BAE Systems, Network Rail and BBC among Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers 2026

BAE Systems, Network Rail and BBC were among the Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers 2026, according to Government-backed research with Higherin and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). 

The top 10 also included Sellafield Ltd, Balfour Beatty, Go-Ahead, Lloyds Banking Group, Grant Thornton, JLR and EY, covering engineering, construction, transport, finance, accounting and manufacturing. 

Employers were ranked based on the scale of opportunity, variety of programmes, completion rates, inclusive recruitment, student engagement, satisfaction rate and quality of scheme to identify those who truly invest in employees. 

Other organisations in the list included RSM UK, Babcock International Group, Hays Travel, Mitchells & Butlers, Amazon UK, North East Ambulance Service and Specsavers.

The rest of the Top 100 included Busy Bees Nurseries, Cambridge University Hospitals, National Grid, Compass Group, Transport for London, John Lewis Partnership, West Midlands Police, Savills, Natwest Group, Bright Horizons, Sodexo UK, Howdens, IBM, GXO Logistics, Mitie, Sandwell Council, KPMG, Airbus, Tesco, CMS, British Airways, Capgemini, Department for Work and Pensions, Kids Planet Day Nurseries, Anglian Water, AstraZeneca, CBRE, Vistry and Global Banking School.

Further employers recognised were North Bristol NHS Trust, David Lloyd Clubs, United Utilities, McDonald’s, The Co-Op Group, Severn Trent, Oasis Community Learning, Grandir UK, University of Oxford, Vertu Motors, Royal Mail, Great Western Railway, City of Wolverhampton Council, E.ON UK, Aldi, The Old Station Nursery, Howden and Christie’s.