The national apprenticeship achievement rate has jumped up to 60.5 per cent, new figures show.
It means the proportion of apprentices who successfully completed their training and assessment on time rose by 6.2 percentage points last year.
The boost moves the FE sector much closer to the government’s 67 per cent achievement rate target that it hopes to achieve by the end of 2024-25.
Today’s data shows the apprenticeship dropout rate has also noticeably improved.
In 2023-24, 38.1 per cent of apprentices dropped out before completing their training, compared to 44.1 per cent the year before. The dropout rate on standards hit a concerning 53.4 per cent in 2019-20.
Skills minister Jacqui Smith said the overall achievement rate rise is the “biggest increase since the standards were introduced” and a “fantastic result”.
In a letter to the sector, she said the progress “is testament to our partnership and the hard work” of apprenticeship providers.
The minister pointed out that college achievement rates improved from 57.4 per cent to 62.4 per cent, an increase of 5 percentage points. Meanwhile, independent training providers increased 6.5 percentage points from 51.2 per cent to 57.7 per cent.
Smith said: “Clearly, we have made strong progress, but I don’t want to stop here. We will continue to press on with these improvements; and go further.”
It marks a change in tone from the DfE, which last year warned providers with persistently low achievement rates that they face suspensions on starts and removal from the training market. This was after the achievement rate rose by just 2.9 percentage points.
Ben Rowland, CEO of the Association of Employment and Learning Providers, said: “A significant increase in achievement rates is excellent news and a testament to the tireless efforts of learners, employers, and providers across the country.
“Crucially, the sector hasn’t done this alone—it’s done it together. We’ve seen collaboration like never before. Providers learning from each other. Peer support and shared practice flourishing.”
Rowland added: “We continue to champion the view that skills means growth and this progress underscores the value of investing in the skills sector. As we look ahead to June’s comprehensive spending review, this data will give the Treasury reassurance that apprenticeship funding delivers real, measurable outcomes.”
Your thoughts