Our Impact

Learner numbers continue to grow

• Over 114,000 learners enrolled in CWM colleges in 2024/5, which represents a 3.4% increase on the previous year and an increase of 10% over two years. 

• Adult learners grew by 1.8% overall, with the strongest growth in Free Courses for Jobs provision (up 26%) and AEB funded adults living in outer areas (up 3%). Advanced Learner Loan numbers continue to drop sharply. 

• Provision aimed at supporting people into work and progressing to better jobs increased by 16% over the previous year to over 8,000 learners.  

• The strongest one-year growth was in 16-19 learners which grew by 5.4% and are at the highest level since CWM started recording in 2019/20, a growth of over 11% over the period. 

• Apprenticeship numbers continued to fall by a further 5%, however the rate of decline was slower in under 19 apprentices. 

Some growth in Level 3 and Level 4 provision

• Although around half of adults learn at level 3, the proportion studying at level 3 or above increased by 6% in 2024/25, despite the decline in update for ALL, maintaining the overall upward trend in adults at level 3+. 

• Typically, around half of 16-19 enrolments are at level 3, but this proportion has been dropping over the past three years.  A Level learner numbers grew by a further 6% last year, and T Level learners grew by 60%. 

• Advanced level apprenticeships account for 55% of starts and this level has been less adversely affected by the downturn in numbers over the past five years. Higher level apprenticeships grew by 2.5% but the decline over time was sharper.  

Variable Performance in Priority Sectors

• Construction continues to be a significant sector in terms of volumes. In 2024/25 there was a 30% drop in AEB funded adult Construction enrolments but a rise of 9% in 16-19 enrolments.  Construction accounts for about a third of all apprenticeships and there was a drop of 1% in apprenticeship starts in 2024/25 compared with the previous year. 

• The number of adults learning Engineering fell by a further 10% in 2024/25 and 16-19 Engineering numbers fell by 4% over the same period. Engineering is the second most prevalent technical route for apprenticeships and there was a 2% growth in numbers over the same period, maintaining the slow growth since a sharp decline in 2020/21. 

• Motor Vehicle adult learners fell sharply in the WMCA patch but grew in outer areas. Continued to grow as well as in the 16-19 age group where there was a 9% increase in enrolments. 

• Almost all adult learners on Digital or ICT provision were AEB funded and residing in t the WMCA areas. There was a sharp increase in adults on Digital and ICT provision (up 14%) but by contrast the number of 16-19 learners on Digital and ICT fell by 13%. 

Colleges provide strong support for diversity and inclusion 

• In all areas of the wider West Midlands and across all age groups and types of provision, the proportions of learners in in the broad Black, Asian and Mixed Heritage ethnicity groups continue to increase year on year.  

• The ethnicity profile of learners living in the WMCA areas is more diverse than in outer areas. In the WMCA areas 35% of adult learners, 48% of 16-19 learners and 71% of apprentices identified in the broad White group. In outer areas the proportions were 80% of adult learners, 86% of 16-19 learners and 91% of apprentices. 

• A very high (27%), and increasing, proportion of 16-19 learners declared a learning difficulty, disability and/or health problems (LLDD), and this proportion rises to 35% in the case of young people in outer areas. This proportion of those declaring LLDD is 16% in the case of adult learners and 17% in the case of apprentices. 

• Colleges attract and enrol 16-19 and adult learners proportionally in all bands of deprivation. In the case of adult learners living in outer areas and in the case of apprentices in all areas, residents at the lower deprivation bands are less well represented.