Academic year 2021/22

Further education outcomes

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Introduction

The Further Education Outcomes publication presents statistics on the employment, earnings and learning outcomes of further education learners.

This publication covers learners who achieved apprenticeships or adult (19+) education and training courses in 2021/22, and tracks their outcomes in the following academic year (2022/23). Revised data for previous years is also provided.

Please note, data is now available for all age education and training learners within the data catalogue, however the content below relates to the same cohort as previous publications.


Headline facts and figures - 2021/22

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  • Data catalogue

    Browse and download open data files from this release in our data catalogue

  • Data guidance

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  • Download all data (ZIP)

    Download all data available in this release as a compressed ZIP file

Additional supporting files

All supporting files from this release are listed for individual download below:

  • FE Skills Measure (csv, 12 Kb)

    The Further Education (FE) Skills Measure is a type of value-added indicator designed to assess if a provider is performing better or worse than expected in relation to learner progression to sustained employment and/or higher learning.

About these statistics

This publication was formerly known as ‘Further education outcome-based success measures’ (OBSM). Although the name has been amended for clarity, the content of the publication remains unchanged.

What are further education outcomes and what do they cover?

Further education outcomes (FEO) shows the percentage of further education learners going to or remaining in an education and/or employment destination in the academic year after achieving their learning aim. The most recent data reports on learners who achieved their aim in the 2021/22 academic year, and identifies their education and/or employment destinations the following year (2022/23). 

FEO also includes estimates on the earnings outcomes of learners who achieved a Full Level 2, Full Level 3 or Level 4+ qualification and have an earnings record, a record of sustained employment and no record of further study at a Higher Education institution within the earning year. 

This publication reports outcomes by various learner demographics and type and level of learning. Where a learner achieves more than one aim at the same provider within an academic year, the outcomes for the learner are reported against the highest and latest aim within that year. For example, if a learner achieves an aim at Level 2, and a separate Full Level 3 aim in the same academic year at the same provider, their destinations will be reported against the Full Level 3 aim. Full Level 2 and Full Level 3 are counted as higher than other Level 2 and Level 3 aims respectively, and apprenticeship aims are prioritised over education and training aims.

What data is used?

The Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO) dataset is used, which looks at how learners move through education and into the labour market by bringing together:

  • schools, further and higher education information from the Department for Education (DfE)
  • employment information from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC)
  • benefit histories from the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP)

All learner counts reported here relate to those learners for whom a match was found in the LEO data, therefore the counts will not match headline achievements in the FE & Skills National Statistics release.

What further data is available?

In addition to the headline measures presented in this publication, further data is available on detailed destination, earnings and progression measures broken down by geographic areas, provider, learner demographics, type/level of learning completed and qualification title.  

A number of detailed breakdowns using this data have been signposted throughout the publication, and can also be accessed using the table builder tool which allows users to build custom tables. Alternatively, the underlying data files themselves can be downloaded from the ‘Data catalogue' section above.

The outcomes reported in the commentary are presented as raw figures. They do not seek to control for differences in learner characteristics that may influence outcomes over time or across different learner populations.

Rounding and suppression

Full details on rounding and suppression are available in the accompanying methodology document. 

Any percentage point (ppt) changes reported that appear to mismatch the percentages provided in the charts and tables are due to rounding conventions. The use of rounding and suppression may also mean that some charts do not appear to add up to 100%.

Overall results

Overall findings

What is a sustained positive destination?

To be counted in a sustained positive destination, learners have to be recorded as having participated in education and/or employment for a 6-month period (October 2022 – March 2023) in the year following study. This means attending for all of the first two terms of the academic year at one or more education provider, spending the 6 months in employment or having returned a self-assessment record for the destination year, or a combination of employment and learning (see methodology document for further information).

A sustained apprenticeship is recorded when 6 months of continuous participation is recorded at any point in the destination year (between August 2022 and July 2023).

How are multiple destinations recorded?

Destinations are not mutually exclusive and learners can be recorded as being both in sustained employment and in sustained learning. For example, the overall sustained employment rate is made up of learners with a sustained employment destination only, as well as learners with a sustained employment and learning destination. Further information is available in the accompanying methodology document.

In the academic year 2021/22, 774,780 learners achieved a government funded further education learning aim or completed a traineeship. Of these learners:

  • 77% of learners had a sustained destination in employment, learning, or both. 
  • A further 12% had a positive destination, but it was not sustained. 
  • 5% of these learners had no positive destination and were in receipt of benefits.
  • 6% of learners had no identifiable destination in the data.

The percentage of learners with a sustained positive destination rate peaked at 81% in 2020/21 before dropping to 77% in 2021/22. However this rate is more consistent with the sustained positive destination rate prior to 2020/21.

Sustained employment has decreased but remains the most common destination.

