A Wakefield fabricator of windows , door and living spaces is reaping the benefits of a £ 250,000 investment drive in developing its own staff .

Nearly a quarter of Conservatory Outlet ’ s 180-strong workforce has come through an apprenticeship and the firm is continuing this commitment by creating a further five positions in its offices and on the shopfloor .

Many of those who have completed apprenticeships with the company are now in managerial positions and have played a crucial role in the fabricator having one of its most productive years in its history , with sales and manufacturing output up by approximately 25 %.

The business , which is a finalist in the Excellence in Learning & Development and People Excellence in SMEs categories at the Yorkshire HR Awards , is now looking to put more of its employees through degree level courses , as well as working to introduce a specialised degree-level manufacturing apprenticeship .

Karen Starkey , Head of HR at Conservatory Outlet , commented : “ The talent isn ’ t out there waiting for us just to go out and recruit , so we need to do more by ‘ growing our own ’.

“ This was the commitment we made in 2019 and , in the following five years , we have managed to attract and retain 42 apprentices , covering business admin , HR , purchasing , marketing , production and maintenance - just to mention a few roles .”

She went on to add : “ We ’ ve spent over £ 250,000 , but the return on investment is huge as we have employees who get our company ’ s longstanding values and are passionate about delivering the best possible service and

products to our customers across the 27-strong Conservatory Outlet network .

“ Our apprenticeship programme is tailored to the individual , with each apprentice receiving one-to-one mentoring , additional skills support and regular reviews to check on progress and personal development .

We want them to feel part of the family .”

One of the big success stories of the training programme is 28-yearold Joe Davis , who joined the business five years ago as an entry-level Maintenance Apprentice .

He quickly impressed bosses with his desire to learn , passing his Level 2 and Levels 3 before

moving on to his current HNC in Engineering with an electrical bias that the company is paying for . Once this has been achieved , he can then move forward to a Degree Level 7 qualification .

“ If you told me in 2019 I could one day have a degree , I would never have believed you ,” pointed out Joe .

“ The opportunity to earn whilst I learned was a big draw and my career has definitely accelerated way quicker than I expected . I ’ m now an important part of the three-strong team that ’ s responsible for keeping a 75,000 sq ft manufacturing facility running by providing preventative and on-the-spot maintenance works .

“ I felt the belief in me from day one . The company ’ s support means a lot and has given me the confidence to take on the different courses . The fact Conservatory Outlet has also paid for my HNC and given me one day off per week to study has made the dream possible .”

Karen , who has recently joined the ‘ Manufacturing Skills Special Interest Group ’ for Make it in Manufacturing , concluded : “ Joe is the perfect example of what we are trying to do . He was keen to learn and secure a sustainable long-term job and we recognised from day one that he could be a real asset to the business .

“ That ’ s why we ’ ve fully supported his advanced courses , as well as his Level 2 and Level 3 apprenticeships , and we will continue to support him on his personal development journey .

“ The next big challenge on the horizon is to formalise a Manufacturing Degree Apprenticeship .

“ There ’ s not one out there that delivers what we need at the moment and that ’ s frustrating – we ’ re hoping to change this with the help of the West Yorkshire Manufacturing Forums and the Glass and Glazing Federation ( GGF ).”

For further information , please visit www . conservatoryoutlet . co . uk or follow the company across its social media channels