DfE Celebrating Top Apprenticeship Employers

Top apprenticeship employers are celebrated for boosting skills and economic growth

• Public and private sector employers celebrated for boosting career opportunities as government launches Skills England
• 100 large employers and 50 SMEs across the country recognised for the quality of their apprenticeship programmes
• Over 73,000 apprenticeships were started with employers ranked in the 2024 Top 100 and Top 50 SME lists

Employers up and down the country have been recognised by the government for their outstanding commitment to apprenticeships.

Apprenticeships support businesses of all sizes to develop the skilled workforce they need to grow, while helping people of all ages and backgrounds to earn while they learn and get ahead in their chosen career. The Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers and Top 50 Small and Medium Employers (SMEs) league tables showcase the very best apprenticeship programmes over the past 12 months.

Employers are ranked not just on the number of apprentices they take on, but for their commitment to diversity and apprenticeship achievements. Their dedication to delivering high-quality apprenticeships plays a crucial role in boosting the skills and career opportunities of people from all backgrounds and helping the economy to grow.

For the fourth time, the British Army has been named the country’s number one apprenticeship employer for 2024. The accountancy and business advisory group, DJH, has been named this year’s top SME apprenticeship employer.

The celebration follows the launch of Skills England, which aims to unite businesses, trade unions, mayors, and training providers to address national and local skills needs and boost opportunity while driving economic growth.

Skills are crucial to growth, with a third of productivity gains in the past two decades attributed to improved skills. Under Skills England, reforms to the apprenticeship levy will allow businesses more flexibility to use levy funds on necessary training for skills. This will protect apprenticeships, ensuring opportunities for young people and lifelong upskilling and retraining for workers.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said:

“Congratulations to all the employers across the country which have been recognised for their brilliant apprenticeship programmes.

“Apprenticeships provide opportunities for people from all walks and the employers ranked in this list are crucial to our plans in supporting people to get better jobs and grow the economy.

“With the launch of Skills England, we will bring together businesses with trade unions, mayors and training providers to ensure we have the highly trained workforce needed to deliver the national, regional and local skills needs.”

First compiled in 2020, the Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers celebrates England’s outstanding apprenticeship employers, recognising their commitment to creating new apprenticeships, the diversity of their apprentices, and the number of apprentices who successfully achieve their apprenticeships. 

Over 73,000 apprenticeships were started at employers in the 2024 rankings, accounting for more than a fifth of all starts in England, helping to fill skills gaps and create a future talent pipeline.

The employers in this list represent a range of industries & business sectors, from professional services, health and social care and retailing, to construction, technology and manufacturing.

Chief of the General Staff, General Sir Roly Walker KCB DSO ADC Gen, and head of the British Army, said:

“We’re proud of our apprentices and the recognition we’ve received. Apprenticeships offer people the chance to earn while they learn, gaining skills and confidence that benefit them beyond their time in the army.

“Our soldiers are not just in the British Army; they are the British Army! Everything we can do to upskill them makes us a better Army, which is what the nation would expect.”

DJH was the frontrunner in the Top 50 SMEs. This category was introduced to credit the essential work of smaller businesses in providing apprenticeship opportunities, particularly to young people and those from more disadvantaged backgrounds.

Chris Rawlinson, Head of Learning and Development at DJH said:

“We are proud to be recognised as the number one SME Employer of Apprentices – this ranking is a testament to our commitment to learning and development, and our ongoing investment in the future.

“We are dedicated to recruiting and nurturing trainees from locals schools, colleges and universities, recognising that these individuals are the future of the business.  

“We ensure that our apprentices not only gain the necessary technical skills but also develop vital soft skills, helping our apprentices to reach their full potential and build successful careers within the industry.”

Over the past three years, more than 1,000 apprenticeship employers from a wide range of industries and business sectors have entered for the rankings. Together these employers currently employ over 90,000 apprentices, half of whom began their apprenticeship in the past year.

The Top 10 Apprenticeship Employers for 2024 are:

1. The British Army
2. BT
3. Royal Navy 
4. Royal Air Force 
5. London Ambulance Service 
6. BAE Systems 
7. The Go-Ahead Group
8. Mitchells & Butlers 
9. Tops Day Nurseries 
10. PwC

The Top 5 SME Apprenticeship Employers for 2024 are:

1. DJH
2. Roe Brickwork
3. LB Group
4. Lee Marley Brickwork
5. Rosedene Nurseries