A LAW firm Asons beat off stiff competition to win a Greater Manchester Skills for Business award in the financial and professional services category.

The Bark Street firm picked up the honour at an awards ceremony at The Hilton Hotel in Manchester compèred by Irish comedian and presenter of TV’s Apprentice, You’re Fired! Dara O’Briain.

Asons has developed a long-term partnership with Bolton College, offering 25 managers additional support via a managers’ development programme.

Using EU funding, Bolton College delivers fortnightly management training on-site at Asons offices.

The company also has a graduate training scheme, launched last year, that recruited 15 graduates, all of whom have gone on to secure full-time fee earning jobs at the company.

Asons is running the graduate programme again this year and offers 17 per cent of the total available training opportunities for law graduates in the North West.

Asons founder Imram Akram said: “Asons staff retention rate is 89 per cent, which is above the industry standard. Our approach to employee wellbeing is a key factor in this.”

Rachel Shorrock from Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce added: “Asons Solicitors has developed a strategy that is responsive to the organisation’s staff profile, and encourages individual and team development.

“They are a successful company and clearly value their partnership with Bolton College. This organisation is an outstanding example of how collaboration with an educational provider can help an organisation develop and grow.”

In total 70 Greater Manchester organisations or individuals were shortlisted in 17 categories.

The jury panel comprised of some of the region’s most notable representatives from the learning and skills sector including Cllr Sue Murphy, deputy leader and executive member for employment and skills at Manchester City Council, Mike Blackburn, the chairman of the Learning and Enterprise Partnership in Greater Manchester and regional director for BT, Rachael Beasley, FE Work Based Learning account manager at Pearson Work Based Learning, Paul Holme, skills policy adviser at New Economy and David Teale, chief executive of North of England Excellence.