Tackling the skills shortage

Our innovative degree apprenticeship programme is guided by the needs of key industry sectors to align with major priority areas. Not only is this shrinking the national skills gap - with your support for scholarships, it’s directly boosting the employability of young people from across our region.

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In brief:

  • We're proactively tackling UK-wide skills shortages through tailored curricula and impactful regional business partnerships
  • Sheffield is directly fuelling local job creation by expanding key training programmes at our Advanced Manufacturing Park
  • Your support is bringing renewed ambition and prosperity to the region's industry

Urgently addressing a UK-wide shortage

Key UK industries are suffering from a significant shortage of skilled workers, from engineering and healthcare to manufacturing and technology. The potential impact of this emerging talent shortfall on South Yorkshire’s business landscape will be keenly felt in the coming years.

Without greater numbers of talented graduates emerging to carry these vital industries forward, the Steel City risks damage to its hard-earned reputation as a hotbed of productivity and economic growth.

As a civic university, we have a core role to play in turning things around - and your support makes all the difference to our efforts.

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Case study: Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) Training Centre

Through modern apprenticeships and forward-thinking degree programmes, young people from across the region are developing the skills needed to thrive in today's fast-moving industrial landscape.

AMRC IoT

Leading the way: A new industrial revolution

The AMRC is quite literally shaping the future of industry: leading the way on net zero, sustainable fuels, data analytics, AI research, digitally connected factories, supply chain solutions, and much more besides. 

Its work helps to secure UK manufacturing by training hundreds of apprentices, as well as reskilling the existing workforce, creating the very talent pools our industrial sector needs to thrive and grow long into the future.


The AMRC Training Centre is the premier league of engineering apprentice training within the region. With a multitude of engineering pathways available to young people, it is currently our training provider of choice for engineering-related trades in South Yorkshire.

Darren Jones

Head of UK Learning and Development Manager, AESSEAL®


A newly skilled workforce

More than 1,700 apprentices have progressed their education at the AMRC - 80% of whom are themselves from South Yorkshire, and many from the most deprived postcodes. They’ve each gone on to achieve exciting, fulfilling careers in advanced manufacturing. 

As a result, it’s not just our regional economy that's benefited: the AMRC has also directly improved the lives of thousands of people in our local communities.

With your help, we can do even more to deliver a newfound sense of ambition, purpose and prosperity to the places we call home.

Get involved

Lightweight manufacturing at the AMRC

Your role in realising a new vision for the future of industry

At Sheffield, we’re taking a bold, positive and proactive approach to addressing the skills gap for our city and wider region. As well as tailoring our curricula to meet specific UK-wide industry needs, we’re fuelling direct job creation locally through the expansion of key training programmes in our Advanced Manufacturing Park.

We’re also focused on forging dynamic new coalitions with local businesses, spin-out companies and investors to create a diverse array of both high-value jobs and entry-level technical roles around the South Yorkshire region and beyond. With your support, we can continue to expand on these networks, and attract further investment in bright young talent from all backgrounds.

Above all, your help means we can encourage even greater numbers of students to develop sector-leading expertise across a wide range of highly specialised study programmes - ones that align directly with the most urgent priorities for our local and national workforce.

Yes, I want to help