Bradford College Wins National Apprenticeship Award

March 5, 2026 Off By

College recognised for excellence in apprenticeship training

Bradford College has been named ‘Apprenticeship Provider of the Year’ at the national Apprenticeship & Training Awards 2026. The announcement was made during a gala dinner held at the ACC Liverpool on 3 March 2026.

Details of the award and competition

The award recognises apprenticeship providers that have demonstrated outstanding results and effective delivery of apprenticeship programmes. Bradford College was selected from a competitive field of six other providers, which included private training providers and universities. In total, over 650 nominations were reviewed by an independent panel of judges. The awards, run jointly by FE Week and the Association of Employment and Learning Providers in association with City & Guilds, celebrated innovative training, employer partnerships, and outreach initiatives.

Bradford College’s apprenticeship provision

With more than 30 years of experience in apprenticeship delivery, Bradford College works closely with over 700 employers. The college’s Apprenticeships Team manages over 1,200 apprentices and offers a roll-on, roll-off curriculum allowing apprentices to start at any time. The college’s apprenticeship programmes align with the Bradford ‘Skills for Growth’ agenda, which aims to better link education with employer needs to address regional skills gaps.

The college offers apprenticeships ranging from Level 2 to higher Level 6 in areas including:

Professional Services
Construction and Engineering
Dental, Pharmacy, and Ophthalmic sectors
Digital industries
Early Years
Education and Teaching

Performance and recognition

Qualification Achievement Rates (QAR) data published in 2025 placed Bradford College among the top five large further education colleges in England for apprenticeships. It was also recognised as the best large college apprenticeship provider in West Yorkshire for the second consecutive year. The college’s achievement rates were 5% higher than other large FE colleges in West Yorkshire and 12.3% above the national average.

Earlier in February 2026, a parliamentary reception was held at the House of Lords during National Apprenticeships Week to acknowledge the finalists of the awards before the final results were announced.