Apprentices furloughed or made redundant during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic: up to 27 August 2021

This data is management information provided to the Welsh Government by apprenticeship providers, combined with records from the Lifelong Learning Wales Record (LLWR). It has not undergone the same level of quality assurance as official statistics.

The number of apprentices reported as still furloughed in this release is higher than in reality. There are two reasons for this.

One provider did not submit their data for August on time and so their data for June was used instead. One in sixth apprentices reported as still being on furlough belong to this provider.

Secondly, some apprentices ended their apprenticeship whilst on furlough and started a new apprenticeship. If a provider did not report them as returning from furlough, they may still be listed as on furlough. This is due to issues in identifying which of their apprenticeship they were furloughed for.

From 1 July employers have been required to contribute more to the wages of furloughed employers. Their contribution was increased again on 1 August.

Main points

• 635 apprentices were fully furloughed on 27 August 2021.
• The number of apprentices furloughed continued to fall. For every 4 apprentices fully furloughed in June, 1 fewer was on furlough in August (225 fewer overall). 
• The number of apprentices furloughed is 92% smaller than at its peak.
• Less than 0.5% of apprenticeships have been terminated due to redundancy over the past year.
• Another 70 apprentices (less than 0.5%) had been made redundant but remain in learning whilst their provider tries to source an alternative employer.
• Fewer apprenticeships have ended, successfully or unsuccessfully, compared to previous years.
• Only 33% of apprentices have completed their apprenticeship or gone into employment, compared to an average of 42% by this point in past years.

As the number of apprentices furloughed continues to fall, there are inequalities in who remains furloughed. The apprentices most affected were:

• young
• male
• mixed race
• working in leisure, sport and travel; or hospitality
• studying level 2 apprenticeships
• working for companies with less than 50 employees
• living in less deprived neighbourhoods
• living in Mid or South West Wales.

Information on the overall number of people furloughed in Wales can be found in the report 'Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and Self-Employment Income Support Scheme statistics'.

Note

The statistics for apprentices ending their apprenticeship cover a longer time period and look at a slightly different cohort of apprentices than the statistics in the Outcomes for learners in post-16 education affected by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic: August 2019 to July 2020 report. A learner who has completed an apprenticeship has taken the required learning, but may or may not have achieved all the required qualifications.