  • Sustained employment has dropped from 71% in 2020/21 to 65% in 2021/22. As above, this rate is more consistent with historical trends.
  • 52% of learners who achieved in 2021/22 were in sustained employment only in 2022/23, whilst 13% had a sustained learning and destination.

The second most common destination was going into further learning.

  • 24% of learners in 2021/22 went on to a sustained learning destination. This remains unchanged from 2020/21.
  • For 11% of learners this was their only sustained destination. 

Apprentices achieving in 2021/22 were most likely to go on to a sustained positive destination in 2022/23. 

  • 94% of learners who achieved an apprenticeship went into a sustained positive destination. 
  • 74% of learners who achieved an education and training course went into a sustained positive destination.
  • 64% of learners who completed a traineeship went into a sustained positive destination.

For more detailed breakdowns by provision, please see the Adult Education and Training, Apprenticeships or Traineeships accordions below.

Learning destination rates remain relatively stable over time, with a slight increase in the sustained further education rate but slight decreases in the sustained apprenticeship and higher education rates

For learners who achieved in 2021/22:

  • The sustained learning destination rate was 24%, unchanged since 2020/21.
  • 18% of learners went on to sustained further education, an increase of 1 ppt since 2020/21.
  • 5% of learners went on to sustained higher education, a decrease of 1 ppt since 2020/21.
  • 3% of learners went on to a sustained apprenticeship, a decrease of 1 ppt since 2020/21.

Destinations by region 

Sustained positive destinations varied significantly between regions in England.

For learners who achieved in academic year 2021/22, sustained positive destination and employment rates followed a similar pattern to previous years: 

  • The South West had the highest sustained positive destination rate of 82% as well as the highest sustained employment rate of 74%.
  • London had the lowest sustained employment rate of 58%, and both London and  the North East had the lowest sustained positive destination rate of  73%.
  • Conversely, London had the highest sustained learning rate of 29%, with the North East having the lowest sustained learning rate of 20%. 

Broadly, sustained positive destination rates were higher in southern and eastern regions of England, and lower in northern and western regions.

Adult education and training

Destinations of education and training learners

What is education and training?

Education and training is mainly classroom-based adult further education that is not classed as an apprenticeship or community learning. It can also include distance learning or e-learning.

Contrary to the Education & Training statistics in the ‘FE and Skills’ National Statistics, it excludes traineeships and offender learning.

Of the 774,780 learners in 2021/22, 648,650 achieved an education and training course as their highest learning aim: 

  • 74% went into a sustained positive destination in 2022/23, a 5 ppt decrease from the previous year. 
  • 60% went into sustained employment, a 7 ppt decrease from the previous year. 
  • 26% went into a sustained learning destination, a rate that was unchanged from the previous year.
  • 6% of learners were in receipt of benefits only, a 2 ppt increase from the previous year.

The drop in sustained employment has driven a fall in the overall sustained positive destination rate compared to the previous year. However, the 2020/21 employment rate was particularly high and the latest data is more consistent with historical trends.

Destinations by level of learning achieved

What is level of learning?

Most learning aims have a difficulty level. The higher the level, the more difficult the learning aim is. Further information can be found on this list of qualification levels (opens in a new tab).

How is the level of learning classified for learners with multiple aims?

This publication reports outcomes by various learner demographics and type and level of learning. Where a learner achieves more than one aim within an academic year at the same provider, the outcomes for the learner are reported against the highest and latest aim within that year. For example, if a learner achieves an aim at Level 2, and a separate Full Level 3 aim in the same academic year at that provider, their destinations will be reported against the Full Level 3 aim. Full Level 2 and Full Level 3 are counted as higher than other Level 2 and Level 3 aims respectively, and apprenticeship aims are prioritised over education and training aims.

Access to Higher Education Courses

Access to Higher Education courses are qualifications which prepare people without traditional qualifications for study at university

16,800 learners achieved an ‘Access to Higher Education’ course in 2021/22: 

  • 66% of learners went on to a sustained higher education course in 2022/23, consistent with the previous year. 
  • The ‘Education and Training’ sector subject area had the highest rate of sustained higher education at 76%.
  • ‘Agriculture, Horticulture and Animal Care’ had the lowest rate of sustained higher education at 41%, the only sector subject area where fewer than half of the learners did not progress to higher education. This likely reflects the fact that there are comparatively fewer higher education courses in this sector subject area.
  • There were particularly big decreases in the rate of progression to HE for the sector subject areas of ‘Construction, Planning and the Built Environment’ (50% in 2021/22, down from 83% in 2020/21) and ‘Leisure, Travel and Tourism’ (50% in 2021/22, down from 81% in 2020/21). However this is due to very low volumes of learners in these sector subject areas, which means the data is volatile.

Destinations by region

Sustained positive destination rates varied across regions in England for Education and Training learners. 

