We’re delighted to share that Walter Dawson & Son has placed 10th in this year’s Top 50 SME Apprenticeship Employers rankings — our best result yet, and our third year running on the list.
It’s been a bit of a journey to get here. We placed 21st in 2024, dropped back to 31st in 2025, and this year we’ve jumped 21 places to break into the top 10. It’s a result we’re genuinely proud of, and one that reflects a lot of hard work behind the scenes rather than any overnight change.
50 years in the making
This year’s result means more than a number on a list. We’ve been delivering apprenticeships for over 50 years — training apprentices to excel long before “apprenticeship employer” rankings existed. That track record is exactly what this jump reflects: hands-on learning, mentorship from experienced professionals, professional qualifications including AAT, ACCA and ACA, and genuine career progression across our six Yorkshire offices — not just in accountancy, but across the wider business too.
It’s also part of a wider moment for our apprentices. Mujahid Khan recently became the first WDS apprentice to be nominated for a regional award at the West Yorkshire Apprenticeship Awards 2026 — proof that the investment we put into people is translating into recognition, both for the firm and for the apprentices themselves.
“This ranking is a real reflection of the effort our teams put into developing apprentices, not just recruiting them. Fifty years in, we’re still learning how to do this better — and it’s brilliant to see that reflected in a jump like this.” — Julie Young, Managing Director WDS
What’s next
We’ll keep investing in our apprenticeship programme across all six offices, and we’re already looking ahead to how we can build on this result next year.
