Jobs Growth Wales+ statistics: April 2025 to March 2026

The data in this release covers all four quarters of the 2025 to 2026 financial year (April 2025 to March 2026) with a comparison to the previous financial year.

This report only deals with financial years, for example, April 2025 to March 2026. These will be displayed as 2025 to 2026.

The Jobs Growth Wales Plus (JGW+) programme came into operation for new starts on 1 April 2022. All the data in this report is sourced from the Lifelong Learning Wales Record (LLWR). For information about the programme see background and context below.

• There have been 20,995 starts on the JGW+ programme in total since it launched in April 2022.
• During 2025 to 2026 there were 8,290 active JGW+ programmes, of which 5,310 were new starts and 2,985 programmes continued from the previous year. 
• The number of new starts has increased by 1.9% compared to 2024 to 2025 when there were 5,210. 
• 5,060 JGW+ programmes ended during the 2025 to 2026 financial year, of which 3,725 were completed. 
• Of the programmes that ended, 71.4% of leavers had a positive outcome, up from 66.7% in 2024 to 2025.
• The largest strand of JGW+ was Engagement with 3,360 programmes started in 2025 to 2026; this represents 63.3% of all programmes started.

Figure 1: number of programmes started, by JGW+ strand and financial years 2024 to 2025 and 2025 to 2026

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Description of figure 1: the bar chart shows the number of programme starts in the financial years 2025 to 2026 and 2024 to 2025. It compares the number of starts across the Engagement, Advancement and Employment strands with the Engagement strand having the highest number of starts. 

In the 2025 to 2026 financial year Engagement was the largest strand with 3,360 programmes started, accounting for 63.3% of all starts. This is a decrease compared to 3,385 (65.0%) in the previous financial year. The Employment strand had the lowest number of starts at 85 (1.6%), a decrease compared to 100 (1.9%) in 2024 to 2025. The Advancement strand had 1,860 (35.0%) starts, an increase compared to 1,725 (33.1%) in 2024 to 2025.

Jobs Growth Wales Plus Learners by Gender, Strand, and Measure on StatsWales

Across all strands, there were 5,310 programme starts in 2025 to 2026, up 1.9% on the previous financial year when there were 5,210 new starts. In addition to the new starts in 2025 to 2026, there were 2,985 programmes continuing from the previous year.

There have been 20,995 starts on the JGW+ programme in total since it launched in April 2022.

From the start of the JGW+ programme in April 2022 through to the end of December 2023, the destinations of JGW+ leavers represented the destination within four weeks of leaving the programme. From January 2024 this has been adjusted to measure destinations within eight weeks of leaving the programme. All destinations are self-reported by the programme participants.

5,060 JGW+ programmes ended during the 2025 to 2026 financial year, of which 3,725 were completed.

Figure 2: positive outcome rates for JGW+ leavers by strand and financial years 2024 to 2025 and 2025 to 2026

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Description of figure 2: the bar chart shows the proportion of positive outcomes for JGW+ leavers by strand and financial year. The chart shows that positive outcome rates were highest on the Employment strand in 2025 to 2026.

Jobs Growth Wales Plus Learners by Gender, Strand, and Measure on StatsWales

The overall positive outcome rate across all strands was 71.4% in 2025 to 2026, up 4.6 percentage points from 2024 to 2025.The Employment strand had the highest positive outcome rate in 2025 to 2026 at 97.2%, followed by the Advancement strand at 72.9% and the Engagement strand at 70.0%.

Figure 3: number of JGW+ leavers by destination and financial years 2024 to 2025 and 2025 to 2026

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Description of figure 3: the bar chart shows that of the JGW+ participants who reported their destination after completing or leaving the programme, the largest number are those who were learning at a higher level or who were seeking work or unemployed.

Higher level learning was the most common destination in 2025 to 2026 with 1,885 leavers, an increase compared to 2024 to 2025. This was followed by leavers who were seeking work or were unemployed with 1,225 leavers, a decrease compared to the previous financial year. There was a small decrease in the employment destination with 1,125 leavers in 2025 to 2026 compared to 1,160 leavers in 2024 to 2025.

