Azzure IT is looking to find the right talent as it goes for growth

Sheffield-based Azzure IT has grown from a workforce of one to 37 since the business launched in 2011.

Craig Such, founder and managing director of Azzure IT, told The Yorkshire Post: “I exited a previous business to set up Azzure. At the time I spotted an opportunity in the market where customers were wanting solutions which were scaleable.

“They wanted solutions which fitted small businesses or large businesses. They wanted solutions which were either on premise or cloud hosted. The cloud environment was just starting to open up.”

In 2015, turnover hit £2.95m at Azzure IT and Mr Such said the business is aiming at increasing that figure to up to £5m.

“We’re now up to 37 staff and we plan to take on another 12 people during this year,” he added.

Mr Such said that challenges are always changing for the software solutions provider because of its rapid growth. However, finding people of the right calibre remains a continuous challenge.

He said: “Our biggest challenge right now, and this is a continuous challenge, is finding the right calibre of people. There’s plenty of people out there in our sort of industry but it is about finding people who are the right calibre of what we require – who have not only the right technical skills but the right business skills, the right communication skills.”

To address this, Azzure IT has launched its own training academy where it mentors and trains people.

Mr Such said: “What we’ve done to address that is we’re bringing in both experienced people but also growing our own talent as well. We’ve started the Azzure Academy, where we are bringing in apprentices and graduates. We’ve already taken on five people through that scheme. We’re just in the process now of expanding relationships that we have with some of the local universities.”

He added that education could make changes that improves the calibre of talent, such as bringing in more reality to courses.