Rankings revealed!
Top Apprenticeship Employers 2026
We are delighted to reveal the Top Apprenticeship Employers 2026, brought to you by the Government and Higherin.
The rankings celebrate the Top 100 and Top 50 SME employers across England. Combining criteria across 3 core segments: achievements, recognising those who see their apprentices successfully complete, commitment, recognising those offering a diverse range of apprenticeship opportunities, especially to young people and reviews, recognising those who give fantastic apprentice experience. These rankings demonstrate employers with an excellent commitment to high-quality apprenticeships.
Scroll down to find out who made the rankings.
THE TOP 100 APPRENTICESHIP EMPLOYERS
| 1 | BAE Systems | Engineering & Manufacturing |
| 2 | Sellafield Ltd | Engineering & Manufacturing |
| 3 | Balfour Beatty | Construction, Property & Surveying |
| 4 | Network Rail | Transport & Logistics |
| 5 | Go-Ahead | Transport & Logistics |
| 6 | Lloyds Banking Group | Finance & Banking |
| 7 | Grant Thornton | Accounting |
| 8 | JLR | Engineering & Manufacturing |
| 9 | BBC | Digital Media & IT |
| 10 | EY | Accounting |
| 11 | RSM UK | Accounting |
| 12 | Babcock International Group | Engineering & Manufacturing |
| 13 | Hays Travel | Travel & Tourism |
| 14 | BDO | Accounting |
| 15 | North East Ambulance Service | Health & Social Care Services |
| 16 | Specsavers | FMCG & Retail |
| 17 | Mitchells & Butlers | Catering & Hospitality |
| 18 | Amazon UK | FMCG & Retail |
| 19 | BMW | Engineering & Manufacturing |
| 20 | BT | Digital Media & IT |
| 21 | Busy Bees Nurseries | Education & Childcare |
| 22 | Kier Group | Construction, Property & Surveying |
| 23 | HMRC | Business & Administration |
| 24 | National Grid | Energy & Utilities |
| 25 | Compass Group | Catering & Hospitality |
| 26 | Transport for London | Transport & Logistics |
| 27 | Cambridge University Hospitals | Health & Social Care Services |
| 28 | Thales UK | Engineering & Manufacturing |
| 29 | Softcat | Digital Media & IT |
| 30 | Bupa | Health & Social Care Services |
| 31 | Northumbria Police | Protective Services |
| 32 | London Fire Brigade | Protective Services |
| 33 | BAM | Construction, Property & Surveying |
| 34 | Greene King | Catering & Hospitality |
| 35 | John Lewis Partnership | FMCG & Retail |
| 36 | West Midlands Police | Protective Services |
| 37 | Voyage Care | Health & Social Care Services |
| 38 | Lancashire County Council | Local Authority |
| 39 | Savills | Construction, Property & Surveying |
| 40 | Norfolk County Council | Local Authority |
| 41 | Natwest Group | Finance & Banking |
| 42 | Bright Horizons | Education & Childcare |
| 43 | Sodexo UK | Catering & Hospitality |
| 44 | Howdens | Engineering & Manufacturing |
| 45 | IBM | Digital Media & IT |
| 46 | GXO Logistics | Transport & Logistics |
| 47 | Mitie | Business & Administration |
| 48 | Sandwell Council | Local Authority |
| 49 | KPMG | Accounting |
| 50 | Airbus | Engineering & Manufacturing |
| 51 | Tesco | FMCG & Retail |
| 52 | CMS | Legal |
| 53 | British Airways | Transport & Logistics |
| 54 | Capgemini | Digital Media & IT |
| 55 | Department for Work and Pensions | Government |
| 56 | Kids Planet Day Nurseries | Education & Childcare |
| 57 | Anglian Water | Energy & Utilities |
| 58 | AstraZeneca | Medicine, Science & Pharmaceutical |
| 59 | CBRE | Construction, Property & Surveying |
| 60 | Vistry | Construction, Property & Surveying |
| 61 | Global Banking School | Education & Childcare |
| 62 | North Bristol NHS Trust | Health & Social Care Services |
| 63 | David Lloyd Clubs | Travel & Tourism |
| 64 | United Utilities | Energy & Utilities |
| 65 | McDonald's | Catering & Hospitality |
| 66 | The Co-Op Group | FMCG & Retail |
| 67 | Severn Trent | Energy & Utilities |
| 68 | Oasis Community Learning | Education & Childcare |
| 69 | Grandir UK | Education & Childcare |
| 70 | University of Oxford | Education & Childcare |
