The Sheffield College is highly commended in the Educate North Awards

The Sheffield College has been highly commended in the Educate North Awards 2025.

The awards recognise excellence and good practice at Northern-based colleges, sixth forms and universities.

This year, the college has been highly commended in two categories:

• Innovation Award
• Student Experience Award: Higher Education/Further Education Sector

Angela Foulkes CBE, Chief Executive and Principal, The Sheffield College, said:

“Creating innovative ways for students to develop their confidence, skills and career prospects is at the heart of what we do. It’s brilliant to receive recognition for that.”

The Innovation Award commendation is linked to the development of the college’s Sheffield Health and Social Care Employability Project.

Now in its third year, the initiative aims to remove barriers to students so they gain employment in the health and social care sector and address urgent skills needs.

The project provides opportunities for health and social care students to develop their employability skills and secure employment.

Created in partnership with the NHS South Yorkshire Integrated Care Board, students have the chance to secure employment via a four-stage recruitment process involving health and social care employers.

The Student Experience Award: Higher Education/Further Education Sector commendation is for a programme of international trips for students who would not otherwise travel so widely.

The Overseas Work-Related Activity Programme provides fully funded international work placement opportunities for T Level students to destinations including India, Tokyo, Bali, Fiji, South Africa, Thailand, and Florida.

The programme’s commitment to accessibility and inclusivity sets it apart, specifically targeting students who may not have left Sheffield before or possessed a passport while removing financial barriers through fully funded experiences.

The college’s Student Experience Team wanted to provide students with life and work experiences, exposure to different cultures and the opportunity for personal growth.

More than 10 international trips were delivered in 2024, which helped to develop students’ confidence, problem-solving abilities, and resilience. The trips also contributed to T Level students’ required placement hours.

This year’s event was the biggest yet with more than 700 awards entries across all categories. The winners were announced at a gala dinner and awards ceremony at the Hilton Manchester Deansgate on 3rd April 2025.

The Sheffield College, which is Ofsted graded ‘good’, provides academic, vocational and professional qualifications to approximately 14,500 young people and adults a year.

The college offers a broad curriculum that includes apprenticeships, vocational diplomas, A Levels, T Levels, access courses, and foundation and honours degrees.

Photo credit: ER Photography and The ENAs 2025.