Consortia Led Apprenticeships (CLAs) are industry-driven programmes designed by groups of employers (consortia), educational institutions, and other stakeholders to address specific skill shortages. They have been in operation since 2016 with consortia led apprenticeships ranging from Level 5 to Level 10 operating across higher and further education providers.

In March 2026, the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (DFHERIS), the Higher Education Authority (HEA) and SOLAS commenced a review of the processes to develop and approve new Consortia Led Apprenticeships (CLAs). To find out more about the review, please see the FAQs document (pdf) regarding the review process in the documents on this webpage.

After the completion of the review, the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, together with the HEA and SOLAS have agreed to implement a formal call process for submitting new CLA proposals. The first Call is expected to be launched in October 2026 with documents for the new application process to be made available in Q4 2026. Successful applicants will be notified in Q1 2027.