Service named on Sunday Times Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers 2025 list
A NORTH East fire service has been recognised among the top apprentice employers in the UK by The Sunday Times.
County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service (CDDFRS) has been named in the respected newspaper’s Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers for 2025. The list recognises employers’ commitment to creating new apprenticeships, the diversity of their apprentices, and the number of apprentices who successfully complete their apprenticeships.
CDDFRS comes in at number 95 in the prestigious national rankings, which have been compiled by High Fliers Research for The Sunday Times. The Service launched its Operational Apprenticeship Programme in 2017 and has gone on to train around 80 new firefighters.
CDDFRS’ latest cohort of apprentice firefighters began their initial training in May and will pass out as firefighters later this year.
The Service also delivers apprenticeships for both corporate staff at entry, supervisory, and middle and strategic management levels in areas including Business Analysis and Operations Management.
Cheryl Porter, Learning and Development Manager at CDDFRS, said: “From training the next generation of operational firefighters to developing staff across the board, our CDDFRS delivers high-quality apprenticeships that make a real difference.
“To be recognised by The Sunday Times for our apprenticeship commitments is an incredible achievement. It is a testament to the hard work and dedication of all of our staff and the amazing apprentices we have had over the years.”
