Wigan IT firm makes apprenticeship pledge to help tackle youth unemployment

To mark National Apprenticeship Week, Goose Green-based Evolve, which provides managed network solutions and IT services, announced its membership of The 5% Club.

It is a group of employers campaigning for greater skills training through “earn and learn” job opportunities and helps its members to increase the number, quality and range of apprenticeships on offer.

Alan Stephenson-Brown, CEO at Evolve Business Group, said: “At Evolve we’re known for a company culture that values employees and believes they are the key to our success. We very much see our apprentices as a part of the team and value their input. As such, we’re delighted to have signed the 5% Club pledge, which will help us play our part in addressing youth unemployment and skills shortage.

“It’s always been important to us to support internal progression, and one of the biggest benefits at Evolve is the ability to earn qualifications on the job – it led to 21 per cent of our employees receiving an internal promotion in the last year. It’s great to be recognised for the work we do in this space by a network of like-minded businesses, and we believe that by joining The 5% Club we will play a role in Britain's long-term prosperity.”

With eight of Evolve’s 114 employees currently completing apprenticeships, seven per cent of the business is made up of “earn and learn” employees.

The aim is to consistently meet the five per cent target, regardless of Evolve’s growth rate, by working closely with the charity.