Level Apprenticeships. This allows for a comparison between where HLA employers are located and where HLA participants reside. However, it should be noted that the business data relate to 2025, while the HLA student data refer to the 2023/24 academic year, which is the most recent available. The map presents HLA participation rates per 100,000 population aged 16–64 across LGDs in Northern Ireland for 2023/24. The analysis includes only NI domiciled students with a valid NI postcode.
HLA participation rates vary across LGDs, highlighting regional differences in uptake. Mid Ulster records the highest rate at 459 per 100,000 population, substantially exceeding all other LGDs. Comparatively high rates are also observed in Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon (332), Fermanagh and Omagh (322), and Newry, Mourne and Down (303).
As with the business distribution, lower participation rates are evident in the north-east. However, while Belfast LGD has a relatively high presence of businesses employing HLAs, the proportion of HLA students residing in Belfast is notably lower when considered relative to its population size. Belfast records the lowest participation rate at 114 per 100,000 population.
Figure 6: HLA participation rate per 100,000 people aged 16-64 by LGD, academic year 2023/24
Map
This map presents a heat map of NI domiciled HLA students, based on home postcode. Restrictions on zoom functionality have been applied to protect confidentiality and prevent the identification of individuals.
As with the HLA business heat map, concentrations are evident in major urban areas, particularly Greater Belfast, Newry, Derry/Londonderry, Craigavon and towns in Mid Ulster, reflecting high levels of economic activity and HLA student presence.
In contrast, the student residence heat map shows a broader distribution of HLA students across Northern Ireland, with a stronger representation in rural and semi‑urban areas compared with the location of businesses employing HLAs. The wider spread of HLA employees, does suggest HLA students are drawn from areas with lower concentrations of employing businesses and may be commuting to access HLA opportunities. Overall, this spatial distribution supports the Minister’s ambition for regional balance in skills provision.
Map data
| Local Government District | Participants | Population | Participant Rates per 100,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Antrim and Newtownabbey | 145 | 92,592 | 157 |
| Ards and North Down | 165 | 97,888 | 169 |
| Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon | 455 | 137,107 | 332 |
| Belfast | 265 | 233,089 | 114 |
| Causeway Coast and Glens | 165 | 85,736 | 192 |
| Derry City and Strabane | 170 | 94,814 | 179 |
| Fermanagh and Omagh | 225 | 69,942 | 322 |
| Lisburn and Castlereagh | 180 | 93,285 | 193 |
| Mid and East Antrim | 165 | 85,381 | 193 |
| Mid Ulster | 430 | 93,706 | 459 |
| Newry, Mourne and Down | 335 | 110,439 | 303 |
Figure 7: NI domiciled HLA participants by home postcode, academic year 2023/24
Overall, the evidence shows that businesses supporting HLAs span a wide range of industries, represent organisations of all sizes across Northern Ireland, and are largely concentrated in the greater Belfast area as well as other cities and towns.
Further Information
The Inter-Departmental Business Register (IDBR) covers UK businesses that are either VAT registered or operate a PAYE scheme. Inclusion on the IDBR is primarily driven by the VAT registration threshold, which for 2024/25 applies to businesses with a taxable turnover exceeding £85,000. As a result, smaller businesses operating below this threshold are generally excluded. An extract of IDBR data (snapshot taken in March 2025) was used to match against a list of 2025 businesses employing HLAs. It contained postcode, Standard Industrial Classification (SIC), and business size information for all businesses in Northern Ireland.
The IDBR records information at the enterprise level, which represents the primary business unit. Consequently, the SIC reflects the dominant economic activity of the enterprise and, in most cases, the postcode of the registered head office address. Beneath the enterprise sit local units, which represent individual sites where business activity occurs. Local sites have their own geographical identifiers and may be assigned different SIC codes where activities vary across sites.
The UK Standard Industrial Classification of Economic Activities 2007 (SIC 2007) is used by the IDBR to categorise businesses based on their economic activity. In this analysis, SIC information was used at the division level (two‑digit SIC codes), with each code linked to its corresponding description.
The list of businesses associated with HLA programmes and providers was matched to the IDBR extract to obtain SIC codes, postcode information and business size. To support accurate matching, business names in both datasets were standardised by converting text to lower case, removing punctuation and applying consistent abbreviations. A small number of businesses could not be matched to the IDBR dataset; for these cases, alternative sources such as Companies House and company websites were used to identify SIC codes and business size. Where this information could not be established, the businesses were excluded from the analysis.
Individual businesses may offer HLA positions to students from multiple training providers, both within a single programme and across different HLA programmes. As a result, students from different providers, or studying the same or different subject areas, may be employed by the same business.
Employers are required to sign a Tripartite Agreement alongside the apprentice and training provider. This agreement outlines the shared commitment to the apprentice’s successful completion of the HLA. This document is issued in September when the programme begins.
Higher Level Apprenticeships (HLAs) are available at Levels 4 to 7. Further information on what each level represents is available here.
Rounding has been used to prevent the identification of individuals. Figures throughout the report are rounded to the nearest 5, with 0, 1, and 2 rounded to 0. Due to rounding, the sum of numbers in each row or column may not match the total shown. Percentages are calculated based on unrounded figures and are rounded to the nearest integer.
2024 mid-year population estimates for Northern Ireland have been used to create a rate per 100,000 population, aged 16 to 64 years.
Local Government District classifications are derived from the student’s home postcode and apply only to records with a valid Northern Ireland postcode.
Higher Level Apprenticeship participants refer to the number of students who were on an HLA programme during the academic year.
The apprenticeship programmes reported on are supported through government funding.
Data sources: (1) Department for the Economy 2025 list of businesses associated with each Higher Level Apprenticeship programme across providers; (2) Inter‑Departmental Business Register (IDBR) extract as at March 2025 NISRA, Economic & Labour Market Statistics Branch, IDBR team.
HLA publications reported on:
Higher Level Apprenticeships in Further Education: Level 4, Level 5, Level 6 and Level 7. Source: FE College Learner Management System (Consolidated data return) and CAFRE: College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise.
Higher Level Apprenticeships in Higher Education: Level 6 and Level 7. Source: Higher Education Statistical Agency (HESA).
Contact Details
| Name(s): | Seana McIlwaine | Sinead Madine |
| Email: | Seana.McIlwaine@economy-ni.gov.uk | Sinead.Madine@economy-ni.gov.uk |
| Telephone: | 028 90 257708 | 028 90 257736 |
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