As a region with more than 50,000 small businesses, supporting an inclusive and sustainable recovery is vital to the economic recovery.
Sheffield Hallam University has helped to support more than 350 small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in the Sheffield City Region through an innovation programme which offers free access to academic expertise, facilities and resources to stimulate innovation and deliver new products and services.
Led by the city’s two universities, the Sheffield Innovation Programme, continues to support SMEs across the region and has helped several companies to transform their business model since the pandemic hit. Some 375 businesses across the region have been supported to innovate and grow since its launch in 2016.
Sheffield Hallam University is also a leading provider of degree apprenticeships offering an alternative route to highly-skilled jobs.
Our degree apprenticeship programme is helping employers across the region in a variety of key sectors to fill skills gaps through upskilling current employees and training new ones through our bespoke courses.
Degree apprenticeships are an alternative route to gaining a degree, with fees covered by the employer (supported by the Apprentice Levy), while the apprentice learns on the job and receives a salary. We co-design courses with employers to meet the future needs of the business, developing both new and existing staff.
More than 550 degree apprentices are currently studying at Sheffield Hallam on apprenticeships in a range of areas including health, digital and engineering.
We are committed to extending our programme further – with 2,500 degree apprentices by 2024 – and working with our regional businesses to address skills gaps and continue to support South Yorkshire to build back better.
Research published by Universities UK (UUK) on the impact of universities on the UK’s economic recovery found that over the next five years institutions in Yorkshire and Humber will provide support to businesses and charities worth over £1.2 billion.
The research, compiled by the National Centre for Entrepreneurship in Education (NCEE), also predicted universities would give 3,500 years’ worth of upskilling and training to businesses and charities and help 1,000 new businesses and charities to be formed.
As well as the economic impact, the research found universities in the region have a huge social impact and will train more than 14,000 nurses, 6,000 medics and 18,000 teachers over the next five years.
The research was published part of a campaign by Universities UK to highlight the role of universities in the economic and social recovery from Covid-19.
Sheffield Hallam University has recently launched its Civic University Agreement containing a set of commitments to go above and beyond business as usual for the university, working with local partners to build back stronger from the pandemic and address key regional challenges around the economy, health, education, regeneration, and our communities.
Richard Calvert, Deputy Vice-Chancellor at Sheffield Hallam University, said: “At Sheffield Hallam we are committed to our region and have developed close links with partners across South Yorkshire and beyond.
“Working with business and communities, we will play a major part in the city and region’s recovery post-pandemic, helping to ensure that we emerge with a vibrant, resilient, and technologically advanced economy.
“Through using our teaching, research and partnerships, we aim to drive positive change and to improve the lives of residents and communities across South Yorkshire.”
