Recognising the UK's leading apprenticeship employers in 2026

WATCH: the launch of the 2026 rankings is available to catch-up on on YouTube

The Sunday Times Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers celebrates the UK's outstanding apprenticeship employers – recognising their commitment to employing apprentices, creating new apprenticeships, the diversity of their apprentices, and the number of apprentices who successfully complete their apprenticeships.

Over the past few weeks, apprenticeship employers across the UK have been entering for the 2026. The entry process has been designed to be simple and straightforward for employers to complete – and all entrants will receive full feedback on how their apprenticeship programmes compare with other employers in their industry or business sector.

Now in their sixth year, the prestigious annual rankings are researched & compiled by High Fliers Research, who independently assess and rank the country’s top apprenticeship employers on behalf of The Sunday Times.

The 2026 rankings are sponsored by BPP and are being produced in partnership with the Association of Apprentices, Association of Employment and Learning Providers (AELP), The Careers & Enterprise Company and The 5% Club.

The new rankings were launched on Thursday 11^th June and a dedicated Top 100 microsite and 16-page supplement in The Sunday Times were published the following weekend, bringing the UK’s top apprenticeship employers to the widest-possible audience of employers, school & college-leavers, careers advisers and parents.

The Times & Sunday Times are the UK's best-read newspapers for education and employment – and are home to the Good University Guide, Best Schools Guide, The Sunday Times Best Places to Work and The Times Top 100 Graduate Employers.

The Sunday Times Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers will reveal which employers are the nation's most-successful apprenticeship employers in 2026.

“At BPP, we’re proud to play a leading role in shaping the future of apprenticeships in the UK. Every year, we work with over 10,000 employers and 13,000 apprentices to build practical skills that make a real difference.

Our unrivalled range of programmes—spanning more than 50 apprenticeships across 16 subject areas from Level 2 to Level 7—supports learners from entry level to specialist expert, helping businesses to close critical skills gaps and empowering individuals to build the knowledge and confidence they need to thrive in their careers.

We are delighted to be sponsoring The Sunday Times Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers in 2026 – recognising the UK’s most successful employers of apprentices and helping to inspire the next generation of ambitious school and college-leavers to embark on apprenticeships that will launch their careers.”

Nichola Hay MBE
Director of Apprenticeship Strategy & Policy, BPP

“The Association of Apprentices is the professional home for all apprentices in the UK. We exist to empower every apprentice to thrive from their first day through to completion and beyond. Our platforms provide tailored learning, peer support and exclusive events that transform the experience of work and study, helping apprentices connect, learn and grow.

With over 50,000 members representing more than 18,000 employers, the Association of Apprentices opens doors to skills development, recognition through initiatives such as the Post-Apprenticeship Recognition Scheme (PARS) and opportunities that level the playing field for all.

We are proud to support The Sunday Times Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers, celebrating organisations that go above and beyond in their provision of apprenticeships, and set the standard for excellence.”

Lindsay Conroy
Chief Executive, Association of Apprentices

"AELP, the Association of Employment and Learning Providers, is delighted to support The Sunday Times Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers in celebrating the country’s most committed and successful apprenticeship employers in 2026.

We are the national membership body representing independent training providers, employer-providers and assessment organisations delivering apprenticeships and wider skills training across England. Our members work with tens of thousands of employers, supporting learners of all ages to develop the skills they need to progress, and businesses to grow and innovate.

We work closely with government, regulators and employers to shape policy, improve quality and champion a strong, well-funded apprenticeship system. Recognising and promoting excellent employers is a vital part of that mission, and the Top 100 plays an important role in showcasing what good looks like across the apprenticeship landscape."

Ben Rowland
Chief Executive Officer, AELP

“Our mission at The Careers & Enterprise Company is to help every young person find their best next step. We work with 96% of schools and colleges to strengthen careers education and improve outcomes across England.

Since 2015, our work has driven a threefold increase in career-related activity in schools and colleges. Young people’s access to employers, apprenticeship providers and workplace experiences has expanded significantly and our recent survey of a third of a million young people shows understanding of apprenticeships is now on par with A-levels.

It's more important than ever to shine a light on employers who are creating opportunities for young people to earn and learn. I am proud to partner with The Sunday Times and encourage all apprenticeship employers to enter for the rankings in 2026.”

John Yarham
Chief Executive, The Careers & Enterprise Company

“The 5% Club is proud to support The Sunday Times Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers and the recognition it provides for the UK’s most successful apprenticeship employers.

More than a quarter of the employers that featured in the 2025 rankings are members of The 5% Club, which sets organisations the challenge that at least 5% of their workforce should be in ‘earn and learn’ roles, such as apprenticeships or graduate training schemes.

With a membership of over 1,200 employers, The 5% Club now represents over 1.9 million employees in the UK, including more than 80,000 apprentices.

I would encourage all apprenticeship employers to enter for the Top 100 in 2026 and celebrate their commitment to offering high-quality apprenticeships to new and existing employees.”

Mark Cameron OBE
Chief Executive Officer, The 5% Club

Recognising the UK's leading apprenticeship employers in 2026

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