‘BETTER LEARNERS, BETTER WORKERS: MADE IN SHEFFIELD’

The Cutlers' 'Made in Sheffield' scheme is a demand driven, employer-led approach based on developing the skills that matter in the world of work. It is based on a unique partnership of employers and schools, led by the Cutlers' Company and Sheffield City Council (SCC).

We have four years experience and are now working successfully with ten employment sectors and ten schools and two colleges. We are currently training 500 student ambassadors in Sheffield, who experience a high quality world of work (WOW) enrichment programme, which involves spending over 100 hours in the world of work. These young people promote the employment sectors to their peers as well as showing their potential and that of other students to businesses. Another real strength of the scheme is that we also have Business Champions, from the employment sectors, who mentor the student ambassadors and connect the schools to the world of work. ​ ​At the end of the programme, the ambassadors receive an employer endorsed Skills Passport, which is awarded by the Cutlers Company.

Over the last four years, we have tested, learned and adapted our strategies and materials based on feedback, evidence and research and we now have MiS student ambassadors on apprenticeships in the engineering sector and the NHS.