  • The South West had the highest sustained positive destination rate of 79% as well as the highest sustained employment rate of 69%.
  • The North East had the lowest sustained positive destination rate of 70% and London had the lowest sustained employment rate of 56%. 

Sustained learning rates followed a slightly different pattern to employment and overall positive destination rates. 

  • London had the highest sustained learning rate of 31%
  • The North East had the lowest sustained learning rate of 20%. 

Apprenticeships

Destinations of apprenticeship learners

What is an apprenticeship?

Apprenticeships are paid jobs that incorporate on-the-job and off-the-job training leading to nationally recognised qualifications. As an employee, apprentices earn as they learn and gain practical skills in the workplace.

The proportion of apprenticeship learners in 2021/22 moving into sustained positive destinations was unchanged from the previous year.

Of the 113,560 learners achieving an apprenticeship as their highest aim in 2021/22: 

  • 94% had a sustained positive destination, unchanged from 2020/21.
  • 93% had a sustained employment rate, unchanged from 2020/21.
  • 13% had a sustained learning rate, a decrease of 2 ppt from 2020/21.

Sustained positive destination rates remain higher for apprenticeships than any other type of provision. This is to be expected as many apprentices remain with the employer following their apprenticeship, which results in a high rate of sustained employment.

Higher level apprenticeships tend to have higher sustained employment rates but lower sustained learning rates. 

  • There was a 3 ppt difference between the sustained employment rate of Level 4, Level 5 and Level 6 apprenticeship learners, who all had the highest rate of 95%, and intermediate (Level 2) apprenticeship learners, who had the lowest rate of 92%. 
  • There was an 16 ppt difference between the sustained learning rate of intermediate (Level 2) apprenticeship and higher (Level 4) apprenticeship learners, who had the highest rate of 18%, and Level 7+ apprenticeship learners, who had the lowest rate of 2%. This likely reflects the fact that learners who are already highly qualified are unlikely to move into additional education compared to learners achieving a lower level qualification.

However, overall positive destination rates were fairly consistent across all apprenticeship levels.

Destinations by apprenticeship type 

What are apprenticeship frameworks and apprenticeship standards?

As part of the Government’s apprenticeship reform programme, apprenticeship frameworks were phased out by the start of the 2020/21 academic year. Instead, new apprenticeship standards were introduced in 2014. Apprenticeship standards are focused on quality learning, with a single end point assessment, and are developed by employers and industry experts.

In the 2021/22 academic year there were 21,430 apprenticeship frameworks and 92,130 apprenticeship standards achieved. The number of apprenticeship standard achievements will continue to increase and apprenticeship frameworks will decrease as they are phased out.

Learners achieving apprenticeship standards were more likely to move into a sustained positive destination than learners achieving apprenticeship frameworks.

  • The overall positive destination rate for apprenticeship standards (94%) was higher than that of apprenticeship frameworks (92%). This trend was generally consistent across most apprenticeship levels.
  • Learners on apprenticeship standards were more likely to go into sustained employment compared to framework apprenticeships across most levels. 
  • Learners achieving framework apprenticeships and standard apprenticeships were equally likely to move into a sustained learning destination. However, when looking at the level of apprenticeships, learners had a higher rate of sustained learning destinations for standards than frameworks for all levels except Level 4 apprenticeships.

Sustained learning showed a different pattern across regions to sustained employment and overall sustained positive destinations. 

Across regions in England:

  • The sustained positive destination rate was fairly uniform, with London having the lowest rate of 92% and all other regions of England having a sustained positive destination rate of 94%. 
  • London had the lowest sustained employment rate at 91% and all other regions had a sustained employment rate of 93%.
  • London also had the lowest sustained learning rate of 9%, while the North East, North West and South West had the highest rates at 14%. 

Traineeships

Traineeships

What are traineeships?

Traineeships are a work-based pathway programme to apprenticeships and other employment for young people aged 16 to 24 (or up to age 25 if they have an Education Health and Care Plan) with no higher than a Level 3 qualification.

Employment is the most common sustained destination for traineeship learners.

There were 12,570 learners who completed a traineeship as their highest aim in 2021/22. Of these learners:

  • 64% had a sustained positive destination in 2022/23.
  • 54% went into sustained employment.
  • 29% went into sustained learning.
  • 23% went into a positive destination which was not sustained.

The proportion of traineeship learners moving into a sustained positive destination has decreased.

The percentage of traineeship learners with a sustained positive destination decreased by 7 ppts in 2021/22 (64%), down from 71% in 2020/21. However, the 2020/21 rate was the highest sustained positive destination rate in the last 5 years and the latest data for 2021/22 is more consistent with historical trends.

The proportion of traineeship learners going into any positive destination (whether sustained or not) was 87% in 2021/22, a 3 ppt decrease from 2020/21 (90%). 

