County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service has been recognised among the top apprentice employers in the UK by The Sunday Times. The service has been named in the newspaper's Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers for 2026, ranking 78th in the prestigious national list compiled by High Fliers Research.
The rankings recognise employers' commitment to creating new apprenticeships, the diversity of their apprentices, and the number of apprentices who successfully complete their apprenticeships.
Operational Apprenticeships
County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service launched its Operational Apprenticeship Programme in 2017. The service has trained more than 80 new firefighters through the scheme to date. The latest cohort of apprentice firefighters completed their training in October 2025 and are already working on stations across the service.
Corporate and Management Training
Beyond operational roles, the service also delivers apprenticeships for corporate staff at entry, supervisory, and middle and strategic management levels. These include qualifications in Business Analysis and Operations Management.
Cheryl Porter, Learning and Development Manager at the service, said: "We have been offering new and existing staff the opportunity to undertake apprenticeships to support their career for almost a decade. The recognition from The Sunday Times reflects the value we place on developing our people."