The Sheffield College has joined forces with one of the UK’s largest employers to boost careers opportunities for its students.
The college has created an inclusive recruitment project with Aviva, the UK’s only diversified insurer with a large office presence at Pomona, Sheffield, employing 2,300 people.
Aviva has committed, as part of the project, to structured support towards job opportunities for college students who have achieved Level 3 qualifications.
The aim is to help young people into work, address urgent skills needs and remove barriers to employment.
Now the project has been shortlisted in the Business Engagement Award Higher Education/Further Education Sector category of the Educate North Awards.
Recognising excellence and good practice at Northern-based colleges, sixth forms and universities, the award winners will be announced on 7th May 2026.
Specifically aimed at non-graduates, there is the potential for successful applicants on the scheme to start a degree level apprenticeship at Aviva after 18 months of employment.
Aviva is currently recruiting its second cohort for September 2026 after backing the scheme one year-ago. Fifty-seven students took part in the process last year with 11 securing jobs with Aviva in September 2025 as a result.
Sarah Kettlewell, Head of Student Participation and Careers, The Sheffield College, said: “We are proud of this exciting careers project for our students in partnership with Aviva, one of the UK’s largest employers, and it’s fantastic to see it shortlisted in the Educate North Awards.
“Aviva is keen to diversify its talent pipeline. We worked with Aviva to adapt the recruitment processes and remove barriers, particularly for underrepresented groups.”
The college and Aviva have worked together to develop an inclusive four-stage recruitment process to meet the needs of students and the business.
The stages comprise an introductory talk by a varied mix of Aviva staff to applicants; careers workshops, cv writing and interview skills sessions; mock interviews with coaching and feedback from Aviva staff; and the final interviews and half day assessment.
Aviva agreed that formal applications from students should be submitted by those who were successful in the final stage of the process rather than at the beginning. Interviews are held at the college and the dress code is more relaxed to remove travel and formal interview clothing costs.
During the mock interviews, students receive feedback in real time from Aviva so they can amend and improve on each interview answer. As an online application is only completed after a job offer, this removes any barriers around the form particularly for students who have additional needs.
David Schofield, Sustainability Director of Social Action, said: “Along with The Sheffield College, Aviva wants to support local people to get ready for the future by developing the skills they need.
“We take a place-based approach to the communities we operate in and it’s exciting for Aviva to have an impact in Sheffield. Inclusive recruitment helps us appeal to as broad a set of candidates as possible and support young people who are taking their first steps into work.”
The project builds on a similar initiative that the college has with the NHS. Developing partnerships with employers and providing inclusive opportunities for students reflects the college’s Strategic Plan 2025 – 2030 commitments.
The plan outlines the college’s top priorities which focus on the four themes of learning, people, partnerships and sustainability.