One hundred of the UK’s leading employers of apprentices were honoured at The Skills Show in Birmingham last night at the launch of the second Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers list.
The list, compiled by the National Apprenticeship Service and City & Guilds, recognises excellence in businesses, large and small, that employ apprentices.
David Way, chief executive of the National Apprenticeship Service, congratulated the employers on their successes: “The breadth and depth of employers on our top 100 list just goes to show the huge impact apprenticeships have on companies of all sizes and the wider UK economy. Apprenticeships are the country’s gold standard for vocational training. As part of the new era for apprenticeships, we are introducing measures to ensure there has never been a better time for employers to hire apprentices.
“With more higher level apprenticeships (up to degree level), rigorous new standards for all apprenticeships and new financial incentives for small firms who hire their first apprentices, employers can be confident that apprenticeships will deliver for them.”
Commenting on its entry in the top 100, James Harding, managing director of TEC Group, a recruitment consultancy to the oil and gas engineering sector, said: “We only started our apprenticeship programme one year ago, but are really proud of how already TEC Group has created new employment in our community and the economy.”
Meanwhile, chief executive and director general of City & Guilds Chris Jones said: “Apprenticeships are integral to helping us achieve this; they develop the workforce of tomorrow, whilst giving people the skills they need to succeed in employment. To be named a Top 100 Apprenticeship Employer is a sign of excellence and these companies should feel incredibly proud of what they’ve achieved.”
Top 100 apprentice employers, in alphabetical order | |
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