Sheffield Hallam University wins Apprenticeship Award at the Educate North Awards 2024
Sheffield Hallam University, a key South Yorkshire Skills partner, has won the Apprenticeship Award at the Educate North Awards 2024, in recognition of its work to develop apprenticeships and to provide more and better opportunities to learners of all ages across the region.
The University is the home of the National Centre of Excellence for Degree Apprenticeships (NCEDA) and currently supports close to 3,000 degree apprentices studying across 40 disciplines and subjects, more than any other provider in the UK. In the past year it has achieved key milestones including working with its 700th employer partner and facilitating higher and degree apprenticeship (HDAs) courses worth a total of £61.1 million.
The Educate North Awards celebrate outstanding work in higher and further education across the North of England. Some 43% of Hallam degree apprentices are from Yorkshire.
Hallam’s success reflects the work which has been done by NCEDA to promote the value of HDAs for learners of all ages and from different backgrounds. The University has been a vocal campaigner for more and better apprenticeship opportunities in the region, by setting the standards of industry best practice, publishing thought leadership, and working with key policymakers. In 2023, Hallam was the only university in the country to host both the Secretary of State for Education, Gillian Keegan MP; and the then Minister for Apprenticeships, Robert Halfon MP.
Helen Scott, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Learning, Teaching and Student Success at Sheffield Hallam University, said: “As the home of the National Centre of Excellence for Degree Apprenticeships, we are proud to provide one of the largest and most effective apprenticeship provisions in the country. This award recognises the achievements of our team and the work they do with apprentices and businesses across the north. Skills are the key to growing our economy, and apprenticeships are a crucial part of building a prosperous future in South Yorkshire and beyond.
“Bridging the knowledge gap around degree apprenticeships is especially important, and this year we have led the higher education sector in positioning them as an accessible and effective route to gaining skills, qualifications and valuable career opportunities. This award reflects the breadth of the work we have done in a really busy and successful year.”
The win builds on success for Hallam degree apprentices in recent months. In November, Francesca Hume was named Degree Apprentice of the Year at the National Apprenticeship Awards, while Fran Coult, Supply Chain Apprentice at Alstom, was named Young Professional of the Year at the Rail Business Awards 2024 in February.
