Member Article

Double apprenticeship triumph for Warrington firm

A Warrington-based business services group has been recognised for its fast-growing apprenticeship scheme – just days after one of its trainees won a prestigious award.

Optionis is celebrating being named as a North West regional finalist in the National Apprenticeship Awards (newcomer SME employer category).

The success comes after Tom Mellor, a 22-year-old accounts assistant at Optionis company ClearSky Contractor Accounting, was named apprentice of the year at Warrington Collegiate’s annual award ceremony.

Optionis group managing director Derek Kelly said: “As a group we’re committed to hiring and nurturing young talent, so it’s great to receive formal recognition of our apprenticeship scheme.

“To have two pieces of good news in the space of a few days is absolutely fantastic. In fact, we were all still busy congratulating Tom on his achievement when we heard about the employer awards!

“We have apprentices working right across the group, in various companies and departments, and I personally have been extremely impressed with their hard work and creativity.

“A key pillar of our apprenticeship scheme is to ensure that all trainees are treated exactly the same as other, more senior employees from day one. They are all given genuine responsibilities and opportunities to gain new skills.

“Optionis apprentices also have the chance to secure permanent roles with us upon completion of their training. I think it’s these features that persuaded the judges to put us on the shortlist for the regional awards.

“Now we’re all looking forward to the event in September. To make it through to the national finals would be out of this world!”

As well as ClearSky Contractor Accounting, the Optionis group is home to outsourced employment specialist Parasol and SME support provider ClearSky Business.

In addition to its Warrington headquarters on Centre Park, Optionis has bases in Middleton in Greater Manchester, Dorset and London.

There are 34 apprentices working across the group, 28 of which are based in Warrington. As its apprenticeship scheme continues to flourish, Optionis is now hiring an additional 19 Warrington-based trainees.

The latest recruitment drive will take the total number of Optionis apprentices to 53.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Simon Malia .