This dataset can be found in:

Highest qualification levels of working age adults by sex, age, qualification and year

Contents

Standard shorthand is used in this table: [b] = break in time series.

View options

Filters

Data description ( of 9 selected9 selectable options)

Select all Data description|Select None of Data description

Year ( of 24 selected24 selectable options)

Select all Year|Select None of Year

Sex ( of 3 selected3 selectable options)

Select all Sex|Select None of Sex
Select all Persons|Select None of Persons

Age group ( of 7 selected7 selectable options)

Select all Age group|Select None of Age group
Select all 18-64 (Working age)|Select None of 18-64 (Working age)

Data valuesData descriptionYearSexAge group
12.3 [b]No qualificationsMarch 2001 to February 2002Persons18-24
14.8 [b]No qualificationsMarch 2001 to February 2002Persons25-34
20.5 [b]No qualificationsMarch 2001 to February 2002Persons35-49
32.5 [b]No qualificationsMarch 2001 to February 2002Persons50-59
21.5 [b]No qualificationsMarch 2001 to February 2002PersonsHistorical working age definition
11.9 [b]No qualificationsMarch 2001 to February 2002Females18-24
15 [b]No qualificationsMarch 2001 to February 2002Females25-34
23.7 [b]No qualificationsMarch 2001 to February 2002Females35-49
38.4 [b]No qualificationsMarch 2001 to February 2002Females50-59
23.3 [b]No qualificationsMarch 2001 to February 2002FemalesHistorical working age definition
12.7 [b]No qualificationsMarch 2001 to February 2002Males18-24
14.5 [b]No qualificationsMarch 2001 to February 2002Males25-34
17.2 [b]No qualificationsMarch 2001 to February 2002Males35-49
26.6 [b]No qualificationsMarch 2001 to February 2002Males50-59
10.1 [b]No qualificationsMarch 2002 to February 2003Persons18-24
12.3 [b]No qualificationsMarch 2002 to February 2003Persons25-34
17.6 [b]No qualificationsMarch 2002 to February 2003Persons35-49
28.4 [b]No qualificationsMarch 2002 to February 2003Persons50-59
18.5 [b]No qualificationsMarch 2002 to February 2003PersonsHistorical working age definition
10.2 [b]No qualificationsMarch 2002 to February 2003Females18-24
13.1 [b]No qualificationsMarch 2002 to February 2003Females25-34
20.2 [b]No qualificationsMarch 2002 to February 2003Females35-49
33.5 [b]No qualificationsMarch 2002 to February 2003Females50-59
20.2 [b]No qualificationsMarch 2002 to February 2003FemalesHistorical working age definition
9.9 [b]No qualificationsMarch 2002 to February 2003Males18-24
11.5 [b]No qualificationsMarch 2002 to February 2003Males25-34
15 [b]No qualificationsMarch 2002 to February 2003Males35-49
23.3 [b]No qualificationsMarch 2002 to February 2003Males50-59
8.8 [b]No qualificationsMarch 2003 to February 2004Persons18-24
12 [b]No qualificationsMarch 2003 to February 2004Persons25-34
16.7 [b]No qualificationsMarch 2003 to February 2004Persons35-49
25.9 [b]No qualificationsMarch 2003 to February 2004Persons50-59
17.3 [b]No qualificationsMarch 2003 to February 2004PersonsHistorical working age definition
9.4 [b]No qualificationsMarch 2003 to February 2004Females18-24
12.9 [b]No qualificationsMarch 2003 to February 2004Females25-34
18.9 [b]No qualificationsMarch 2003 to February 2004Females35-49
31.5 [b]No qualificationsMarch 2003 to February 2004Females50-59
19.1 [b]No qualificationsMarch 2003 to February 2004FemalesHistorical working age definition
8.2 [b]No qualificationsMarch 2003 to February 2004Males18-24
11 [b]No qualificationsMarch 2003 to February 2004Males25-34
14.5 [b]No qualificationsMarch 2003 to February 2004Males35-49
20.3 [b]No qualificationsMarch 2003 to February 2004Males50-59
9.6No qualifications2004Persons18-24
11No qualifications2004Persons25-34
16.3No qualifications2004Persons35-49
25.4No qualifications2004Persons50-59
17No qualifications2004PersonsHistorical working age definition
9.4No qualifications2004Females18-24
11.4No qualifications2004Females25-34
17.9No qualifications2004Females35-49
29.7No qualifications2004Females50-59
18No qualifications2004FemalesHistorical working age definition
9.7No qualifications2004Males18-24
10.7No qualifications2004Males25-34
14.7No qualifications2004Males35-49
21No qualifications2004Males50-59
9.2No qualifications2005Persons18-24
9.9No qualifications2005Persons25-34
14.8No qualifications2005Persons35-49
26.1No qualifications2005Persons50-59
16.2No qualifications2005PersonsHistorical working age definition
9.5No qualifications2005Females18-24
9.5No qualifications2005Females25-34
16.7No qualifications2005Females35-49
30.5No qualifications2005Females50-59
17.3No qualifications2005FemalesHistorical working age definition
9No qualifications2005Males18-24
10.4No qualifications2005Males25-34
12.9No qualifications2005Males35-49
21.7No qualifications2005Males50-59
9.8No qualifications2006Persons18-24
10.1No qualifications2006Persons25-34
14.5No qualifications2006Persons35-49
23.8No qualifications2006Persons50-59
15.7No qualifications2006PersonsHistorical working age definition
9.1No qualifications2006Females18-24
10No qualifications2006Females25-34
15.6No qualifications2006Females35-49
27.8No qualifications2006Females50-59
16.3No qualifications2006FemalesHistorical working age definition
10.4No qualifications2006Males18-24
10.3No qualifications2006Males25-34
13.3No qualifications2006Males35-49
19.7No qualifications2006Males50-59
9.9No qualifications2007Persons18-24
11.1No qualifications2007Persons25-34
13.2No qualifications2007Persons35-49
22No qualifications2007Persons50-59
14.9No qualifications2007PersonsHistorical working age definition
9.5No qualifications2007Females18-24
11No qualifications2007Females25-34
14.3No qualifications2007Females35-49
26.3No qualifications2007Females50-59
15.6No qualifications2007FemalesHistorical working age definition
10.4No qualifications2007Males18-24
11.1No qualifications2007Males25-34
12.2No qualifications2007Males35-49
17.6No qualifications2007Males50-59
15.2No qualifications2008Persons18-64 (Working age)
8.3No qualifications2008Persons18-24
Showing 1 to 100 of 3,942 rows
Page 1 of 40