The percentage of 2021/22 traineeship learners going into sustained:

  • Employment (54%) has decreased 7 ppts since 2020/21 and increased 1 ppt since 2017/18.
  • Further education (22%) has decreased 6 ppts since 2020/21 and decreased 10 ppts since 2017/18.
  • Apprenticeships (17%) has decreased 2 ppts since 2020/21 and decreased 5 ppts since 2017/18.
  • Higher education (4%) is unchanged from 2020/21 and has increased 2 ppts since 2017/18.

Explore traineeships data

You can create your own tables looking at traineeships data by using the table builder tool to explore the underlying data files ‘National destinations of FE & Skills learners by demographics (NAT01)’ and ‘National destinations of FE & Skills learners by funding information’ (NAT04).  

The following tables also offer a range of useful breakdowns:

File subject What is available in the file
Traineeships - 2017/18 to 2021/22

Academic year: 2017/18 to 2021/22

Learner type: Traineeship learners only

Indicators:  All employment and education destination measures

Filters: None

Traineeships by demographics - 2021/22

Academic year: 2021/22

Learner type: Traineeship learners only

Indicators:  All employment and education destination measures

Filters: Sex, benefit status, ethnicity

Traineeships data

The number of traineeship learners completing their course is reported on, rather than the number achieved, as the definition of ‘achieving’ a traineeship is based on the learner’s outcome.

Note that some traineeships go on to complete further aims at a higher level in the same academic year, and a learner's outcomes are reported against the highest aim. Therefore, traineeship numbers presented here will be lower than those presented in the ‘Further education and skills’ publication

Percentages are calculated using unrounded figures, discrepancies in sum totals are due to rounding.

Community learning

What is community learning?

Community learning includes a range of community based and outreach learning opportunities, primarily managed and delivered by local authorities and general further education colleges, and designed to bring together adults (often of different ages and backgrounds).

There were 211,530 learners whose highest aim was in community learning in 2021/22. Community learners are a distinct group from the 774,780 learners reported on in other sections of this publication.

Of these learners, in the year following their learning aim:

  • 67% had a sustained positive destination.
  • 59% were in sustained employment.
  • 16% were in sustained learning.
  • 42% were in some form of learning whether sustained or otherwise.

Why do so many community learners have positive destinations that are not sustained?

There is a large increase in learning destination rates when including non-sustained learning. This is because community learners typically move into another community learning course or other qualifications that are structured in a similar way to community learning. 

Explore data on community learning

You can create your own tables looking at community learners by using the table builder tool to explore the underlying data file National destinations of community learners (NAT02)’.

The following tables also offer a range of useful breakdowns:

File subject What is available in the file
Community learners - 2017/18 to 2021/22

Academic year: 2017/18 to 2021/22

Indicators:  All employment and education destination measures

Filters: Community Learning provision type

Community learners by demographics - 2021/22

Academic year: 2021/22

Indicators: All employment and education destination measures

Filters: Sex, Ethnicity, age band

Earnings

Data on earnings outcomes will be added as an update to this publication in January 2025, as a revised methodology to improve accuracy is currently being developed.

Progression

Progression into higher level of study

'Sustained progression from achieved aim' details the proportion of learners with a sustained further learning aim, who went on to sustained study at a higher level than they just achieved.

Almost two thirds of learners who moved on to a sustained learning aim progressed into a higher level of study.

  • 64% of learners with a sustained learning destination progressed to a higher level of learning in the 2022/23 academic year than the level they had achieved in 2021/22, a 3 ppt decrease from the previous year.

Learners who achieved an apprenticeship were more likely to progress to a higher level of learning than learners studying an education and training course.

  • The percentage of apprenticeship learners progressing onto a higher level of sustained learning in 2022/23 than they had achieved in 2021/22 (89%) was 26 ppts higher than for education and training learners (63%).
  • The rate of progression for apprenticeship learners remains the same as the previous year but has increased since 2017/18, likely due to the increase in the number of learners undertaking higher (Level 4+) apprenticeships. 
  • Progression rates for education and training peaked in 2020/21 but have now returned to a level more consistent with historical trends.

Rates of progression to a higher level of learning varied considerably by level of learning achieved. 

  • There was considerable variation in progression from an education and training course to a higher level of learning by level, ranging from 30% for Entry Level ESOL courses, to 91% for Level 1 English and Maths courses.
  • Progression also varied for apprenticeships depending on level of aim. Rates ranged from 34% for Higher (Level 7+) apprenticeships to 94% for Intermediate and Higher (Level 4) apprenticeships.

Progression of younger learners born in or since 1988 

The Department has used the National Pupil Database (NPD) in conjunction with the Individualised Learner Record (ILR) and Higher Education Statistics Authority (HESA) data to detail students’ attainment throughout their educational history. The resulting dataset includes attainment records from schools, and further and higher education institutions allowing for robust comparisons over time.