See the note on positive outcomes for further information on how these categories contribute to the calculation of positive outcome rates.

Figure 4: share of total JGW+ programmes started by gender, financial years 2024 to 2025 and 2025 to 2026

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Description of figure 4: the bar chart compares the gender distribution across the financial years 2024 to 2025 and 2025 to 2026, showing slightly more males than females started a JGW+ programme in both years.

Of the 5,310 programmes started in 2025 to 2026, females represented 48.5% of all starts, an increase from 47.2% in 2024 to 2025, whereas males represented 51.0% of all starts, a decrease from 52.5% in 2024 to 2025. Participants self-identifying their gender other than male or female represented 0.5% of all starts, up from 0.3% in the previous financial year.

Jobs Growth Wales Plus Learners by Gender, Strand, and Measure on StatsWales

Figure 5: positive outcome rates for JGW+ leavers by gender and financial years 2024 to 2025 and 2025 to 2026

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Description of figure 5: the bar chart shows that positive outcome rates for females increased from 67.8% to 71.6% between 2024 to 2025 and 2025 to 2026. The rate for males also increased from 65.8% to 71.2%, whereas the rate for learners with a gender other than female or male decreased, from 80.0% to 60.0%. 

The ‘other’ gender category includes a small number of learners, meaning that percentages and outcomes for this group can be volatile and changes should be interpreted with caution.

Jobs Growth Wales Plus Learners by Gender, Strand, and Measure on StatsWales

In 2025 to 2026 there were 2,710 JGW+ programmes started by males and 2,585 programmes ended. Of the programmes that had ended, 1,930 were completed. For females, there were 2,570 programmes started and 2,455 programmes ended, of which 1,780 were completed. For learners with a gender identity other than female or male, 25 programmes were started in 2025 to 2026 and 25 programmes ended, of which 15 were completed. Not all programmes that ended during the year will have started in the same year with some starting in previous financial years.

The data on ethnicity used in this release are based on self-identification. In the LLWR, learners are asked to state the ethnic group to which they consider they belong.

Figure 6: positive outcome rates for JGW+ leavers by ethnicity and financial years 2024 to 2025 and 2025 to 2026

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Description of figure 6: the bar chart shows that the largest increase in the positive outcome rate was seen in learners who were Asian, Asian Welsh or Asian British (omitting Unknown or Refused category), increasing from 65.2% in 2024 to 2025 to 82.3% in 2025 to 2026. 

Jobs Growth Wales Plus Learners by Ethnic Group and Measure on StatsWales

In 2025 to 2026, 92.0% of learners starting JGW+ programmes were White, 2.6% were from Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups, 1.5% were Asian, Asian Welsh or Asian British, and 1.3% were Black, African, Caribbean, Black British and Black Welsh. The proportion of starts by learners from Other ethnicities s was 2.2%.

JGW+ leavers who were Black, African, Caribbean, Black British and Black Welsh had the highest positive outcome rate in 2025 to 2026 at 82.8% (omitting Unknown or Refused category). Learners from Other ethnicities had the lowest rate at 62.5%.

The Welsh Government accepts the Social Model of Disability, in which it is recognised that barriers in society act to disable people who have impairments or health conditions or who use British Sign Language.

The LLWR, which is the source of data for this release, captures data using the medical definition of disability (“a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term impact on a person’s ability to carry out normal day to day activities”). In the LLWR, learners are asked if they have a “disability or learning difficulty” – this data is used here.

Figure 7: positive outcome rates for JGW+ leavers by disability or learning difficulty status and financial years 2024 to 2025 and 2025 to 2026

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Description of figure 7: the bar chart shows that the positive outcome rate has increased for learners with a disability or learning difficulty between 2024 to 2025 and 2025 to 2026 from 62.2% to 67.5%. For learners without a disability or learning difficulty, the rate increased from 68.1% to 72.2%.

