Ruth Moxon January 2023


This update shows full-year final data on apprenticeships in London for the 2021/22 academic year (August 2021 to July 2022). It also reviews trends in apprenticeships starts and achievements over recent years, as well as the profile of apprentices and their employers.

Note, the apprenticeship system has been subject to considerable changes in recent years. The introduction of the apprenticeship levy in 2017 and wider reforms to improve the quality of training has shifted apprenticeships towards higher levels at larger organisations. More recently, the COVID-19 pandemic also caused a significant decrease in apprenticeship starts. Although volumes started to recover in 2020/21 and 2021/22, they are yet to return to their pre-pandemic level.


Summary of key points


  • Despite increasing in the last two academic years, the number of apprenticeship starts in London in 2021/22 (37,790) was still below 2018/19 levels (40,740). Similar patterns were seen across England.

  • In recent years, the age of people starting apprenticeship has increased: only 45% of the apprenticeships started in 2021/22 were by people aged under 25. This was an increase on the previous academic year, however (39% in 2020/21).

  • Apprenticeship starts in London are increasingly likely to be at higher level (level 4 or above). Between 2016/17 and 2021/22, the number of higher apprenticeships starts tripled, while starts at intermediate level more than halved.

  • The ratio of female to male apprentices has remained relatively stable in London over the last five years. In 2021/22, women accounted for more than half of apprenticeship starts in London.

  • The profile of people starting apprenticeships in London is ethnically diverse. In 2021/22, almost half (49%) of apprenticeship starts in London were by people from ethnic minorities (excluding white minorities), compared to 15% nationally.

  • The rate of apprenticeship starts in areas linked to priority sectors (health, hospitality, creative, construction) has increased from 2019/20, but has generally remained lower than in 2016/17. The exception is digital/ICT, where starts per 1,000 workforce have almost double since 2016/17.

  • Since the introduction of the apprenticeship levy, apprenticeships starts in London have become more concentrated in larger businesses. Since 2016/17 starts in large businesses have increased by 58%, whereas starts in small and medium-sized enterprises have declined (by -23% and -41% respectively).

Back to top



Measuring apprenticeships


The Department for Education (DfE) publishes data on apprenticeships by academic year. Its latest apprenticeship data covers the full academic year (August to July) 2021/22, based on data from the Individualised Learner Record (ILR).

The DfE also publishes data on apprenticeships by industry characteristics, which matches the ILR to the ONS Inter-Departmental Business Register (IDBR). This dataset provides more detailed information on the size and industry sector of the apprenticeship employers.

This update focuses on the number of apprenticeship starts and achievements in London. These are defined as follows by the DfE:

Starts: The number of apprenticeship programmes that begin in a given academic year. An apprentice is counted for each apprenticeship they start.

Achievements: The number of learners who successfully complete an apprenticeship programme in a given academic year (based on end-point assessment).

More information on the data used and a glossary of terms can be found on the DfE Website.

Back to top