Southwark Council is the only London authority named in the top 100 apprenticeship employers in the UK.
Its position at 25th puts it among companies like Mercedes-Benz UK and BT plc was announced on January 20 at the National Apprenticeships Awards.
Southwark’s cabinet member for business, culture and social regeneration, councillor Johnson Situ, said: “This is a fantastic achievement for Southwark, to be considered an equal player against so many big businesses with huge budgets.
“We know the massive difference apprenticeships can make to people’s lives, giving them the confidence, skills and tools to secure permanent employment, which is why we have made such a strong commitment to developing apprenticeships.”
Southwark’s current policy is to directly employ 100 new apprentices per year, making up three per cent of its workforce. It aims to create 2,000 new apprenticeships with other employers in the borough between 2014 and 2018. 600 of this number have been achieved so far, and a further 800 are planned for this year.
The council also says a high number of its former apprentices are now in management positions.