1. Key Facts and Figures 2024/25
Key points:
Participation
2,120
Up 13% from 2023/24
Success
95%
Up 4pp from 2023/24
The academic year 2024/25 shows:
- 955 new HLA FE starts, the same number as recorded in 2023/24.
- Approximately one third of new HLA FE starts were female (330 females; 625 males).
- 2,120 students were enrolled on an HLA FE programme.
- Engineering and manufacturing technologies remained the top sector subject area; making up 36% (775) of all HLA FE participation.
- 95% success rate; 640 of 675 final year students achieved their HLA qualification.
Definitions
Starts:
The number of FE
students who joined an HLA programme in academic year 2024/25.
Participation:
The number of FE students on an HLA
programme in academic year 2024/25.
Success:
The percentage of final year FE HLA students who achieved an HLA
qualification in academic year 2024/25.
2. About this report
This report presents analysis of the eighth publication of Higher Level Apprenticeships (HLAs) in Further Education (FE) in Northern Ireland. HLA provision commenced at FE colleges in 2017/18 and at the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) in 2018/19. The HLAs reported on in this publication are funded through government training programmes. The report details key information on level 4, 5, 6 and 7 HLA FE programmes and characteristics of HLA students for academic year 2024/25.
3. Starts
Starts
Higher Level Apprenticeship FE starts have shown growth in recent years, however, numbers have stabilised in 2024/25, with 955 new HLA starts, the same number as recorded in 2023/24.
Figure 3.1: HLA starts plateau in 2024/25
HLA starts at FE for academic years 2017/18 to 2024/25
Level and FE colleges
Level 4 to Level 7 Higher Level Apprenticeships are delivered by Further Education providers in Northern Ireland. Level 6 programmes were first introduced in 2021/22, followed by Level 7 provision in 2022/23. Level 5 HLAs are consistently the most delivered level of HLAs by FE providers and, in 2024/25, they recorded the highest number of starts, accounting for 79% (760) of all starts.
The number of HLA starts varies across FE providers with South West college recording the highest number of starts (260), delivering substantial provision at level 5. Southern Regional college also reported a strong number of starts at level 5 and level 6.
Table 3.1: South West College records the highest number of HLA starts
Number of HLA starts by FE Providers and HLA level, 2024/25
| HLA Level | Belfast Metropolitan College | Northern Regional College | North West Regional College | South Eastern Regional College | Southern Regional College | South West College | CAFRE | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 10 | 0 | 15 | 35 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 80 |
| 5 | 135 | 85 | 40 | 100 | 190 | 195 | 15 | 760 |
| 6 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 45 | 35 | 0 | 105 |
| 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 10 |
| Total | 165 | 90 | 60 | 130 | 235 | 260 | 15 | 955 |
Sex of Starts
The trend continues in 2024/25, with more males joining HLA programmes than females. Of the 955 starts, males accounted for 66% (625) while females accounted for 34% (330). However, the number of male starts decreased by 3% compared to 2023/24, in contrast, the number of female starts increased by 8%.
Figure 3.2: More male HLA new starts in 2024/25
HLA starts at FE by sex for academic years 2017/18 to 2024/25
Multiple Deprivation Measure
The lowest number of Northern Ireland domiciled starts were recorded by the least and most deprived Multiple Deprivation Measure (MDM) areas in NI. The least deprived areas, Quintile 5 and the most deprived areas, Quintile 1, both accounted for 13% (125) of HLA starts in 2024/25.
Quintile 2 reported the highest number of HLA starts (255, 27%).
Figure 3.3: HLA starts were lowest in the least and most deprived quintiles
HLA starts at FE by Deprivation Quintile, academic year 2024/25
Sector Subject Areas (SSAs)
Engineering and manufacturing technologies remained the most popular sector subject area (SSA) for HLA starts in 2024/25, with 315 starts. The vast majority of these new starts were male (86%), while females accounted for 14% . Engineering and manufacturing technologies has consistently been the most popular SSA every year since the HLA programme commenced in 2017/18.
Figure 3.4: Engineering and manufacturing technologies is the most popular sector subject area.
