Academic year 2020/21

Apprenticeships and traineeships

Apprenticeship and traineeship starts, achievements and participation. Includes breakdowns by age, sex, ethnicity, subject, provider, geography etc.

WarningThis publication has been superseded by Apprenticeships
Release type
Published
Last updated
19 updatesfor Academic year 2020/21
UK statistics authority quality mark

Get help by contacting us

If you have a specific enquiry about Apprenticeships and traineeships statistics and data:

FE Stats Dissemination

Email: FE.OFFICIALSTATISTICS@education.gov.uk
Contact name: Matthew Rolfe

Press office

If you have a media enquiry:

Telephone: 020 7783 8300

Public enquiries

If you have a general enquiry about the Department for Education (DfE) or education:

Phone: 0370 000 2288

Opening times

Monday to Friday from 9.30am to 5.30pm (closed on bank holidays)


Accredited official statistics

These accredited official statistics have been independently reviewed by the Office for Statistics Regulation (opens in new tab) (OSR). They comply with the standards of trustworthiness, quality and value in the Code of Practice for Statistics (opens in new tab). Accredited official statistics are called National Statistics in the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007 (opens in new tab).

Accreditation signifies their compliance with the authority's Code of Practice for Statistics (opens in new tab) which broadly means these statistics are:

  • managed impartially and objectively in the public interest
  • meet identified user needs
  • produced according to sound methods
  • well explained and readily accessible

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 (opens in new tab) 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 (opens in new tab).



Pre-release access list

In the 22 December update to this release (Apprenticeships and traineeships: December 2021), beside Department for Education (DfE) professional and production staff, the following post holders were given pre-release access up to 24 hours before release.

  • Secretary of State for Education 
  • Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Minister for Skills)
  • Minister of State (Minister for Higher and Further Education)
  • Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Minister for the School System)
  • Special Advisers (2 recipients)
  • Permanent Secretary
  • Deputy Permanent Secretary
  • Director of Apprenticeships
  • Deputy Director, Data Insight and Statistics Division
  • Programme Deputy Director, Apprenticeships
  • Chief Media Officer
  • Media Officer
  • Head of Digital Engagement and Creative Content
  • Social Media Officer (Senior Content Producer)
  • Lead drafter: Apprenticeships Parliamentary Team
  • Apprenticeship Parliamentary Team Officer 
  • Data Scientist - Apprenticeships Finance, Insight & Performance
  • Funding Policy Manager

In the 25 November update to this release (Apprenticeships and traineeships: November 2021), beside Department for Education (DfE) professional and production staff, the following post holders were given pre-release access up to 24 hours before release.

  • Secretary of State for Education
  • Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Minister for Skills)
  • Minister of State (Minister for Higher and Further Education)
  • Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Minister for the School System)
  • Special Adviser (2 recipients)
  • Permanent Secretary
  • Deputy Permanent Secretary
  • Director General, Higher and Further Education
  • Chief Operating Officer, Director Operations Group
  • Director of Apprenticeships
  • Director, Data Directorate
  • Director, Professional and Technical Education (ESFA)
  • Deputy Director, Skills Policy Analysis 
  • Deputy Director, Data Insight and Statistics Division
  • Deputy Director, Student Finance Policy 
  • Deputy Director for Apprentices, NEETs, and Traineeships
  • Programme Deputy Director, Apprenticeships
  • Head of digital engagement and creative content
  • Social Media Officer (Senior Content Producer)
  • Chief Media Officer
  • Media Officer 
  • Briefing Support/Officials – Traineeships
  • Head of Apprenticeships Parliamentary Team
  • Apprenticeship Parliamentary Team Officer 
  • Policy Adviser, Post-16 Basic Skills Team, Community learning
  • Policy Adviser, Post-16 Basic Skills Team, English and maths
  • Apprenticeships funding analyst
  • Funding Policy Manager 
  • Briefing Support/Officials– Post-16 Basic Digital Skills
  • Student funding policy lead - advanced learner loans
  • Briefing support - Public sector
  • Policy Adviser, FE Funding, Careers and Further Education
  • Team Leader – Free Courses for Jobs

In the 07 October update to this release (Apprenticeships and traineeships: October 2021), beside Department for Education (DfE) professional and production staff, the following post holders were given pre-release access up to 24 hours before release.

