Made up of employers from the public and private sector, and including industries such as engineering, banking, healthcare, retailing, local government, accountancy and employers from the charity sector, the Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers rankings celebrates 100 of the country's most outstanding apprenticeship employers.
The British Army achieved the top spot by helping over 8,000 apprentices gain new skills and progress in 2019-2020; with almost a fifth of its workforce currently completing apprenticeship programmes as part of their military training - in areas including engineering, telecommunications, logistics, construction, health and IT.
Apprenticeships and Skills Minister Gillian Keegan said:
A huge congratulations to all those businesses featured in the Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers rankings. It is fantastic to see the British Army recognised for its incredible support for apprentices and the apprenticeships programme.
Apprenticeships help business of all sizes to grow, and give people of all ages and backgrounds a chance to learn new skills and get ahead in their chosen career.
They will continue to play a vital role in delivering the skills individuals and the economy needs to thrive after coronavirus. I hope this initiative highlights the crucial role of apprenticeships in bringing in new talent & supporting our economic recovery, and encourages even more employers to get involved.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said:
Now more than ever we should celebrate businesses who are driving our efforts to build a stronger, fairer, and more competitive economy.
High-quality apprenticeships give people from all backgrounds and ages a real choice in life, providing them with the skills employers value, which our economy needs, and which lead to better paid jobs.
These modern employers are at the heart of levelling up our workforce, and with the extra support we are providing will help the country build back better from coronavirus.
New in 2020, the rankings showcase the very best of England's large apprenticeship employers, with employers recognised for providing some of the most successful apprenticeship programmes over the previous 12 months. The list will help potential apprentices, parents and careers advisers to identify the best apprenticeship opportunities with the highest performing apprentice employers.
Over 400 applications were received, with the results announced at a special online event broadcast earlier today attended by organisations including Rochdale Borough Council, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Pepsico and London Ambulance Service.
The new leader board of apprenticeship employers was independently developed, assessed and compiled in partnership with High Fliers Research.
The Top 10 Apprenticeship Employers for 2020 are:
- British Army
- HMRC
- Royal Navy
- BT
- MTR Elizabeth Line
- Mazars LLP
- Optionis Group
- Mitchells and Butlers
- Greene King
- Royal Air Force
View the full list of the The Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers 2020 (PDF, 486 KB, 3 pages)
Colonel Kate George MBE, Assistant Head Learning and Development, from the British Army said:
In the British Army, we view people as the Army, not in the Army, so we are passionate about our soldiers' professional development.
Our myriad apprenticeships play a critical part in developing the skills our soldiers need to succeed in their careers and on operations. The Army also benefits because our soldiers gain so much from the apprenticeship - not just in learning a new trade, but also in developing their own self confidence and leadership abilities.
Entering the Top 100 Awards provides an opportunity to reflect on our own apprenticeship achievements but also it gives employers the chance to celebrate the achievements of their staff and their apprentices, and the vital role we have as an employer in contributing to changing lives.
Peter Mucklow, Director, Apprenticeships, Education and Skills Funding Agency concluded:
During such a difficult year it is encouraging to see that apprenticeships continue to be critical to business performance and success.
Today's announcement shows that there are outstanding employers delivering apprenticeships across all sectors, and the Top 100 apprenticeship employer rankings rightly give recognition and thanks to those who have shown, and continue to show, huge commitment to apprenticeships.
I look forward to seeing how these 100 employers use their status to showcase the many benefits of apprenticeships, whilst encouraging other employers to consider recruiting an apprentice.
