Welsh Government apprenticeships open doors for thousands seeking their route into work

The Welsh Government is celebrating a milestone to kick off Apprenticeships Week Wales 2026. Over 100,000 publicly funded and accredited apprenticeships have been delivered in Wales this Senedd term, helping to open the doors for thousands of people seeking a clear route into work.

Celebrating a Milestone: 100,000 Opportunities Realised

As Apprenticeship Week Wales returns from 9 to 15 February 2026, we are celebrating a fantastic achievement – meeting our target of creating 100,000 apprenticeship opportunities this Senedd term.

The annual Apprenticeship Week celebration brings together apprentices, training providers, employers and families to highlight the transformative impact of apprenticeships across Wales. It’s an opportunity to recognise the hard work and dedication of everyone involved in making these programmes a success.

This year carries particular significance, with the latest data from Medr confirming that we have created 100,380 apprenticeship opportunities, with more than 91,000 learners continuing beyond the early stages of their programmes.

This milestone represents years of sustained effort and collaboration between government, employers and training providers.

We achieved this despite unprecedented challenges. The Covid pandemic, Brexit and rising living costs created significant pressures for both individuals and businesses.

Yet throughout this period, apprenticeships have remained a vital route into employment for people of all ages and backgrounds, including those who might otherwise struggle to enter the workplace.

Apprenticeships transform young people’s futures. They provide practical experience, recognised qualifications and the confidence to succeed.

A Personal Pathway to Success

As a former apprentice myself, I know first-hand how transformative this pathway can be. The combination of earning while learning, gaining hands-on experience and building professional networks creates opportunities that can shape entire careers.

Our programmes span foundation to degree level across sectors including construction, health, energy and the creative industries.

They have proven particularly valuable in strengthening the foundational economy, making important contributions to social care and health workforces.

Beyond the headline figures, apprenticeships form part of our comprehensive approach to tackling youth unemployment and economic inactivity in Wales.

Our Young Person’s Guarantee ensures every person under 25 is offered support to gain a place in education or training, find employment, or start their own business. Provisional estimates for 2024 show that we have already reached 86.3% of 16- to 24-year-olds in education, employment or training, working towards our national goal of 90% by 2050.

For those not yet ready for apprenticeships, Jobs Growth Wales Plus provides tailored support for 16- to 19-year-olds who are not in education, employment or training. The programme addresses diverse and often complex needs, offering mentorship, training allowances, recognised qualifications and practical help with barriers such as transport and childcare.

Communities for Work Plus provides additional support for those 16+, delivering intensive mentoring and skills support through local authority delivered support. It focuses particularly on those facing multiple and complex barriers to employment.

Recognising that long-term ill health remains the leading driver of economic inactivity, we have been working with the UK Government on the Economic Inactivity Trailblazer pilots in Neath Port Talbot, Denbighshire and Blaenau Gwent. These initiatives test innovative, locally led approaches to engaging people furthest from the labour market, including those with health conditions, disabilities or caring responsibilities.

Working Wales, delivered by Careers Wales, provides free and impartial careers advice for anyone aged 16 or above, offering support with training, upskilling, CV writing and interview techniques.

Skills excellence also remains central to our approach. Through Skills Competitions Wales, we have supported more than 5,000 young people during this government term, with 606 competitors representing Wales at the UK National Finals and securing 333 medals.

Building a Future-Ready Wales

Looking ahead, apprenticeships will remain central to our skills strategy over the next decade. We will focus on developing the workforce needed for net zero, tackling inequality through accessible and debt-free routes into high-value careers, driving innovation in emerging industries, and strengthening economic resilience.

We will continue to work with partners to build a future-ready workforce with the strategic skills to meet the needs of employers, boost productivity and unlock the economic opportunities of new and emerging sectors.

By Jack Sargeant, Minister for Skills for the Welsh Government