1. Key Facts and Figures 2023/24
Key points:
Participation
890
Up 15% from 2022/23
Qualified
160
Up 40% from 2022/23
Key facts and figures:
- HLA starts in NI HEIs rose in academic year 2023/24, with 340 students joining an HLA programme. This was an increase of 14% (40) from 2022/23.
- In 2023/24, more males (220) than females (120) began an HLA programme in higher education.
- There were 890 Higher Level Apprenticeship students in HE in 2023/24, an annual increase of 15%.
- Business and management remained the most popular subject area with HLA HE students, accounting for 41% (365) of all HLAs in 2023/24.
- In 2023/24, 160 Higher Level Apprenticeship students successfully qualified at NI HEIs.
Definitions
Starts:
The number of HLA
HE students who joined an HLA programme in the reported academic year.
Participation:
The number of HLA HE students
enrolled on an HLA programme in the reported academic year.
Qualified:
The number of HLA HE students who
qualified with an HLA qualification in the reported academic
year.
2. About this report
This report presents analysis of the sixth publication of Higher Level Apprenticeships (HLAs) in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in Northern Ireland. HLA provision commenced in Northern Ireland HEIs in 2018/19. The HLAs reported on in this publication are funded through government training programmes. The report details key information on level 6 and 7 HLA HE programmes and characteristics of HLA students up to academic year 2023/24.
3. Starts
Starts
Higher Level Apprenticeship starts in NI Higher Education Institutions rose in academic year 2023/24, with 340 students joining an HLA programme. This was an increase of 14% (40) from 2022/23.
With the exception of a dip in 2020/21, during the COVID-19 pandemic, HLA starts in HE have shown steady growth. This demonstrates the programme is gaining in momentum as a route to a university accredited degree and a professional qualification, while also providing on-the-job experience and avoiding student loan debt.
Figure 3.1: HLAs in HE increase in 2023/24
HLA HE starts for academic years 2018/19 to 2023/24
Level and Providers
During the 2023/24 academic year, Level 6 and Level 7 HLAs were delivered at Ulster University (UU) and Queen’s University Belfast (QUB). Level 6 programmes made up the majority of provision, accounting for 84% (285) of all HLA starts. UU recorded the highest share of new HLA starts, with 275, representing (81%) of new HLA students during 2023/24.
Table 3.1: Greater uptake in Level 6 HLAs
Number of HLA starts by HEIs and HLA level, 2023/24
| HLA Level | Queen’s University Belfast | Ulster University | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level 6 | 35 | 250 | 285 |
| Level 7 | 30 | 25 | 55 |
| Total | 65 | 275 | 340 |
Sex of Starts
In 2023/24, more males (220) than females (120) began an HLA programme in higher education. New starts increased for both groups compared with 2022/23 with female starts rising by 5% and male starts by 20%. This continues the trend of higher male uptake in HLA HE programmes.
Figure 3.2: The trend continues of higher male HLA HE uptake in 2023/24
HLA HE starts by sex for academic years 2018/19 to 2023/24
Multiple Deprivation Measure
In 2023/24, Northern Ireland domiciled HLA HE starts were lowest among students from the most deprived areas, with just 35 starts recorded in Quintile 1. Q4 reported the highest number of HLA starts (90).
Figure 3.3: Lower uptake in higher education HLAs in the least deprived areas
HLA HE starts by Deprivation Quintile, academic year 2023/24
Subject Areas
Business and management remained the most popular subject area for HLA HE starts in 2023/24, recording 125 new starts. This subject area appeals to both females (65 starts) and males (60 starts).
Figure 3.4: Business and Management is the most popular subject area
HLA HE starts by subject area, academic year 2023/24
Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM)
In 2023/24, 63% of new HLA starts (215 students) had enrolled in programmes within broad STEM disciplines. When focusing specifically on narrow STEM subjects, this reduced to 47% of HLA starts (160 students), with males accounting for over three-quarters (76%) of these.
Figure 3.5: Greater male representation in STEM subjects in 2023/24
HLA HE starts by sex and STEM indicator, 2023/24
Note: Narrow STEM is a subset of Broad STEM.
4. Participation
Participation refers to the total number of students enrolled on HLA programmes at HEIs in NI, covering students in any year of an HLA HE programme.
Academic year 2023/24, reported 890 Higher Level Apprenticeship students in HE, an annual increase of 15%. In total there were 340 starts and 550 students who had progressed to second year or further in their HLA programme.
Figure 4.1: Student HLA HE participants increase by 15% in 2023/24
The number of HLA students in HE, academic years 2018/19 to 2023/24.
Subject Areas
Business and management remained the most popular subject area with HLA HE students, accounting for 41% (365) of all HLAs in 2023/24. This subject recorded an equal split between female and male participants, at 180 each.
Figure 4.2 Business and management is the most popular subject area with both females and males
The number of HLA HE students by subject area and sex for academic year 2023/24.
HLA HE students (NI domiciled) by LGD
Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon reported the highest number of NI domiciled students (130) on a Higher Level Apprenticeship in Higher Education Institutions in academic year 2023/24.
Map
Map data
| Local Government District | Participants |
|---|---|
| Antrim and Newtownabbey | 65 |
| Ards and North Down | 50 |
| Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon | 130 |
| Belfast | 125 |
| Causeway Coast and Glens | 70 |
| Derry City and Strabane | 60 |
| Fermanagh and Omagh | 30 |
| Lisburn and Castlereagh | 70 |
| Mid Ulster | 100 |
| Mid and East Antrim | 65 |
| Newry, Mourne and Down | 85 |
| Total | 850 |
5. Performance
Qualifiers
In 2023/24, 160 students successfully qualified with Higher Level Apprenticeships at NI HEIs, this was an increase of 40% from 2022/23. There was a slightly higher proportion of male qualifiers compared to females; 52% (85) males and 48% (75) females.
Subject Areas
In 2023/24, the HLA subject area to report the highest number of qualified students was Business and management. This subject area recorded 95 students; 55 females and 40 males.
Figure 5.1: Business and Management was the subject area to record the highest number of qualifiers
HLA HE qualifiers by subject area, academic year 2023/24
6. Further Information and Contact Details
Excel/Open/CSV Tables
Detailed Excel/Open/CSV Data tables are available update with link 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 and Definitions.
Contact Details
For further details on any of these statistics, or to provide feedback, contact: seana.mcilwaine@economy-ni.gov.uk (Tel: 028 90 257708) or sinead.madine@economy-ni.gov.uk (Tel: 028 90 257736)
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.