Conservatory Outlet's £250,000 training boost

A significant investment in workforce development is driving growth and success for a leading fabricator of windows, doors and living spaces.

Wakefield-based Conservatory Outlet has invested £250,000 in staff training, with nearly a quarter of its 180 employees starting their careers through apprenticeships.

Building on a commitment to ‘grow our own’, the company has added five new apprenticeship positions across its offices and shopfloor.

The firm credits its apprenticeship programme with helping achieve one of its most productive years, boosting sales and manufacturing output by 25 per cent. Many former apprentices now hold managerial roles, contributing to its continued success.

Karen Starkey, head of HR at Conservatory Outlet, said: “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.”

“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.”

One of the big success stories of the training programme is 28-year-old Joe Davis, who joined the business in 2019 as an entry-level maintenance apprentice and is now studying a Higher National Certificate (HNC) in engineering that the company is paying for. Once that has been achieved, Joe will be able to move forward to a Degree Level 7 qualification, something he did not believe would be possible five years ago.

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

“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 added: “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.”

A finalist in the Excellence in Learning & Development and People Excellence in SMEs categories at the Yorkshire HR Awards, Conservatory Outlet plans to expand employee development further by introducing degree-level courses and specialised manufacturing apprenticeships to sustain its growth trajectory.

Looking to promote your product/service to SME businesses in your region? Find out how Bdaily can help →