Jobs Growth Wales Plus Learners by Primary Learning Disability and Measure on StatsWales 

The proportion of programmes started by learners who self-identified as having a disability or learning difficulty increased in 2025 to 2026 to 27.8% from 25.7% in 2024 to 2025. Of the programmes started by learners with a disability or learning difficulty, the most common primary types of disability or learning difficulty identified were autistic spectrum disorders (415), dyslexia (320) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorders (280). In total, there were 1,475 programmes started by learners with a disability or learning difficulty in 2025 to 2026 and1,375 programmes ended, of which 985 were completed.

Learning activities are typically specific qualifications, courses or learning aims pursued by the learner. JGW+ programmes may consist of one or more learning activities.

The 8,290 JGW+ programmes active in 2025 to 2026 contained 36,120 active learning activities during the financial year. Of these, 7,040 were regulated qualifications listed on the Qualifications in Wales database. The top 3 qualifications were:

• City & Guilds Entry Level 3 Introductory Award in Employability Skills
• City & Guilds Entry Level 3 Award in Employability Skills
• City & Guilds Entry Level 3 Essential Skills Wales in Application of Number

Other learning activities largely consisted of job activity searches and core skills development.

79.6% of JGW+ learning activities were delivered through the medium of English. The remaining 20.4% were delivered bilingually (a 0.8 percentage point increase on 2024 to 2025) with the vast majority falling into the category described as “a small amount of Welsh-medium learning”.

The purpose of the Jobs Growth Wales+ Youth Programme was to deliver consolidated and individualised training, development and employability support to 16 to 19 year olds who are assessed as Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET) at the time of starting the JGW+ programme.

The JGW+ programme will support delivery of the Welsh Government’s strategic priorities to tackle the consequences and risk factors associated with young people being NEET, which are integral to the Young Persons Guarantee, ‘Stronger, Fairer, Greener Wales: a plan for employability and skills’, the Programme for Government and to our Well-being objectives. 

Important delivery objectives of the JGW+ programme are to: 

• contribute towards a reduction in the number of 16 to 19 year olds who are NEET.
• achieve positive outcomes for 16 to 19 year olds at risk of becoming NEET
• progress Well-being of Future Generations objectives by delivering employability support for 16 to 19 year olds that provides equal opportunities (including Welsh language), promotes well-being and fair work, and helps embed environmental approaches that reduce harm.

The three strands of JGW+ are Engagement, Advancement, and Employment. Engagement gives learners the opportunity to confirm or contextualise an occupational focus, addressing barriers preventing them from beginning a course of learning. Advancement helps learners to gain relevant skills for a particular career path, while Employment supports those who are actively looking for a job.

From start of the JGW+ programme in April 2022, through to the end of December 2023, the destinations of JGW+ leavers represented the destination within 4 weeks of leaving the programme. From January 2024, this has been adjusted to measure destinations within eight weeks of leaving the programme. 

A positive outcome is either progression to learning at a higher level, progression into employment (full-time, part-time or self-employment) or progression to an Apprenticeship. For learners with a disability or learning difficulty, employment of less than 16 hours per week is also classed as a positive outcome. 

Leavers include learners continuing from the previous financial year that were active in 2024 to 2025. Positive outcomes are calculated considering the number of leavers.

Where the destination is not known, or the leaver is seeking work or unemployed, the destination is classified as a negative outcome.

Voluntary work, further learning at the same or lower level, employment of less than 16 hours per week (for learners who do not have a disability or learning difficulty) and the ‘other’ destinations category are all classed as neutral outcomes. Learners with these outcomes are excluded from the denominator when calculating positive outcome rates. Learners who did not complete their JGW+ programme are included in the calculation of positive outcome rates.

Rounding

All numbers have been rounded to the nearest 5. Percentages are calculated on the unrounded numbers. Differences between values are calculated using unrounded values, so there may be small discrepancies when compared with the rounded figures.

