Have you studied in the Sheffield City Region and want to stay? Grown up here and want to come back? RISE is an innovative project that connects talented, hard-working graduates with small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) across the Sheffield City Region. We want to provide graduates with fantastic opportunities, great career progression and the chance to make an impact, whilst giving our thriving small business sector access to amazing graduate talent, skills and innovation.
A job at an SME is very different to larger, more corporate organisations. In a smaller setting you will be a key player; you’ll have the opportunity to learn a lot in a fast-paced environment. If you’re the type of person who wants to have visibility and responsibility early on, and wants to work in a small/close knit team towards a shared goal, then you will find working for an SME exciting, challenging and rewarding, and we would encourage you to apply.
One of our RISE graduates, Ben Pickering from Sheffield based IT consultancy Marjolo, shares his hugely positive experience of working for an SME here:
Over the last seven years RISE has appointed more than 500 graduates in over 400 SMEs into a huge variety of roles and sectors, from marketing and computer science to design, engineering, marketing, publishing and project management. There’s usually a large percentage of roles that are open to graduates from all degree subjects and disciplines.
We know that when you ask people where graduates want to work, they say: ‘all graduates go to London’. However, this isn’t the case. Did you know that: 58% of graduates went on to work in the region they studied in, and 69% went on to work in the region they grew up in? We therefore know that a large proportion of the graduates from the numerous universities in the Sheffield City Region really want to work here.
RISE typically runs three campaigns every year. The next programme is due to launch in September 2021.
You can register your interest and we’ll send you an email letting you know when adverts are open.
Young people will pay you back if you invest in them. RISE helps us to make this investment in the right people - the best people. It is a proper job with proper pay. Young people will 'rise' to the challenge given the opportunity.
Charles Turner, Managing Director
Durham Duplex
In a small business you get to make an impact. You have more responsibility. You get to work with a team that doesn't have all the answers but that wants to work them out with you. I think lots of graduates want that and RISE does a fantastic job connecting graduates with smaller businesses so they get the benefit of this.
Christina King, Chief Commercial Officer
Tribosonics
Opportunities like the RISE scheme are important because they give chances to people like myself who have the capability to make a real difference but may not have a strong professional background. They also provide an alternative to working in a large firm. I get to experience a lot of different areas in my company both directly and indirectly because of how close knit we all are and I also get to work closely with senior management which means a greater sphere of influence.
Mercy Ubani, Bid Manager & RISE graduate
Moore Insight Ltd