HLA starts at FE by five most popular SSAs, academic year 2024/25
Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM)
In 2024/25, 63% (605) of starts were studying HLA programmes in broad STEM areas. The proportion of HLAs in narrow STEM subjects was 44% (420); 81% of these were males. Non-STEM comprised mainly of females (61%).
Figure 3.5: Males dominate in STEM subjects and females in Non-STEM in 2024/25
HLA starts at FE by sex and STEM indicator 2024/25
Note: Narrow STEM is a subset of Broad STEM.
4. Participation
Participation refers to the total number of students enrolled on HLA programmes at FE colleges and CAFRE in the academic year 2024/25, this includes students in any year of an HLA programme.
In the academic year 2024/25, the number of HLA students in FE increased by 13% compared with the previous year. Overall, there were 2,120 HLA participants in 2024/25, comprising of 955 new starts, 795 in their second year, 365 in their third year and five in their fourth year of an HLA programme.
Figure 4.1: Student HLA enrolments increase by 13% in 2024/25
The number of HLA students in FE, academic years 2017/18 to 2024/25.
Sector subject areas (SSA)
Engineering and manufacturing technologies remained the top HLA sector subject area in 2024/25, making up 36% (775) of all HLA participation. This was a popular choice among male HLAs, with 665 males enrolled. While, Business, administration and law recorded the highest number of female HLA participants; 260 females, this was the third most popular SSA with males (225 males).
Figure 4.2 Engineering and manufacturing technologies HLAs account for 36% of HLAs
The number of HLA students at FE by SSA and sex for academic year 2024/25.
HLAs (FE) by LGD
The geographic distribution of HLA students in FE varied across Northern Ireland in 2024/25. Participation was spread across all local government districts, with Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon recording the highest number of HLA students (375) followed by Mid Ulster (355). These two LGDs also recorded the highest number of HLA participants in 2023/24.
Map
Map data
| Local Government District | Participants |
|---|---|
| Antrim and Newtownabbey | 100 |
| Ards and North Down | 140 |
| Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon | 375 |
| Belfast | 145 |
| Causeway Coast and Glens | 110 |
| Derry City and Strabane | 125 |
| Fermanagh and Omagh | 230 |
| Lisburn and Castlereagh | 125 |
| Mid Ulster | 355 |
| Mid and East Antrim | 110 |
| Newry, Mourne and Down | 295 |
| Total | 2110 |
5. Performance
Achievement rate
96%
Up 3pp from 2023/24
Success rate
95%
Up 4pp from 2023/24
Definitions of rates
Retention rate:
99% of
final year FE HLA students completed the HLA programme in 2024/25.
Achievement rate:
96% of final year FE HLA
students who completed the HLA programme achieved an HLA qualification
in 2024/25.
Success rate:
95% of final year
FE HLA students achieved an HLA qualification in 2024/25.
In 2024/25, there were 675 final year HLA students of these 670 completed their qualification and 640 successfully achieved their qualification.
Females and males achieved HLA success rates of (94%) and (95%), respectively. This equated to 205 successful females and 435 successful males.
Figure 5.1: Success rate for both males and females
Success rates of HLA students at FE by sex for academic year 2024/25.
6. Further Information and Contact Details
Excel/Open/CSV Tables
Detailed Excel/Open/CSV Data tables are available here.
Higher Level Apprenticeships offer the opportunity to gain quality training and a recognised higher qualification while in paid employment. To learn more about the DfE funded HLAs offered see Higher Level Apprenticeships. The length of a Higher Level Apprenticeship will vary depending on the programme and when the student joined the HLA programme.
For information regarding ‘Technical Notes’ on the methodology used to produce the statistics and information regarding definitions of terms within the report, please see the document: Technical Notes.
Contact Details
For further details on any of these statistics, or to provide feedback, contact: sinead.madine@economy-ni.gov.uk (Tel: 028 90 257736) or seana.mcilwaine@economy-ni.gov.uk (Tel: 028 90 257708).
This publication is produced by Youth Training Statistics and Research Branch, Analytical Services Division, Department for the Economy.
Our statistical practice is regulated by the Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR). OSR sets the standards of trustworthiness, quality and value in the Code of Practice for Statistics that all producers of official statistics should adhere to. You are welcome to contact us directly with any comments about how we meet these standards. Alternatively, you can contact OSR by emailing regulation@statistics.gov.uk or via the OSR website.