County Council crowned top local authority for apprenticeships in national table

Lancashire County Council has been named as the highest-performing local authority in a national ranking for apprenticeships.

The county council is the top council listed in the Top Apprenticeship Employers 2026 list, notching up 38th place out of 100 employers nationally.

Published jointly by the Government and career platform HIGHERiN, the Top Apprenticeship Employers 2026 list recognises organisations that provide outstanding apprenticeship opportunities and experiences.

Funded by the Growth and Skills Levy, the UK Government’s apprenticeship training fund in England, the programme includes a host of opportunities across many council sectors, including  social work and occupational therapist apprenticeships.

Jenna Jackson is a Social Care Support Officer (SCSO) within adult services and first heard about social work while on the other side of the world.

She said: "In my 20s I travelled around Australia and met two Irish girls who were social workers and I thought it was something I'd love to do, and now here I am, years later, starting my apprenticeship.

"This is the only way that I would ever be able to complete a degree.  Doing it while working is perfect and I feel like I'm hitting the ground running with the experience I already have."

Similarly, Claire Graves is the county council's first occupational therapist apprentice, based within its adult social care team.

She said: "I really enjoy the work and meeting people, and I'm looking forward to becoming a qualified occupational therapist.

"I've done some work with older residents who were all aged between 90 to 99, and that was really rewarding. I supported one lady who had a fall and broke her hip to become strong enough to go to her friend's 100th birthday party.

"It is really satisfying when you make a big difference to someone's life, and it's nice to see them get on and lead a normal life like they used to."

County Councillor Matthew Salter, cabinet member for Education and Skills, said: "It is great to be recognised as the highest-ranked council for apprenticeships – this is something we can all be proud of. 

"Congratulations to all of our apprentices, thank you for the invaluable contribution you make to delivering services in Lancashire. I'd also like to thank our people services' apprenticeship team for their hard work and dedication in supporting apprentices, managers and services across LCC."