This has enabled experimental statistics on progression to be calculated for those learners whose full educational history has been recorded. This cohort is limited to learners born in 1988 or later.

Of the 774,780 learners achieving their further education aim in 2021/22, 272,110 (35%) were born in 1988 or later, and had a full educational history recorded by the department. 

The rest of the analysis in this section relates specifically to this group of younger learners.

Younger learners studying at this level of learning for the first time

Data on studying a particular level of learning for the first time is presented to provide further insight into learners’ pathways through further education and training. Care should be taken when interpreting the data, particularly when making comparisons between different subgroups or seeking to draw wider conclusions. In particular, there may be valid reasons for a learner to take a qualification at a level of learning they have previously achieved, including: 

  • Where a learner is moving from an academic to a technical pathway, and needs to develop the core technical skills and knowledge that will enable them to progress to higher levels.
  • Where the qualifications are complementary, such as a qualification in English or maths that is required to access a technical or vocational qualification at the same level.
  • Where a learner is retraining in order to develop a new career pathway, or to update their skills after a significant career break in order to re-enter employment.
  • 20% of younger learners were studying at their level of learning for the first time in 2021/22, consistent with the 2020/21 rate.
  • Apprenticeship learners were more likely to be studying at their level of learning for the first time (40%) than education and training learners (13%).
  • Since 2017/18, the rate of younger learners who were studying at their level of learning for the first time has risen by 10 ppts for apprenticeship learners, and risen by 1 ppt for Education & Training learners.

Broadly speaking, younger education and training learners at higher levels of learning were more likely to be achieving their level of learning for the first time. 

  • There was wide variation in the rate of younger education and training learners studying at their level for the first time in 2021/22. 1% of learners achieving a Level 1 or entry level aim were achieving at that level for the first time, compared to 76% of those achieving at Level 6.
  •  The proportion of learners achieving at Level 4 for the first time was particularly high (85%), exceeding the rates achieving at Levels 5 and 6 for the first time.

Younger apprenticeship learners also showed a general trend of more learners at higher levels achieving for the first time.

  • 25% of those achieving Intermediate aims in 2021/22 were achieving at that level for the first time, while the same was true for 86% of those achieving Higher (Level 7+) apprenticeships.
  • While, in general, more apprenticeship learners at higher levels were achieving for the first time, the rate  for Level 4 apprenticeships was higher than for Level 5 and 6 apprenticeships. 

Younger learners progressing to highest level of sustained learning to date

'Sustained progression for learner overall’ gives the percentage of learners that progressed on to a sustained level of learning higher than they have attained at any point in their educational history.

Of the 774,780 learners in 2021/22, 64,150 (8%)  were younger learners with a full educational history recorded by the department, and went into a sustained learning destination. The analysis in this section relates specifically to this group of learners.

The proportion of younger learners progressing to their highest ever level of sustained learning has decreased.

  • 57% of these younger learners in 2021/22 progressed into their highest level of learning to date in 2022/23. This is a decrease of 3 ppts from the rate in 2020/21.

Younger learners who achieved an apprenticeship were more likely to progress to their highest level of sustained learning to date than learners studying an education and training course.

  • The percentage of apprenticeship learners progressing into their highest level of sustained learning in 2022/23 (76%) was 23 ppts higher than for education and training learners (53%).

Learner characteristics

Benefit learners 

What do we mean by benefit learners?

Benefit learners are defined as those in the following benefit groups at the start of their learning aim:

  • Income Support
  • Job Seekers Allowance
  • Universal Credit - Searching for work
  • Universal Credit - Working with requirements
  • Universal Credit - Working with no requirements
  • Universal Credit - Preparing for work
  • Universal Credit - Planning for work
  • Employment and Support Allowance - Work Related Activity Group

Benefit learners were less likely to move into a sustained positive destination than learners who were not on benefits.

Just over a third (35%) of learners were on benefits at the start of their learning. Of these 273,500 benefit learners:

  • 65% went into a sustained positive destination, 18 ppts lower than learners who were not on benefits (83%).
  • 52% went into sustained employment, 20 ppts lower than learners not on benefits (72%).
  • 23% went into sustained learning, 2 ppts lower than learners not on benefits (25%).

Learners who achieved in 2021/22 and who were on benefits at the beginning of their learning aim were more likely to have a destination that was not sustained (20%) compared to learners who were not on benefits (9%). They were also more likely to be on benefits only with no positive destination (12%) compared to learners who were not on benefits at the start of their learning aim (1%).

Differences in destination rates may be partially explained by the levels of learning undertaken by benefit learners. 

  • Learners on benefits tended to achieve lower-level learning aims than learners not on benefits. 52% of learners on benefits took Entry Level or Level 1 learning aims, compared to 29% of learners who were not on benefits.
  • In addition, only 9% of learners on benefits undertook learning at Level 3 or above, compared to 26% of learners who were not on benefits.

