Further education and training opportunities

Published: 11 September 2024
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Data on the percentage of 16 to 18 year olds in education, training and employment.

Summary main findings

Between 2011 and 2022, there was a small drop in the percentage of 16 to 18 year olds who were not in education, employment or training (‘NEET’).

Between 2021 and 2022:

  • the percentage of 16 to 18 year olds who were in education and apprenticeships went down slightly, from 80% to 79%
  • there was a slight increase in the percentage who were NEET, from 7% to 8%

By year

Visualisation

Percentage of 16 to 18 year olds in education, training or employment, over time (England, 2011 to 2022)

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Data

Percentage of 16 to 18 year olds in education, training or employment, over time (England, 2011 to 2022)
Year Employment (%) Education (including apprenticeships and work-based learning) (%) Other training (%) Not in employment, education or training (%)
2022 8.1 78.7 4.9 8.4
2021 8.6 79.6 4.8 7.0
2020 7.4 81.0 4.5 7.1
2019 7.5 81.4 4.6 6.6
2018 7.7 81.4 4.7 6.2
2017 7.8 81.6 4.8 5.9
2016 7.1 82.2 4.9 5.8
2015 6.8 82.3 4.8 6.2
2014 6.1 82.4 4.4 7.0
2013 6.7 81.8 4.2 7.3
2012 7.1 79.8 4.3 8.9
2011 6.8 79.5 4.0 9.8
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    About the data

    Data source

    Department for Education, Participation in education, training and employment

    Time period

    2011 to 2022

    Geographic area

    England

    What the data measures

    The data shows the percentage of young people aged 16 to 18 years old in education, training and employment in England.

    Things you need to know

    A person identified as NEET is either unemployed or economically inactive. Previous data includes a small number of students in further or higher education and work-based learning at the same time. The total number of young people in training excludes this group.

    Since 2013, 16 to 17 year olds in England have been legally required to stay in education and training.

    These findings are not comparable to those in last year’s report. This is because the figures from 2011 to 2021 have been revised to include improved population estimates.

    Due to rounding, not all totals add up to 100%.

    Type of data

    Administrative data

    Full report

    Read more in State of the Nation 2024 on GOV.UK.


    Download the data

    Download full dataset (CSV, )


    Page history

    Publication release date:

    11 September 2024

    Editions of this page: