Hays Travel ranks 13th in Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers league table

Hays Travel has secured 13th place in a league table which recognises the country’s top 100 apprenticeship employers.

Compiled by the government’s Department for Work and Pensions and Higherin, the list showcases the best apprenticeship programmes over the past 12 months, according to apprentices themselves.

The Sunderland-heaquartered agency chain was the highest ranked travel and tourism business to feature, climbing 26 places from its 2025 ranking of 39.

Flag-carrier British Airways was ranked 53.

BAE Systems is in top spot, followed by Sellafield in second and Balfour Beatty in third place.

More: Almost 2,000 applicants so far this year for Hays Travel apprenticeships

Hays Travel’s Scotland apprentices attend graduation ceremony

Hays Travel named in national list of top apprenticeship employers

The agency noted how peer-to-peer reviews left by apprentices are among the core criteria.

Other factors include the number and diversity of apprentices, as well as how well they achieve.

Jonathon Woodall-Johnston, chief operating officer of Hays Travel, started his career with the company as an apprentice.

“Apprentices have played a key role in our business throughout our 46-year history, with many of our current senior leadership team beginning their careers on similar programmes,” he said.

“We are very proud of this recognition which is testament to the hard work our teams put in behind the scenes to make our programme award winning.”

This year, Hays Travel will welcome a new cohort of 268 apprentices across the business – at the Sunderland head office, branches across the UK and at brands Miles Morgan Travel, Travel House and Spear Travels.