Ofsted visited the University in February 2022 to carry out a four-day inspection of Sheffield Hallam’s apprenticeship provision for overall effectiveness, quality of education, leadership and management, behaviour and attitudes, and personal development.
The University was rated ‘good’ across the board.
Inspectors praised the partnership working of the University with employers and leaders in the Sheffield City Region to ‘identify and address skills needs’ enabling the University to provide apprenticeships that address local and national priorities such as in construction, health and packaging.
The report also highlighted the ‘ambitious curriculum’ across a range of apprenticeships. As a result, apprentices who may not have been able to engage in higher education gain the knowledge and skills that they need to enjoy successful careers.
The University’s comprehensive wellbeing support and access to dedicated employability advisers for apprentices were also commended by inspectors. They noted that staff had ‘developed a thorough range of opportunities for apprentices to receive information, advice and guidance to support their next steps’.
Professor Kevin Kerrigan, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Business and Enterprise at Sheffield Hallam University, said: “This Ofsted report is a testament to the hard work and dedication across the institution to develop and deliver the most diverse degree apprenticeship offer in the country.
“University leaders have taken a range of deliberate and meaningful steps that are having a positive impact on the quality of apprenticeship education, including partnerships with employers to create a purposeful and supportive learning environment for apprentices.
Sheffield Hallam was one of the UK’s earliest adopters of degree apprenticeships in 2015, followed by the opening of the National Centre of Excellence for Degree Apprenticeships (NCEDA) at the University in 2018.
Following the latest intake of degree apprentices in January 2022, Sheffield Hallam now has more than 2,000 apprentices currently studying for qualifications on 33 different programmes in seven different sectors including health, construction and digital.
Professor Conor Moss, Dean of Work-Based Learning at Sheffield Hallam University, added: “The positive comments from the inspectors about our commitment to the region and providing apprenticeships that address local and national priorities in partnership with employers echoes our wider ambitions as part of our Civic University Agreement.
"Our ambition is to have a positive, long-term, and transformative impact economically and socially on the lives of people in our region."
Degree apprenticeships are an alternative earn and learn route to a degree qualification. They combine working with studying part-time at a university. Apprentices are employed throughout the programme and spend part of their time at university and the rest with their employer.
Programmes are developed by employers, universities, and professional bodies working in partnership to address regional and national skills needs.
Find out more about Sheffield Hallam University’s degree apprenticeships.
