Question to the Minister for the Economy

Minister's Answer

My Department’s ApprenticeshipsNI and Higher Level Apprenticeships programmes are demand-led, with apprentices recruited and retained by employers in line with business needs. 

As published in the latest ApprenticeshipsNI statistical bulletin, 438 apprentices in East Antrim were enrolled on the ApprenticeshipsNI programme as at July 2022.

In relation to the Higher Level Apprenticeships programme, in the academic year 2021/2022, a total of 63 apprentices in East Antrim were undertaking higher level apprenticeships, of which 28 were enrolled at a Further Education college (including the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise), and 35 were enrolled at a Northern Ireland higher education institution.

It should be noted that Parliamentary Constituency is based on an apprentice’s home postcode. Although the apprentice may live in a particular Parliamentary Constituency, they may attend work elsewhere.