The Department for Education has published its full-year apprenticeship statistics for 2024/25 (covering August 2024 to July 2025), revealing significant growth in apprenticeship starts, participation and completions across England.
Key findings
-
Apprenticeship starts increased by 4.1%, rising to 353,500 compared with 2023/24.
-
Total learner participation rose by 3.4%, with 761,480 apprentices on programme.
-
Achievements (completions) grew by 11.3%, reaching 198,330, suggesting improved completion rates following earlier Covid-era disruption.
Higher-level apprenticeships and sector trends
-
Higher-level apprenticeships (levels 4–7) saw continued expansion, with level 6 and 7 starts increasing by 20.4% to 60,350. These now represent 17.1% of all starts.
-
The largest subject area remained Business, Administration & Law, with 103,890 starts.
-
Growth was also seen in Construction, Planning & the Built Environment, and Engineering & Manufacturing Technologies, reflecting employer demand for technical skills.
Learner characteristics and widening participation
-
Under-19s accounted for 21.2% of all starts (74,990).
-
Apprentices declaring a learning difficulty and/or disability (LLDD) increased by 6.9% to 56,810 (16.7% of all starts).
-
Apprentices from ethnic-minority backgrounds rose by 13.7% to 62,880 (18.0% of all starts).
Why this matters for employers
The latest figures show a strengthening apprenticeship pipeline, with growth in both entry-level and higher-level programmes. For employers, this represents an expanding and increasingly diverse talent pool. Rising completions indicate improved programme stability, making apprenticeships a more reliable component of workforce planning.
Employers across business services, finance, engineering, construction and digital — all areas showing growth — have an opportunity to align apprenticeship recruitment with skills shortages, succession planning and broader workforce development strategies.
Why this matters for schools and colleges
The data shows that apprenticeships are continuing to mature as a high-quality, mainstream post-16 and post-18 pathway. With the strong rise in higher and degree-level apprenticeships, students now have more credible, debt-free alternatives to university that lead directly to skilled careers and professional qualifications.
For schools and sixth forms, the findings reinforce the importance of:
-
Strengthening CEIAG provision to ensure students fully understand the range of apprenticeship opportunities available.
-
Highlighting progression pathways, particularly at levels 4–7 where demand and supply continue to grow.
-
Supporting widening participation, with more learners with LLDD and those from ethnic-minority backgrounds entering apprenticeships.
-
Building stronger employer engagement, as more businesses are investing in apprenticeships and are open to collaboration with schools for talks, careers events and work-related learning.
For students, apprenticeships offer practical experience, recognised qualifications and access to sectors with strong employment prospects — making them an increasingly competitive and attractive option.