Next update expected:April 2026

Updates

19th December 2025
Dataset first published.

Main information

Designation
Official statistics
Data provider
Office for National Statistics (ONS)
Data source
Annual Population Survey (APS)

Overview

Summary of dataset and variables

Data are presented for working age adults based on the current definition of males and females aged 18-64 and historical definition of females aged 18-59 and males aged 18-64. This is as referred to in earlier releases (prior to 2015 data) – according to their age at the start of the academic year.

Note that data for working age adults, on the basis of males and females aged 18-64, are only available from 2008 onwards.

The statistics are used within the Welsh Government to monitor trends in qualification levels. This release contains data for the national indicator number 8 (Percentage of adults with qualifications at the different levels of the National Qualifications Framework) and two related national milestones. These statistics, along with the national indicator and national milestones are specifically included within Stronger, fairer, greener Wales: a plan for employability and skills.

Data collection or calculation

The data presented are based on the results of the Annual Population Survey for 2004 onwards, and from the annual Local Labour Force Survey for Wales for 2001-2003, both of which are household surveys carried out by the Office for National Statistics.

From 2001, annual Local Labour Force Survey (LLFS) data collected in Wales were based on a significantly enhanced sample. The survey asks respondents for qualifications that they hold, and from this information the highest qualification held by the respondent is calculated. The highest qualifications are grouped into levels. Figures are provided for those obtaining qualifications at least at a certain level, and qualifications up to and including a certain level.

Data have previously been presented as NVQ equivalencies. From September 2004, the National Qualification Framework (NQF) was expanded and the former levels 4 and 5 were divided into more precise levels (4-8). Data are now presented according to this classification.

The statistics presented here for 2022 are not comparable with previous years due to the changes to the qualification questions in the Labour Force Survey/Annual Population Survey. The questions, previously based on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF), have been updated to reflect the Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF).

More detail on this is provided in the quality information of the statistical release.

For years labelled 2001 to 2003 in this dataset, the actual periods covered are the 12 months running from March in the year given to February in the following year (e.g. 2001 = 1 March 2001 to 28 February 2002).

Since 2004, the annual data have been produced on a rolling annual basis, updated every three months. The rolling annual averages are on a calendar basis with the first rolling annual average presented here covering the period 1 January 2004 to 31 December 2004.

Note therefore that there is a two-month overlap between the last period presented on the former March to February basis, and the first period on the new basis.

Statistical quality

As the data come from a survey, the results are sample-based estimates and therefore subject to differing degrees of sampling variability, i.e. the true value for any measure lies in a differing range about the estimated value. This range or sampling variability increases as the detail in the data increases; for example local authority data are subject to higher variability than regional data.

These estimates were previously classed as accredited official statistics. The APS has seen a fall in sample sizes over recent years, given this and the fact that the survey has not been reweighted to latest population estimates, the Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR) has agreed that this accreditation should be temporarily suspended and that the estimates should be re-designated as official statistics (OSR).

It is still appropriate to use these statistics, however users should note the increased uncertainty around estimates derived from the APS. At a national level, estimates continue to provide a reasonable indication of trends for Wales, however, estimates for smaller geographies or population sub-groups are less reliable.

Related reports

Published by

Organisation
Welsh Government
Contact email
labourmarket.stats@gov.wales

Select the filtered or whole dataset to download

Select download format

Contains only the dataset
Contains only the dataset
Contains only the dataset

Select number formatting

This includes rounding to decimal places and commas to separate thousands
This includes rounding to decimal places and commas to separate thousands

Select language

Metadata

The metadata for this dataset is not included when you download the data. You can download this separately. This contains all the information from the 'About this dataset' tab.

Download metadata