Trainee statistics Practice year 2023/24

This year's total number of traineeships are almost identical to last years and are the third highest ever on record.  It’s the fourth consecutive year of having around 750 trainees starting. Largely speaking, in terms of breakdown, the spread of traineeships looks very similar to previous years.

• 764 standard (two year) traineeships were commenced in 2023/24.  

• The five-year average for standard traineeships rises from 658 to 693.  This still counts the record low Covid year of 2019-20.  The four year average now stands at 758 traineeships.

• The gender split for traineeships in 2022/23 was approximately 66% female, 34% male.  This is reflective of the five-year average of 67% to 32%.  In five of the last six years, less than one-third of trainees have been male.

• Training contracts commenced by local authority area are very similar to last year. Our 4 major cities (Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Dundee) accounted for 84% of all traineeships (exactly the same as last year).  Edinburgh and Glasgow accounted for 74% of all traineeships.

• 13% of traineeships (98) were in-house, compared to 11% (80 traineeship) in 2022/23 and 10% the year before that.

• The percentage of traineeships commenced in 2023/24 at firms with 1-5 partners was 31% (compared to 32% last year).  Exactly the same percentage (31%) were at firms with 31+ partners.

• The pattern of the overall spread of traineeships is consistent with previous years:

  • Around 10% of trainees are inhouse.
  • Almost third of traineeships come from firms with 1-5 partners.
  • Almost third of traineeships come from firms with 30+ partners.
  • The remaining traineeships are at firms of 6-30 partners.

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