With the 2025 Training APEX Awards, Training magazine proudly celebrates a quarter of a century of recognizing excellence in employee training and development.
Finance and insurance companies earned three out of the top 5 spots on the 2025 Training APEX Awards list, with ESL Federal Credit Union claiming #1. ESL and #2 Applied Materials, Inc., are now eligible to be inducted into the Training Hall of Fame in 2026 after achieving Top 10 rankings for four consecutive years. Southern New Hampshire University (#3), Michigan State University Federal Credit Union (#4), and Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America (#5) broke into the Top 5 for the first time. Some 19 newcomers earned a spot on this list of the top companies providing employer-sponsored workforce training and development.
Each Training APEX Award applicant was measured on quantitative (74 points) and qualitative (53 points) data. Factors influencing the rankings include:
- Training tied to numeric business goals
- Kirkpatrick Level 3 (behavior change) and 4 (business outcomes) results
- Training budget, staffing, and hours
- Training program scope, delivery, and innovation
- Employee engagement/satisfaction, length of service, and turnover
An outside research and statistical data company, under Training magazine’s guidance, scored companies on quantitative data supplied by the applicants. Then, Training’s editor/publisher and the Training Hall of Fame judges qualitatively reviewed the applications.
The 2025 Training APEX Awards winners have earned a special place in the rich history of Training magazine’s recognition of stellar human capital development over the last 25 years. We applaud their impressive achievements in and steadfast commitment to employee learning and development over the past year and salute these true champions of training.
Click HERE to see the full list of 2025 Training Apex Awards rankings.
