The University – which is the home of the National Centre of Excellence for Degree Apprenticeships (NCEDA) – currently has a cohort of 3,000 degree apprentices studying across 40 disciplines and subjects, more than any other provider in the UK. In 2024, it has exceeded key milestones: working with its 700th employer partner and facilitating higher and degree apprenticeship (HDAs) courses worth a total of £61.1 million.
As well as working with hundreds of start-up businesses and SMEs in the South Yorkshire region, Sheffield Hallam has fostered partnerships with large and multinational organisations. The University facilitates HDAs worth over £30 million with its 20 largest partners. Hallam also works with partners to promote skills in the region, including the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) and South Yorkshire Apprenticeship Hub, and recently pledged £200k of funding for local apprenticeships.
Dan Lally, Group Director of Business, Enterprise, Skills and Employability at Sheffield Hallam said: “As a provider we are very selective about who we work with to provide apprenticeships. Our 700 employer partners represent some of the best and most forward-thinking businesses in the country. They are businesses which offer support to apprentices and which invest in talent, ensuring the highest quality training and learning. Degree apprenticeships work for people of all ages, at all stages of life. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach, which is why we are proud to work with such a diverse range of businesses.”
Fliss Miller, Director of Skills at the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority, said: “A diverse and innovative workforce is at the heart of our plan for sustainable regional growth. Apprenticeships help us to broaden education and provide opportunities to people who don’t necessarily benefit from traditional classroom learning. Degree apprentices are disrupters, they make our employers think differently, and encourage them to embrace their role in upskilling the region. National Apprenticeship Week is a great platform for us to talk about the importance of different kinds of career paths, and Sheffield Hallam does crucial work to provide opportunities for people and businesses in our region.”
Sheffield Hallam is a leading voice on apprenticeship policy and is marking NAW24 by encouraging businesses, young people and policymakers to embrace HDAs.
On Tuesday (6 February), Ryan Simmons – a Hallam apprenticeship ambassador and Student Union representative who works as a Continuous Improvement Facilitator at GXO – made an address at the 2024 Generation Logistics Parliamentary Reception in the House of Commons. Ryan spoke to business leaders and parliamentarians about the opportunities he has received by undertaking a degree apprenticeship in the sector.
Other activity marking the week included an apprenticeship jobs fair, a panel event with employer partners on 6 February, and the launch of two new apprenticeship courses – Data Analyst and Digital Accounting and Finance Manager.
