Manchester-based hosting firm UKFast won the Medium Business of the Year title at this year’s Skills for Business Awards

MANCHESTER, 17-7-2014 — /EuropaWire/ — Forward-thinking hosting firm UKFast has added another award to its trophy cabinet, recognising its extraordinary focus on training and education.

The Manchester-based tech company took home the Medium Business of the Year title at this year’s Skills for Business Awards, having invested more than £4.5m developing its ‘UKFast University’.

Launching both a graduate and apprenticeship scheme in 2014, and working closely with technical bodies like LPI and local education providers like Manchester Metropolitan University, UKFast’s unusual focus on training stood out from the crowd at the awards event.

Rachel Shorrock from Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce said: “UKFast impressed the judges with its clear business rationale, innovative learning and development strategies that have resulted in outstanding performance throughout the organisation.

“UKFast goes above and beyond as far as celebrating training is concerned. Technical teams are rewarded financially for every exam they complete and a company-wide alert is sent when someone successfully completes a training course. This dedication to skills development made UKFast a clear winner.”

UKFast CEO Lawrence Jones said: “We have always had a strong commitment to training and since moving to our new HQ, we’ve created a dedicated space and two former teachers have joined the team to lead our educational push.

“We are developing our team as well as creating the tech superstars of the future. It’s really simple: employees are happier when they are developing and clients are happier when they receive fast, skilled responses. I don’t understand why more businesses don’t invest in training their teams.”

The Skills for Business Awards celebrate training and development in business across Greater Manchester, and the fourteen winners were named at a dinner compered by comedian Dara O’Briain at the city’s Hilton Hotel.

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Manchester-based hosting firm UKFast won the Medium Business of the Year title at this year’s Skills for Business Awards