ANS Group creates ‘Sales Academy’ with £1m investment

IT services firm ANS Group has invested more than £1m into a new ‘Sales Academy’ division, steering the company towards its growth targets and creating new positions for graduates.

The Sales Academy will see employees embarking on a two-year programme before becoming full members of Manchester-based ANS Group’s sale team, at which point they will have the responsibility of managing accounts and closing deals worth more than £1m a year.

ANS Group expects the new division to create 36 jobs for graduates between now and 2018, with six graduates already in place at the company.

Rob Grimshaw, who is ANS Group’s newly appointed head of mid-market, is in charge of the Sales Academy. He commented: “The role and reputation of the sales profession has been devalued over the last few years and we want to bring back pride in the profession.

“Selling shouldn’t have negative connotations associated with it, it is the engine room of any successful business and this investment will help us cultivate the leaders of the future.”

From its base in the Manchester Science Park, the organisation unveiled its latest product, the ANS RAPID cloud system, earlier this month.

The CEO of ANS Group, Paul Sweeney, said: “There is a real skills shortage in sales currently and we want to address that head on. By nurturing young talent we can help shape the next generation and control our own destiny.

“The best salespeople are those who know the organisation and products inside out, by growing knowledgeable people we can grow revenue.”

Founded in 1996, ANS Group also has offices in London. The company has more than 600 customers across both the public and private sectors, including Liverpool John Lennon Airport, Salford City Council and the University of Cumbria.