Department for Education Announces the Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers for 2025

Department for Education Announces the Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers for 2025

The Department for Education is proud to reveal the Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers for 2025. This list ranks the organisations across the UK that lead the way in providing high-quality apprenticeship opportunities for young people and adult learners.

🏅 Top Apprenticeship Employers:

The Department for Education has released its official list of the Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers for 2025, celebrating the organisations across the UK that are leading the way in providing excellent apprenticeship opportunities.

🏆 The Top 10 Apprenticeship Employers for 2025 are:

1. Mitchells & Butlers

2. BAE Systems

3. Amazon

4. John Lewis Partnership

5. Busy Bees Childcare

6. Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)

7. GXO Logistics

8. Whitbread

9. McDonald’s

10. PwC

Taking the top spot is Mitchells & Butlers, a well-known name in catering and hospitality. The company has been praised for its wide range of training programmes and its commitment to helping people build careers in pubs, restaurants, and hotels. Their apprenticeships cover everything from front-of-house roles to kitchen management and leadership.

Also featured are major employers from a range of sectors, including retail, childcare, logistics, hospitality, and public service. Each of the Top 10 has been recognised for offering apprenticeships that provide real-life skills, strong support, and valuable qualifications.

🌟 Health & Fitness Excellence:

David Lloyd Clubs was the only health and fitness company to make the Top 100. With 38 apprenticeship programmes and strong feedback from apprentices, they stood out for their commitment to training in roles like coaching, hospitality, and business services.

📈 Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs):

In addition to the Top 100 list, the Department for Education has also revealed the Top 50 Small and Medium-Sized Employers (SMEs) making a big difference in apprenticeship training.

The Top 5 SME Apprenticeship Employers for 2025 are:

1. MCFT – A maintenance and engineering services company that supports catering equipment across the UK.

2. Smailes Goldie – A chartered accountancy firm offering professional training in finance and business.

3. MDS Ltd – A graduate and apprenticeship scheme in the food and fresh produce industry.

4. PM+M Solutions for Business LLP – A professional services firm helping apprentices train in accounting, tax, and business support.

5. Forbury Gardens Day Nursery – A childcare provider focused on early years education and development.

MCFT, this year’s number one SME employer, has earned top marks for its supportive work culture, hands-on learning, and consistent investment in apprentice success.

How the Rankings Were Decided

• Number of apprentices – How many people are employed as apprentices.
• Diversity and range – The variety of subjects, industries, and backgrounds represented.
• Completion rates – How many apprentices finish their programmes.
• Apprentice feedback – Collected via RateMyApprenticeship for the first time in this evaluation.

Why This Matters

These employers are helping to:

• Close the skills gap in critical industries like engineering, hospitality, childcare, and public services.
• Offer real jobs and pay to apprentices, helping them start careers without large student debt.
• Raise apprenticeship standards, showing how employers and apprentices can work together to shape the future workforce.

The Department congratulates all Top 100 and SME employers for setting a strong example in training the next generation.

For more information, including the full Top 100 list and details on SME employers, visit the Department for Education’s website.