ANOTHER MADE IN SHEFFIELD CELEBRATION EVENT!

This evening we welcomed the new cohort of students onto the engineering and advanced manufacturing and the arts, culture and sports strands of 'Made in Sheffield', at a ceremony at the Cutlers Hall.

Around 100 young people from Bradfield, Firth Park, Handsworth Grange, Outwood Academy City, Stocksbridge and Westfield received their engineering badge or arts, culture and sports t-shirt from Craig McKay, the new Master Cutler, in front of an audience of around 300 parents, carers and guests. The Master Cutler stressing once again the long history of the Cutlers Company, their commitment to education and skills and their pride at developing such a successful scheme, which has already had an impact both on student outcomes at 16 but also seen students progressing to apprenticeships in engineering companies and the NHS in Sheffield. Cllr Drayton, Lead Member for Skills, Children and Families on Sheffield City Council also spoke and talked passionately about the entitlement children, young people and their families should have to opportunities to help them achieve their potential and the brilliant example 'Made in Sheffield' provided to do this, for this very special group of young people.

It's amazing that we are entering the fourth year of the Cutlers' 'Made in Sheffield' scheme. A programme that started with four schools and 48 young people, has expanded again this year to reach around 480 young people from ten Sheffield secondary schools and Longley Park Sixth Form College, and the skills framework is also being developed for all the students at Westfield School, Sheffield UTC and Sheffield College. The scheme which developed from a focus on the engineering and advanced manufacturing sector now reaches the Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield Children's Hospital, the retail sector, the computer science and digital sector, the care sector, the arts and culture sector, the sports and well-being sector, HMRC and most recently the construction sector. We are constantly discussing new sectors and new areas which hopefully will take the scheme into the insurance sector, the professional services sector, the emergency services, Rotherham Hospital NHS Trust and the Sheffield City Region.

Increasingly, people are recognising that all young people have a fundamental entitlement to opportunities that develop character and skills alongside their GCSE subjects. In Sheffield we have the commitment of businesses, partners, schools, colleges and universities and Sheffield City Council, who all understand that the future of the Sheffield City Region critically depends on the skills and attributes we give our children and young people. Our challenge is to secure the funding and support to make this happen... exciting times!