The National Survey of Apprentices 2024–2025 was officially launched by Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science James Lawless TD and Minister of State Marian Harkin TD, unveiling valuable insights into the landscape of apprenticeships in Ireland.
Conducted by the National Apprenticeship Office in late 2024, the survey gathered responses from more than 5,500 apprentices. It highlights increasing satisfaction, growing diversity, and the strong impact apprenticeships are having on both individuals and employers across the country.
Key Highlights from the Survey
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High satisfaction levels: Apprentices gave an average satisfaction rating of 7.5 out of 10, with 80% saying they would recommend the apprenticeship route to friends or family.
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Diverse age participation: Apprenticeships are attracting a broader age range, with 12.8% aged 31+, 24.1% aged 23–30, and 53.3% aged 19–22, showing that opportunities are not just for school leavers.
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Strong employment outcomes: 94% of respondents felt their apprenticeship provided strong employment prospects.
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Supportive learning environments:
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85% reported that their employer supports their development.
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90% said they feel comfortable asking questions in their college setting.
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84% said the learning boosted their confidence.
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76% felt their apprenticeship taught them the right skills for the workplace.
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Progress on diversity: While 92% of apprentices are male and 8% are female, the data shows encouraging signs of growing female participation. Additionally, 5% of apprentices identified as coming from an ethnic or cultural minority background.
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Acknowledging challenges: Respondents also pointed to areas that need improvement, such as managing study pressures and better connecting classroom theory with on-the-job practice.
Minister James Lawless TD said:
“These findings reaffirm the value of apprenticeships as a key part of Ireland’s skills strategy. Apprenticeships are helping us build an inclusive, future-ready workforce across nearly 80 occupations. We’ll use this feedback to enhance the system even further.”
Minister of State Marian Harkin TD added:
“This survey is a powerful reflection of how apprenticeships are delivering for learners nationwide. From building confidence to securing real career opportunities, it’s clear that apprenticeships are working – and I’m proud to support their continued growth.”
Dr. Mary-Liz Trant, Director of the National Apprenticeship Office, commented:
“We’re delighted to present these findings, which are the first national results since 2020. The feedback from thousands of apprentices tells us that apprenticeship is delivering quality learning and meaningful career outcomes. Most importantly, it gives apprentices a voice in shaping the future of the system.”
The official launch also included an infographic summarising key survey insights, with a full report due in late 2025. This will offer detailed comparisons with the 2020 survey and deeper analysis of over 2,000 anonymised apprentice comments, further informing policy and system improvements.
It’s great to see that apprenticeship programs in Ireland are not only thriving but also becoming more inclusive. High satisfaction rates suggest these programs are really aligning with the needs of both learners and industries.
It’s encouraging to seeBlog Comment Creation such high satisfaction levels among apprentices, especially with the increasing diversity in the programs. The survey results reflect real progress in making apprenticeships a more inclusive and appealing option across various demographics and industries.
High satisfaction rates paired with increasing diversity show that apprenticeships are becoming a more inclusive and appealing option. It would be interesting to see how this trend influences future program development.