Record-Breaking Year for Members of The 5% Club Achieving Prestigious Accredited Status

A record 252 members of The 5% Club have achieved accredited status through the organisation’s Employer Audit Programme, announced at The 5% Club Skills Summit 2025 on 23 October.

This milestone marks another year of significant progress for The Club, which champions “earn and learn” pathways such as apprenticeships, graduate schemes, and degree placements. The number of accredited employers has grown rapidly — from just 73 in 2021 to this year’s record-breaking 252, reflecting the rising importance of skills-based development across UK industries.

Record Participation and Unprecedented Skills Commitment

The 2025–26 Employer Audit demonstrates the continued momentum among The 5% Club’s members in creating opportunities that blend paid work with structured learning. Collectively, this year’s accredited employers represent a workforce of almost 808,000 people across the UK, including more than 70,000 individuals in “earn and learn” roles.

On average, these development roles now account for 8.7% of the total workforce across participating organisations — the highest proportion ever recorded by The 5% Club since the Employer Audit Programme began.

The 2025–26 accredited cohort includes 162 large employers (with 250+ employees) and 90 SMEs, spanning over 20 sectors including construction, engineering, healthcare, energy, transport, manufacturing, professional services, and the public sector.

Outstanding Employer Achievements

Of the 252 accredited organisations:

• 79 have achieved Platinum Membership, with 28 reaching this top tier for the first time.
• 137 have been awarded Gold Membership, and
• A further 36 have received Silver or Bronze accreditation.

While apprenticeships continue to represent the majority of “earn and learn” roles — more than three-quarters — there has been continued growth in higher and degree-level apprenticeships. However, the number of graduates employed by members has declined for the third consecutive year, with the median number of graduates at large employers falling from 31 in 2024 to 23 in 2025.

Completion rates across the membership remain strong. Nearly half of large employers report 90% or higher apprenticeship completion rates, while one-third of organisations achieved 100% completion among graduate trainees. Looking ahead, large employers anticipate a 7% increase in apprentice and graduate recruitment next year, although SMEs forecast a 6% reduction, reflecting different market pressures and capacity challenges.

Championing Skills, Inclusion and Lifelong Learning

Mark Cameron OBE, CEO of The 5% Club, said:

“It is inspiring to see so many of our members achieving accredited status this year — a record that reflects both their deep-rooted commitment to skills development and their belief in the power of ‘earn and learn’ pathways. These organisations are leading the way in creating sustainable opportunities for growth, inclusion, and innovation.”

The value of the Employer Audit is widely recognised across sectors. Stephen Wilde, Managing Director at Southbourne Rubber, one of this year’s Gold Members, commented:

“The audit offers a robust, practical framework for SMEs to assess their skills strategies, enhance apprenticeship programmes, and open meaningful opportunities for early careers.”

Claire McKay, Head of Learning & Development at Peel Ports Group, another Gold member, added:

“The 5% Club Employer Audit has been instrumental in supporting our social mobility strategy. It provides valuable insights into how we can continue to champion inclusion, progression, and lifelong learning.”

A list of the 2025-26 Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze members of The 5% Club is available here.