  • Secretary of State for Education
  • Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Minister for Skills)
  • Minister of State (Minister for Higher and Further Education)
  • Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Minister for the School System)
  • Special Adviser
  • Permanent Secretary
  • Deputy Permanent Secretary
  • Director of Apprenticeships
  • Deputy Director, Data Insight and Statistics Division
  • Programme Deputy Director, Apprenticeships
  • Press Officer
  • Media Officer
  • Lead drafter: Apprenticeships Parliamentary Team
  • Apprenticeships Funding Analyst
  • Funding Policy Manager

In the 26 August update to this release (Apprenticeships and traineeships: August 2021), beside Department for Education (DfE) professional and production staff, the following post holders were given pre-release access up to 24 hours before release.

  • Secretary of State for Education
  • Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Apprenticeships and Skills
  • Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the school system
  • Special Adviser (2 recipients)
  • Permanent Secretary
  • Deputy Permanent Secretary
  • Director of Apprenticeships
  • Deputy Director, Data Insight and Statistics Division
  • Programme Deputy Director, Apprenticeships
  • Social Media Officer (2 recipients)
  • Press Officer
  • Media Officer
  • Head of Apprenticeships Parliamentary Team
  • Apprenticeship Parliamentary Team Officer
  • Apprenticeships Funding Analyst
  • Funding Policy Manager
  • Head of Traineeships

In the 22 July 2021 update to this release, beside Department for Education (DfE) professional and production staff the following post holders are given pre-release access up to 24 hours before release.

  • Secretary of State for Education
  • Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Apprenticeships and Skills
  • Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the school system
  • Minister of State for Universities
  • Special Adviser (2 recipients)
  • Permanent Secretary
  • Deputy Permanent Secretary
  • Director General, Higher and Further Education
  • Chief Operating Officer, Director Operations Group
  • Director of Apprenticeships
  • Director, Professional and Technical Education
  • Deputy Director, Skills Policy Analysis
  • Deputy Director, Data Insight and Statistics Division
  • Deputy Director for Apprentices, NEETs, and Traineeships
  • Programme Deputy Director, Apprenticeships
  • Chief Media Officer
  • Press Officer
  • Briefing Support/Officials – Traineeships
  • Head of Apprenticeships Parliamentary Team
  • Lead drafter: Apprenticeships Parliamentary Team
  • Apprenticeship Parliamentary Team Officer
  • ESOL Team Leader (also covering E/M and CL)
  • Policy Adviser, FE Funding, Careers and Further Education
  • Apprenticeships Funding Analyst
  • Funding Policy Manager
  • Briefing Support/Officials– Post-16 Basic Digital Skills
  • Media Officer

In the 24 June update to this release (Apprenticeships and traineeships: June 2021), beside Department for Education (DfE) professional and production staff, the following post holders were given pre-release access up to 24 hours before release.

  • Secretary of State for Education
  • Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Apprenticeships and Skills
  • Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the school system
  • Special Adviser (2 recipients)
  • Permanent Secretary
  • Deputy Permanent Secretary
  • Director of Apprenticeships
  • Deputy Director, Data Insight and Statistics Division
  • Programme Deputy Director, Apprenticeships
  • Social Media Officer (2 recipients)
  • Press Officers (2 recipients)
  • Lead drafter: Apprenticeships Parliamentary Team
  • Apprenticeship Parliamentary Team Officer
  • Apprenticeships Funding Analyst

In the 20 May update to this release (Apprenticeships and traineeships: May 2021), beside Department for Education (DfE) professional and production staff, the following post holders were given pre-release access up to 24 hours before release.

  • Secretary of State for Education
  • Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Apprenticeships and Skills
  • Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the school system
  • Special Adviser (2 recipients)
  • Permanent Secretary
  • Deputy Permanent Secretary
  • Director of Apprenticeships
  • Deputy Director, Data Insight and Statistics Division
  • Programme Deputy Director, Apprenticeships
  • Social Media Officer (2 recipients)
  • Press Officers (2 recipients)
  • Head of Apprenticeships Parliamentary Team
  • Apprenticeship Parliamentary Team Officer
  • Apprenticeships Funding Analyst
  • Apprenticeship Funding Policy Manager

In the 29 April update to this release (Apprenticeships and traineeships: April 2021), beside Department for Education (DfE) professional and production staff, the following post holders were given pre-release access up to 24 hours before release.

