A Shropshire company in contention for a top business award is flying the flag for apprenticeships which are “paying dividends” for the firm’s ongoing success.

A quarter of their employees have been trained through the apprenticeship programme and are now full time members of staff in all departments throughout the company.

The medical equipment supplier celebrating 30 years in Telford next year, welcomes, nurtures, moulds, mentors and promotes apprentices to senior positions as part of a positive management drive to invest in the company’s future, says newly promoted Director of Operations Jane Wilson.

The team at SP Services is proud to have been named in the final four out of 60 local companies for a special outstanding business award as part of Telford’s 50 year anniversary celebrations, she said.

They are bucking the national trend which has seen apprentice numbers fall as some firms abuse the system and others fail to grasp how to make it work.

Jane checks job applicants CVs, carries out interviews and chooses candidates who have a “willingness to learn and a positive attitude.”

“There are opportunities for everyone here. If you are prepared to work hard, there is a full time job for you here with opportunities to train, gain qualifications and get promoted.”

Any company can make the apprenticeship scheme work if they invest in their development, she says.

A positive attitude from senior management is fundamental to the success.”

“When we take on apprentices, they are part of the company from day one, they are made to feel welcome and part of the SP Team. It is extremely worthwhile seeing young people develop into the business and grow in personality. ”

Apprentices are paid over and above the national apprentice wage as they progress through the training programme. Reviews are done quarterly along with quarterly salary increases.

Pete Blythe was one of the first to join the company when the apprenticeship scheme started in 2014. Unsure about his job prospects after dropping out of college, he applied for a customer services post.

“The role had been filled so I asked him what he was interested in and he said: “IT,” said Jane, who has been with the company for 16 years and is among many long serving employees.

Four years later Pete is now a qualified graphic designer after attending a series of courses organised by his firm and being mentored by senior staff.

Pete, who has won two annual awards for a 100 per cent attendance record which means he did not miss a single day off work each year, said: “Before I came here I had no idea what I wanted to do. Now I’m on the right career path and I really enjoy working here.”

Hayley Wickham, who works in the showroom and the Customer Services department at the company HQ in Hortonwood, said: “I had a previous apprenticeship with another company and I didn’t enjoy it at all. But it’s enjoyable working here.”

While Lucinda Culver, who works in customer services and is the invoicing clerk after joining four years ago, said: “We all like working here. It’s enjoyable. They look after you.”

Carl Davies who works with the warehouse team, said: “I was doing agency work previously and took a drop in wages to be an apprentice as I wanted a permanent job.”

While colleague Stephen Heys said: “I chose the apprenticeship scheme because I wanted to learn while being paid.”

Marc Watkins, also in the warehouse team, said: “In my previous role I was employed part time and I was made redundant. I wanted to gain a qualification and work full time.”

The latest apprentice Chloe Fletcher, who started work last week, said: “It’s amazing. I love it. They have made me feel really welcome and I’m learning all the time.”

Rachel Perry has been promoted to credit control after starting in customer services 15 months ago.

“Rachel has progressed so well over the last 12 months and we have managed to promote within the SP team. We want to keep our apprentices and further their careers. They are our investment in the future success of our company.

“Apprenticeships are our future,” said Jane, who added that two more apprentices were being added this summer to the workforce at SP Services which supplies a wide range of medical equipment to the NHS, United Nations, Army, emergency services, and to businesses and organisations across the world.

The Government has a target of creating 3m apprenticeships by 2020.