| 71 | Vertu Motors | FMCG & Retail |
| 72 | Royal Mail | Transport & Logistics |
| 73 | Great Western Railway | Transport & Logistics |
| 74 | City of Wolverhampton Council | Local Authority |
| 75 | E.ON UK | Energy & Utilities |
| 76 | Aldi | FMCG & Retail |
| 77 | The Old Station Nursery | Education & Childcare |
| 78 | Howden | Insurance |
| 79 | Christie's | Auction House |
| 80 | Barchester Healthcare | Health & Social Care Services |
| 81 | Steer Automotive | FMCG & Retail |
| 82 | Superdrug | FMCG & Retail |
| 83 | Screwfix | FMCG & Retail |
| 84 | Adi Group | Engineering & Manufacturing |
| 85 | AWE | Engineering & Manufacturing |
| 86 | Jacobs | Engineering & Manufacturing |
| 87 | Cooper Parry | Finance & Banking |
| 88 | HSBC | Finance & Banking |
| 89 | Forvis Mazars | Accounting |
| 90 | Department for Education | Government |
| 91 | Savers | FMCG & Retail |
| 92 | Leonardo | Engineering & Manufacturing |
| 93 | Arup | Engineering & Manufacturing |
| 94 | Lee Marley Group | Construction, Property & Surveying |
| 95 | UBS | Finance & Banking |
| 96 | DAF Trucks | Transport & Logistics |
| 97 | Computacenter | Digital Media & IT |
| 98 | Merseyside Police | Protective Services |
| 99 | Morrisons | FMCG & Retail |
| 100 | Wren Kitchens | Engineering & Manufacturing |
THE TOP 50 SME APPRENTICESHIP EMPLOYERS
| 1 | LJ Construction Carpentry Contractors | Construction, Property & Surveying |
| 2 | Puffins of Exeter | Education & Childcare |
| 3 | MDS | Agriculture, Environmental & Animal Care |
| 4 | Forbury Gardens Day Nursery | Education & Childcare |
| 5 | Lionweld Kennedy | Engineering & Manufacturing |
| 6 | Smailes Goldie | Accounting |
| 7 | PM+M | Accounting |
| 8 | UNW | Accounting |
| 9 | Hopscotch Children's Nurseries | Education & Childcare |
| 10 | Walter Dawson & Son | Finance & Banking |
| 11 | Rosslee Construction | Construction, Property & Surveying |
| 12 | Fortus | Accounting |
| 13 | Caxton Group | Construction, Property & Surveying |
| 14 | SJ Roberts Construction | Construction, Property & Surveying |
| 15 | Troup Bywaters + Anders | Construction, Property & Surveying |
| 16 | Snow Camp | Charity |
| 17 | Roe Brickwork | Construction, Property & Surveying |
| 18 | JLES Group | Engineering & Manufacturing |
| 19 | Protector Insurance | Insurance |
| 20 | Exceed Training | Hair & Beauty |
| 21 | Cygnet Law | Legal |
| 22 | Lyons & Annoot | Construction, Property & Surveying |
| 23 | Crafty Wizards | Education & Childcare |
| 24 | Hungry Caterpillar Day Nurseries | Education & Childcare |
| 25 | Saica Paper UK | Engineering & Manufacturing |
| 26 | Bancroft | Construction, Property & Surveying |
| 27 | McNally EV | Energy & Utilities |
| 28 | Highbury Homes | Construction, Property & Surveying |
| 29 | Monaghans | Construction, Property & Surveying |
| 30 | Baltic Apprenticeships | Education & Childcare |
| 31 | First in Service | Construction, Property & Surveying |
| 32 | Mendip Activity Centre | Travel & Tourism |
| 33 | Consilium Technical Services | Creative & Design |
| 34 | Minerva Fire & Security | Engineering & Manufacturing |
| 35 | Davenports Group | Accounting |
| 36 | Wiggett Group | Construction, Property & Surveying |
| 37 | Exentec | Engineering & Manufacturing |
| 38 | MCFT | Engineering & Manufacturing |
| 39 | Walker Construction | Construction, Property & Surveying |
| 40 | Houlton | Construction, Property & Surveying |
| 41 | Barrie Beard | Construction, Property & Surveying |
| 42 | Sort Legal | Legal |
| 43 | Maslins | Accounting |
| 44 | Arc Group London | Construction, Property & Surveying |
| 45 | CML | Construction, Property & Surveying |
| 46 | Raised In | Education & Childcare |
| 47 | Dogs Play Daycare | Agriculture, Environmental & Animal Care |
| 48 | Hive Support Services | Business & Administration |
| 49 | RDT | Digital Media & IT |
| 50 | Seen Services | Construction, Property & Surveying |
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