  • Secretary of State for Education
  • Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Apprenticeships and Skills
  • Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the school system
  • Special Adviser (2 recipients)
  • Permanent Secretary
  • Deputy Permanent Secretary
  • Director of Apprenticeships
  • Deputy Director, Data Insight and Statistics Division
  • Programme Deputy Director, Apprenticeships
  • Social Media Officer (2 recipients)
  • Press Officers (2 recipients)
  • Head of Apprenticeships Parliamentary Team
  • Apprenticeship Parliamentary Team Officer
  • Apprenticeships Funding Analyst
  • Apprenticeship Funding Policy Manager

In the 25 March 2021 update to this release (Apprenticeships and traineeships: March 2021), beside Department for Education (DfE) professional and production staff the following post holders are given pre-release access up to 24 hours before release.

  • Secretary of State for Education
  • Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Apprenticeships and Skills
  • Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the school system
  • Minister of State for Universities
  • Special Adviser (3 recipients)
  • Permanent Secretary
  • Deputy Permanent Secretary
  • Director General, Higher and Further Education
  • Chief Operating Officer, Director Operations Group
  • Director of Apprenticeships
  • Director, Professional and Technical Education
  • Deputy Director, Skills Policy Analysis
  • Deputy Director, Data Insight and Statistics Division
  • Deputy Director for Apprentices, NEETs, and Traineeships
  • Programme Deputy Director, Apprenticeships
  • Social Media Officer (2 recipients)
  • Chief Media Officer
  • Press Officer
  • Education and Skills Funding Agency Press Officer
  • Briefing Support/Officials – Traineeships
  • Head of Apprenticeships Parliamentary Team
  • Lead drafter: Apprenticeships Parliamentary Team
  • ESOL Team Leader (also covering E/M and CL)
  • Policy Adviser, FE Funding, Careers and Further Education
  • Apprenticeships Funding Analyst
  • Funding Policy Manager
  • Briefing Support/Officials– Post-16 Basic Digital Skills
  • Education and Skills Funding Agency, Head of 19+ Formula and Data
  • Policy Adviser, 16-18 Accountability
  • Head of Policy, FE Quality and Governance
  • Policy Adviser, FE Quality and Accountability
  • Policy Adviser, FE Covid-19 response
  • Policy Adviser, Apprenticeship Quality Policy

In the 25 February 2021 update to this release (Apprenticeships and traineeships: February 2021), beside Department for Education (DfE) professional and production staff, the following post holders were given pre-release access up to 24 hours before release.

  • Secretary of State for Education
  • Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Apprenticeships and Skills
  • Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the school system
  • Special Adviser (3 recipients)
  • Permanent Secretary
  • Deputy Permanent Secretary
  • Director of Apprenticeships
  • Deputy Director, Data Insight and Statistics Division
  • Programme Deputy Director, Apprenticeships
  • Social Media Officer (2 recipients)
  • Press Officers (2 recipients)
  • Head of Apprenticeships Parliamentary Team
  • Apprenticeship Parliamentary Team Officer
  • Apprenticeships Funding Analyst
  • Apprenticeship Funding Policy Manager

In the original version of this release published on 28 January 2021 (Apprenticeships and traineeships: January 2021), beside Department for Education (DfE) professional and production staff, the following post holders were given pre-release access up to 24 hours before release.

  • Secretary of State for Education
  • Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Apprenticeships and Skills
  • Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the school system
  • Minister of State for Universities
  • Special Adviser (3 recipients)
  • Permanent Secretary
  • Deputy Permanent Secretary
  • Director General, Higher and Further Education
  • Chief Operating Officer, Director Operations Group
  • Director of Apprenticeships
  • Director, Professional and Technical Education
  • Deputy Director, Skills Policy Analysis
  • Deputy Director, Data Insight and Statistics Division
  • Deputy Director, Traineeships and NEETs
  • Programme Deputy Director, Apprenticeships
  • Social Media Officer (2 recipients)
  • Chief Media Officer
  • Press Officers (2 recipients)
  • Education and Skills Funding Agency Press Officer
  • Briefing Support/Officials – Traineeships
  • Head of Apprenticeships Parliamentary Team
  • Lead drafter: Apprenticeships Parliamentary Team
  • ESOL Team Leader
  • Policy Adviser, FE Funding, Careers and Further Education
  • Apprenticeships Funding Analyst
  • Funding Policy Manager