Annual analysis of awards made by QQI in 2021 - FET and HE

The summary provides breakdowns of QQI awards made in 2021, by NFQ level, class, field of learning and provider type. The analysis includes trends and information on each of the ETBs, apprenticeships and learner profile. It details how the overall number of awards made by QQI in 2020 and 2021 was affected by COVID-19 restrictions.

The impact of COVID-19 was significant. The analysis of QQI awards made in 2021 and trends reveal that:

• In 2020 it accelerated the general downward trend observed in the number of FET learners receiving QQI awards; and decelerated the upward trend in the HE sector.

• In 2021, things stabilised. Growth in overall HE certification numbers increased in 2021, and FET overall certification totals were similar to 2020.

These are some of the highlights:

• The number of QQI FET major awards made at the lower levels of the NFQ (levels 2 to 4) grew in 2021 by 28% on average from 2020.

• The number of QQI HE major awards made declined at levels 6 and 7 in 2021 by 3% and 14% from 2020, continuing the downward trend observed in 2020 at these NFQ levels.

• The popularity of small qualifications (sometimes called micro-credentials) observed in 2020, continued in 2021. The increase was particularly high for special purpose and supplemental awards in FET and minor and special purpose awards in HE. It should be noted that small-volume qualifications have long been a feature of FET in Ireland.

• Craft apprenticeship certification was hit hard by COVID-19 and certification in 2021 was 19% below pre-COVID levels.

• The share of female learners attaining QQI awards has grown 2 percentage points year on year since 2019.

• The age distribution of learners receiving QQI awards is more evenly distributed for FET than for HE. Those achieving HE awards are younger than those receiving FET awards, particularly at levels 8 and 9, where a quarter of awards achieved in 2021 were by learners aged 20-29.

• The proportion of providers who issued QQI awards to 100 learners or more per year has grown (in 2014, the proportion was 29% while in 2021 it was 39%).

Read the full report below.