Statement of compliance with the Code of Practice for Statistics

Our statistical practice is regulated by the Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR). OSR sets the standards of trustworthiness, quality, and value in the Code of Practice for Statistics that all producers of official statistics should adhere to.

All our statistics are produced and published in accordance with several statements and protocols to enhance trustworthiness, quality, and value. These are set out in the Welsh Government’s Statement of Compliance.

These official statistics demonstrate the standards expected around trustworthiness, quality, and public value in the following ways.

Trustworthiness

These statistics are compiled from data drawn from the May 2026 freeze of the Lifelong Learning Wales Record (LLWR). JGW+ Contractors must submit information to the Welsh Government, via the LLWR, at least monthly on all young people, their programmes, activities, and awards under the JGW+ programme. The JGW+ programme specification details the data recording and submission requirements for contractors.

These statistics are pre-announced on the Statistics and Research area of the Welsh Government website. Access to the data during processing is restricted to those involved in the production of the statistics, quality assurance and for operational purposes. Pre-release access is restricted to eligible recipients in line with the Code of Practice (UK Statistics Authority).

Quality

The published figures provided are compiled by professional analysts using the latest available data and applying methods using their professional judgement and analytical skillset. Statistics published by Welsh Government adhere to the Statistical Quality Management Strategy which supplements the Quality pillar of the Code of Practice for Statistics (UK Statistics Authority) and the European Statistical System principles of quality for statistical outputs. 

Files submitted for upload to the Lifelong Learning Wales Record (LLWR) undergo a series of validation checks. Welsh Government officials work with contract holders to resolve any data related issues, where necessary. 

Welsh Government statisticians undertake final checks before drafting this statistical release, which is then signed off by senior statisticians and published in line with the statement on confidentiality and data access which is informed by the trustworthiness pillar contained in the Code of Practice for Statistics (UK Statistics Authority).

Occasionally, revisions can occur due to errors in our statistical processes or when a data supplier notifies the Welsh Government that they have submitted incorrect information. In these cases, a judgement is made as to whether the change is significant enough to publish a revised statistical release. Where changes are not deemed to be significant, figures will be corrected if they appear in future releases.

Value

The purpose of the statistical release and the accompanying data published on StatsWales are to provide evidence for policy development, inform the wider public about the activity and performance of the JGW+ programme and to enable contract holders to monitor their own performance.

The timeliness of the data provides the most recent update using reliable data. 

You are welcome to contact us directly with any comments about how we meet these standards. Alternatively, you can contact OSR by emailing regulation@statistics.gov.uk or via the OSR website.

Well-being of Future Generations Act (WFG)

The Well-being of Future Generations Act 2015 is about improving the social, economic, environmental, and cultural well-being of Wales. The Act puts in place seven well-being goals for Wales. These are for a more equal, prosperous, resilient, healthier, and globally responsible Wales, with cohesive communities and a vibrant culture and thriving Welsh language. Under section (10)(1) of the Act, the Welsh Ministers must (a) publish indicators (“national indicators”) that must be applied for the purpose of measuring progress towards the achievement of the Well-being goals, and (b) lay a copy of the national indicators before Senedd Cymru. Under section 10(8) of the Well-being of Future Generations Act, where the Welsh Ministers revise the national indicators, they must as soon as reasonably practicable (a) publish the indicators as revised and (b) lay a copy of them before the Senedd. These national indicators were laid before the Senedd in 2021. The indicators laid on 14 December 2021 replace the set laid on 16 March 2016.

Information on the indicators, along with narratives for each of the well-being goals and associated technical information is available in the Wellbeing of Wales report.

Further information on the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015.

The statistics included in this release could also provide supporting narrative to the national indicators and be used by public services boards in relation to their local well-being assessments and local well-being plans.

We welcome any feedback on any aspect of these statistics which can be provided by email to LabourMarket.Stats@gov.wales

Labour Market and Skills Statistics
Email: LabourMarket.stats@gov.wales

Media: 0300 025 8099

SFR 51/2026