Benefit learners who achieved apprenticeships were most likely to move into a sustained positive destination, compared to other provision types.

The outcomes of benefit learners varied greatly depending on the type of provision completed:

  • Those who completed apprenticeships had the highest sustained positive destination rate of 92%.
  • Those who completed education and training courses had a sustained positive destination rate of 65%.
  • Those who completed traineeships had a sustained positive destination rate of 55%.

Learner ethnicity 

Ethnicity data has been collected by providers in the Individualised Learner Record (ILR) and has been presented in accordance with the Government Statistical Service harmonised ethnicity categories. More information is available in the government standards for ethnicity data (opens in a new tab).

Trends varied considerably by learner ethnicity, but tended to be different for sustained positive destination overall and sustained employment, compared to sustained learning.

  • Learners from ‘other ethnic groups’ had the lowest sustained positive destination rate of 69%, 10 ppts lower than white learners who had the highest sustained positive destination rate at 79%
  • Learners from ‘other ethnic groups’ were least likely to move into sustained employment with the lowest sustained employment rate of 41%, 31 ppts lower than white learners who had the highest sustained employment rate at 72%.
  • White learners were least likely to move into sustained learning with a sustained learning rate of 20%, 21 ppts lower than learners from ‘other ethnic groups’ who had the highest sustained learning rate of 41%.

Differences in destination rates may be partially explained by the levels of learning undertaken by different ethnic groups. 

There is a skew towards lower-level qualifications for learners from ‘other ethnic groups’, where 72% of learners undertook an Entry or Level 1 aim compared to 28% of white learners.

Explore learner characteristics data

You can create your own tables looking at outcomes by various learner characteristics by using the table builder tool to explore the underlying data file National destinations of FE & Skills learners by demographics (NAT01)’ .

The following tables also offer a range of useful breakdowns:

File subject What is available in the file
Destinations by ethnicity - 2017/18 to 2021/22

Academic year: 2017/18 to 2021/22

Indicators: All employment and learning destinations

Filters: Ethnicity

Destinations by benefit learner status - 2017/18 to 2021/22

Academic year:  2017/18 to 2021/22

Indicators: All employment and learning destinations

Filters: Benefit learner status

Destinations by learning difficulty status  - 2017/18 to 2021/22

Academic year: 2017/18 to 2021/22

Indicators: All employment and learning destinations

Filters: Learning difficulty status

Destinations by sex - 2017/18 to 2021/22

Academic year: 2017/18 to 2021/22

Indicators: All employment and learning destinations

Filters: Sex

Geographical breakdowns

Explore geographical tables 

The following tables offer a range of useful breakdowns for geographical data. 

Cohort available in data files

Please note that the cohort included in these tables is all FE learners aged 16+, rather than the cohort reported on in the rest of this publication (19 + education & training learners, all age apprenticeship and traineeship learners). The data files include 16 to 18 year old education and training learners who have not been included in the publication and for this reason national figures in these files will differ to those reported in the publication.

What is ‘English devolved area’?

‘English devolved area’ is used to refer to combined authorities, mayoral combined authorities, and the Greater London Authority

File subject What is available in the file
Destinations by local authority district - 2021/22

Geography: Local Authority District

Academic year: 2021/22

Indicators: Destination measures

Destinations by local education authority - 2021/22

Geography: Local Education Authority

Academic year: 2021/22

Indicators: Destination measures

Destinations by English devolved area - 2017/18 to 2021/22

Geography: English Devolved Area

Academic year: 2017/18 to 2021/22

Indicators:  Destination measures

Destinations by local enterprise partnership - 2017/18 to 2021/22

Geography: Local Enterprise Partnership

Academic year: 2017/18 to 2021/22

Indicators:  Destination measures

Create your own geographical tables

You can create your own tables looking at different geographical breakdowns by using the table builder tool to explore the following data files.

File subject What is available in the file

Local Authority level destinations by demographics (LAD01)

Geography: National, Regional, Local Authority District

Academic year: 2017/18 to 2021/22

Indicators: Destination measures

Filters: Age band, sex, learning difficulty status, provision type, level of learning, T level flag

Local Authority level destinations by sector subject area (LAD02)

Geography: National, Regional, Local Authority District

Academic year: 2017/18 to 2021/22

Indicators: Destination measures

Filters: Provision type, level of learning, sector subject area tier 1, sector subject area tier 2, T level flag

Local Education Authority level destinations by demographics (LEA01)

Geography: National, Regional, Local Education Authority

Academic year: 2017/18 to 2021/22

Indicators: Destination measures

Filters: Age band, sex, learning difficulty status, provision type, level of learning, T level flag

Local Education Authority level destinations by sector subject area (LEA02)

