Nine in 10 further education college leavers reported a positive outcome within six months of achieving their qualification, according to a Department for the Economy report published today.
The Further Education Outcomes: Academic Year 2024/25 report analyses the annual Survey of Further Education College Leavers. The survey is carried out about six months after course completion and focuses on those achieving regulated qualifications at Level 3 or below in the further education sector.
The department said a positive outcome meant leavers were in employment, further study, or both. More than half, 57%, were in employment six months after achieving their qualification, while 33% had re-enrolled in education.
Among those in work, 57% were in what the department defines as a good job. That definition covers working-age employees on a permanent contract, not on a zero-hours contract, and earning at least the Real Living Wage.
The report also found that 46% of employed leavers needed their further education qualification to be eligible for their job. Of those in employment, 95% were working in Northern Ireland and 25% were employed in priority sectors of the Northern Ireland economy.
For leavers who had returned to learning, 69% required their qualification to apply for their current course. More than five-sixths, 86%, had enrolled on a course at a higher level. The report recorded unemployment among 5% of leavers six months after qualification.
The department said the report, including methodology details, and a dashboard are available on its website. It noted that destinations for those qualifying at Level 4 or above are researched separately through the HESA Graduate Outcomes survey, 15 months after qualification.