A MAJOR Darlington employer has signed up to a scheme which aims to promote skills development.

Cleveland Bridge UK, based on Yarm Road, has joined the 5% Club.

The club works with UK employers and key influencers to inspire, educate and retain a growing body of people into “earn and learn” placements in order to increase the number of apprentices, sponsored students and graduates.

The goal of the club is to increase the employment and career prospects of today’s youth and equip the UK with the skilled workforce it needs to safeguard Britain’s economy.

The ethos of the organisation is to encourage members to ensure that five percent of its workforce is made up of apprentices and graduates within a five year period.

Chris Droogan, managing director of Cleveland Bridge UK, said: “We are proud to join the 5% Club, which shares our commitment to providing a broad range of skills and workforce development opportunities.

"The fact that we have exceeded the club’s five percent target before we joined is a clear indication of the importance of skills in our long-term sustainability strategy.”