Geography: National, Regional, Local Education Authority

Academic year: 2017/18 to 2021/22

Indicators: Destination measures

Filters: Provision type, level of learning, sector subject area tier 1, sector subject area tier 2, T level flag

English Devolved Area level destinations by demographics (EDA01)

Geography: National, Regional, English Devolved Area

Academic year: 2017/18 to 2021/22

Indicators: Destination measures

Filters: Age band, sex, learning difficulty status, provision type, level of learning, MCA funded aim, T level flag

English Devolved Area level destinations by sector subject area (EDA02)

Geography: National, Regional, English Devolved Area

Academic year: 2017/18 to 2021/22

Indicators: Destination measures

Filters: Provision type, level of learning, sector subject area tier 1, sector subject area tier 2, MCA funded aim, T level flag

Local Enterprise Partnership level destinations (LEP01)

Geography: National, Regional, Local Enterprise Partnership

Academic year: 2017/18 to 2021/22

Indicators: Destination measures

Filters: Provision type, level of learning, sector subject area tier 1, sector subject area tier 2, T level flag

Provider and qualification breakdowns

Cohort available in data files

Please note that the cohort included in these tables is all FE learners aged 16+, rather than the cohort reported on in the rest of this publication (19 + education & training learners, all age apprenticeship and traineeship learners). The data files include 16 to 18 year old education and training learners who have not been included in the publication and for this reason national figures in these files will differ to those reported in the publication.

Create your own provider level tables

You can create your own tables looking at different provider level breakdowns by using the table builder tool to explore the following data files.

File subject What is available in the file
Provider level destinations by benefit status (PRV01)

Data Level: Provider

Academic year: 2017/18 to 2021/22

Learner type: All learners

Indicators: Destination measures

Filters: Provider type, provision type, benefit learner status

Provider level destinations by demographics (PRV02)

Data Level: Provider

Academic year: 2017/18 to 2021/22

Learner type: All learners

Indicators: Destination measures

Filters: Provider type, provision type, level of learning, age band, sex, benefit learner status

Provider level destinations of community learners (PRV03)

Data Level: Provider

Academic year: 2017/18 to 2021/22

Learner type: Community learners only

Indicators: Destination measures

Filters: Provider type, provision type, age band, benefit learner status

Provider level destinations by sector subject area (PRV04)

Data Level: Provider

Academic year: 2017/18 to 2021/22

Learner type: All learners

Indicators: Destination measures

Filters: Provider type, provision type, level of learning, sector subject area tier 1, sector subject area tier 2

Provider level progression of younger learners (PRV05)

Data Level: Provider

Academic year: 2017/18 to 2021/22

Learner type: Younger learners only (born in or since 1988)

Indicators: Destination measures

Filters: Provider type, provision type, level of learning, age band, sex, learning difficulty status, benefit learner status

Create your own qualification level tables

You can create your own tables looking at different qualification level breakdowns by using the table builder tool to explore the following data files.

As outlined above, national level figures in these files will differ from the figures reported on within the rest of this publication as the data files contain all FE learners aged 16+ (i.e. including 16 to 18 year old education & training learners not reported on within the rest of the publication)

File subjectWhat is available in the file
Qualification level destinations (QUA01)

Data Level: National, qualification

Academic year: 2017/18 to 2021/22

Learner type: All learners

Indicators: Destination measures, earnings measures

Filters: Age band, provision type, level of learning, sector subject area tier 1, sector subject area tier 2, access to HE status, qualification title, T level flag

Qualification level progression of younger learners (QUA02)

Data Level: National, qualification

Academic year: 2017/18 to 2021/22

Learner type: Younger learners only (born in or since 1988)

Indicators: Destination measures, progression measures

Filters: Age band, free school meals status, provision type, level of learning, sector subject area tier 1, sector subject area tier 2, qualification title, T level flag

Industry sections of employment

What is an industry section?

The UK Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) of economic activities is used to classify businesses by the type of activity they do. Using the Office for National Statistics (ONS) Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) of economic activities, there are 21 broad industry sections, which are used within this publication. For more information see the Standard industrial classification of economic activities  (opens in a new tab) or the UK Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) Hierarchy (opens in a new tab).

Reporting cohort for industry data

In contrast to the rest of the publication, this section covers outcomes for all FE learners aged 16+. In other words, it includes data on 16 to 18 year olds achieving education and training aims who have not been reported on in other sections of this publication. 

Of the 767,640 FE learners aged 16+ who had a sustained employment destination in 2022/23:  

  • 16% had employment in the ‘Accommodation and food services’ industry section, the most common industry section destination.
  • 15% had employment in the ‘Wholesale and retail trade - repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles’ industry section.
  • 14% had employment in the ‘Human health and social work activities’ industry section.

