Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many seafarer (a) apprentices and (b) cadets have been trained by the Royal Fleet Auxiliary in each year since 2010.

Cadetship and apprenticeship opportunities available within the RFA are designed to provide individuals with a comprehensive pathway to a fulfilling and meaningful career at sea. These programmes cater to a wide range of academic backgrounds and offer individuals the chance to develop the skills and qualifications necessary to thrive in a unique maritime environment.

In 2025, and in partnership with the Maritime Trade Unions, the Royal Navy successfully made a broad pay and non-pay financial award across the RFA workforce to recruit, retain and sustain an engaged and inclusive workforce.

The table below shows the numbers of apprentices and cadets trained by the Royal Fleet Auxiliary since 2014. Figures from prior to May 2014 are not readily available and have been excluded from the analysis.

Notes

1. 2014 and 2025 are partial years. 2014 consists of data available from 1 May 2014 to 31 December 2014. 2025 consists of data available from 1 January 2025 to 30 June 2025.

2. This analysis defines Cadets and Apprentices who achieve promotion as having completed training.

3. This analysis excludes any untrained personnel who joined through other entry routes and were not designated as an Apprentice or Cadet.

4. Figures of 5 or fewer and the corresponding Total are represented by '[c]', in line with disclosure control policy.