Department for Education written question – answered at on 29 April 2025.
Lord Spellar
Labour
To ask His Majesty's Government how many welding apprentices there are currently in the United Kingdom.
Baroness Smith of Malvern
Minister of State (Education), Minister of State (Minister for Women and Equalities)
The number of starts and enrolments on welding apprenticeship courses in England are shown in the table below.
Standard name | 2021/22 | 2022/23 | 2023/24 | 2024/25 reported to date | |
Starts | Multi-Positional Welder (Arc Processes) (ST0350) | low | low | low | low |
Nuclear Welding Inspection Technician (ST0292) | 10 | 10 | 10 | low | |
Pipe Welder (ST0851) | 60 | 100 | 110 | 130 | |
Plate Welder (ST0852) | 210 | 250 | 340 | 290 | |
Welder (ST0349) | 340 | 310 | 340 | 250 | |
Enrolments | Multi-Positional Welder (Arc Processes) (ST0350) | 90 | 30 | 10 | low |
Nuclear Welding Inspection Technician (ST0292) | 20 | 20 | 30 | 20 | |
Pipe Welder (ST0851) | 120 | 200 | 260 | 340 | |
Plate Welder (ST0852) | 400 | 600 | 810 | 860 | |
Welder (ST0349) | 510 | 640 | 650 | 570 |
Note:
(1) Published in March 2025, the data set includes full-year figures from 2021/22 to 2023/24 and figures from August 2024 to January 2025 for 2024/25.
(2) Volumes are rounded to the nearest 10.
(3) Total starts are the count of apprenticeships started at any point during the stated academic period. Learners starting more than one apprenticeship will appear more than once.
These figures are published in the ‘Apprenticeships’ accredited official statistics publication, which can accessed at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/apprenticeships/2024-25.
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