Industry dashboard

We have developed a dashboard to allow users to effectively interrogate the industry data and create bespoke tables.  The underlying data files are also available in the ‘Explore data and files’ section of this release, and in the table tool.

To view the industry dashboard, please use the following link: Further Education Outcomes Industry Dashboard (opens in a new tab).

The dashboard has two main pages looking at the flow of learners between learning and industry of employment:

  • Industry by subject: Shows which industries learners from the selected subject area move into employment in.
  • Subject by industry: Shows which subjects learners from the selected industry studied prior to employment.

If you have any feedback or suggestions for improvements on this dashboard, please submit them using our feedback form (opens in a new tab).

16 to 18 year olds

Destinations of 16 to 18 year olds

The other sections of this publication cover only 16 to 18 year olds achieving apprenticeship or traineeship aims, not those achieving education and training aims. However, data for all 16 to 18 year olds is available in the underlying files, and is included in this section. 

There were 549,370 FE learners aged 16 to 18 who achieved their aim in 2021/22, including 532,010 education and training learners who have not been reported on in other sections of this publication.

In general, sustained positive destination rates for 16 to 18 year old learners have remained fairly stable over time.

  • The sustained positive destination rate in 2021/22 was 85%, a decrease of 1 ppt from 2020/21.
  • The sustained employment rate in 2021/22 was 50%, a decrease of 1 ppt from 2020/21.
  • The sustained learning rate in 2021/22 was 64%, unchanged from 2020/21.

Apprenticeship learners had the highest sustained positive destination rate

Almost all (97%) of the 16 to 18 year old further education cohort had achieved an education and training aim in 2021/22. The number achieving an apprenticeship aim was much lower but apprenticeship learners had the most positive outcomes overall. Apprenticeship learners aged 16 to 18 had an overall sustained positive destination rate of 91%, compared to 85% for education and training learners and 66% for traineeship learners.

Apprenticeship learners were the most likely to move into sustained employment (89%) in 2022/23 and were the least likely to move into further learning (23%). In contrast, education and training learners were the most likely to move into sustained further learning (65%) and were least likely to move into sustained employment (50%).

PublicationDescription
Key Stage 4 destination measuresData on students going into education, employment and training destinations after completing Key Stage 4 study.
16 to 18 destination measuresData on students going into education, employment and training destinations after completing 16-18 study.
Graduate outcomesEmployment and earnings outcomes of higher education graduates by subject studied and graduate characteristic
Graduate outcomes: provider level dataEmployment and earnings outcomes of higher education first degree graduates by provider, subject studied and graduate characteristics
Graduate outcomes: postgraduate outcomesEmployment and earnings outcomes for those who graduated with a level 7 (masters) or level 8 (doctoral) postgraduate degree by subject studied, current region and domicile.  
Post-16 pathways at level 3 and belowExperimental statistics on young people's transitions from education to work in England
Measuring the net present value of Further Education in England 2018 to 2019Estimates of the economic return from further education qualifications started in academic year 2018 to 2019.
Further Education Skills IndexIndex showing how the aggregate value of the skills supplied by the Further Education system each year has changed over time
Post-16 education: highest level of achievement by age 25Research analysing school leavers’ progress through post-16 education and into the labour market.
The earnings differentials associated with vocational education and trainingResearch analysing the economic benefits to an individual from achieving further education qualifications.
Further education qualifications in maths and English: returns and benefitsResearch analysing the economic benefits associated with further education qualifications in maths and English.
Adult further education: measuring success - detailed proposalsConsultation and response on detailed proposals for using and publishing outcome-based success measures for adult further education.
Further education: comparing labour market economic benefits from qualifications gainedEstimates the economic benefits to an individual from achieving further education qualifications.
Further education: impact of skills and training on the unemployedThis research estimates the economic benefits to unemployed individuals from achieving further education qualifications.
Longitudinal Education Outcomes study: how we use and share dataHow the government shares and uses personal data as part of the 'Longitudinal Education Outcomes study'.
Occupational pathways of technical qualificationsExperimental analysis into the occupations of young people with technical qualifications in England.
Labour market outcomes disaggregated by subject area using the Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO) dataResearch showing the labour market benefits associated with vocational qualifications, disaggregated by qualification level, type and sector subject area.
The value of progression in further educationResearch showing the labour market benefits associated with progression in further education, disaggregated by qualification level, type and sector subject area.

Help and support

Methodology

Find out how and why we collect, process and publish these statistics.

Official statistics

These are Official Statistics and have been produced in line with the Code of Practice for Official Statistics.

This can be broadly interpreted to mean that 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

Find out more about the standards we follow to produce these statistics through our Standards for official statistics published by DfE guidance.

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.

Contact us

If you have a specific enquiry about Further education outcomes statistics and data:

Further education outcomes statistics

Email: FE.OUTCOMESDATA@education.gov.uk
Contact name: Hannah Keogan

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