Apprenticeship Achievement Rates Surge: Strong Progress for the Sector

National data on apprenticeships have delivered encouraging news for both learners and training providers. The overall achievement rate (Qualification Achievement Rate – QAR) for apprenticeships in England has climbed significantly with important implications for employers, apprenticeships delivery and future growth.

Key Headlines

• In the 2023/24 academic year the achievement rate for apprenticeship standards rose to approximately 60.5% - up from 54.3% in the prior year. Explore Education Statistics+3FE News+3SDN+3

• Volumes of completed apprenticeships (leavers who achieved) also increased, up by around 13% to 174,570. FE News

• Improvements weren’t just in outcomes: nearly 90% of providers are now rated “good” or “outstanding”. Onefile+1

• The strongest improvement in retention rates was a key driver, with pass rates also increasing. Explore Education Statistics+1

Why this matters

These gains are a sign of real progress in apprenticeship delivery — and a positive signal for employers, learners and the skills system. Some of the reasons this improvement is important:

• For learners, higher achievement rates mean a greater chance of completing their apprenticeship, gaining credible qualifications and moving into meaningful roles or further progression.

• For employers, strong outcomes mean better returns on investment in apprenticeships, a more stable workforce pipeline and confidence in the training provider network.

• For the sector, consistent improvements strengthen the reputation of apprenticeships as a credible route, which helps boost uptake, build employer confidence and drive growth.

• For policy and funding, better outcomes provide evidence that investment in apprenticeships is yielding results — which can support future growth and reform of the system.

What’s driving the improvement?

Several factors appear to be contributing to this upward trend:

• Providers are getting better at supporting apprentices through to completion and improvements in retention show this is a focus. Explore Education Statistics+1

• The transition to standards (versus frameworks) is now largely complete (99% on standards in 2023/24) which enables clearer benchmarking and accountability. Explore Education Statistics

• Employer engagement and alignment between training and job roles is improving, meaning apprenticeships are increasingly tied to meaningful roles and outcomes.

• Oversight and reporting (such as QARs) are being used more effectively, enabling providers and employers to monitor, intervene and improve performance.

What this means for employers and training providers

If you’re either an employer considering an apprenticeship programme, or a training provider planning delivery, these trends offer both opportunity and challenge:

• Opportunity: With achievement rates rising, you’re entering a context of growing credibility for apprenticeships. That can help attract talent, enhance employer branding, and secure stronger outcomes for learners.

• Challenge: Higher benchmarks mean expectations are rising — providers must maintain high support levels, strong employer partnerships and rigorous monitoring to continue driving improvement. Employers must remain committed to off-the-job training, support for apprentices and aligned job roles so that completions aren’t compromised.

• Action point: Embed early-stage support mechanisms, strong mentoring and employer engagement in your apprenticeship planning. Use the data to benchmark your performance and set improvement targets.

Next steps for the sector

At Everything Apprenticeships we recommend the following actions for stakeholders:

1. Monitor your outcomes: Regularly review your achievement rates, retention levels and pass-rates. Use them to drive continuous improvement.

2. Strengthen employer-provider links: Ensure the apprenticeship aligns with a substantive job role, has strong on- and off-the-job learning, and that the employer is committed to the apprentice’s completion.

3. Support the learner journey: Intervene early with any apprentice at risk of withdrawal. Retention remains a key driver of success.

4. Benchmark and share best practice: Use the 60%+ achievement threshold as a reference point, target higher standards and share what’s working within the sector.

5. Communicate the progress: Use this data to promote apprenticeships to prospective learners and employers — the story of improvement and quality matters.

In conclusion

We are witnessing real momentum in the apprenticeship system. With achievement rates rising, more providers rated good or outstanding, and greater confidence in the route, the conditions are gathering for apprenticeships to deliver even more for learners, employers and the economy.

However, the job isn’t done - continued focus on quality, support and employer engagement will be critical if the sector is to build on this progress and drive outcomes even higher.

We’ll continue to track the data, share insights that support employers and providers to convert this positive trend into real-world success stories.