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Sheffield has the highest student retention rate after graduation

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Was talking to a bloke walking his dog in Rivelin Valley one lunchtime (in the days when I had time to cycle home every lunch)

 

Had a familiar tale. A student in Sheffield, loved every minute. Followed his mates to London, hated much of it but earned good money. 5 years later comes back to set up his own business working from home as he missed the city so much. As he said, works from home in the hours he wants to, walks down the Valley watches kingfishers at lunchtime.

 

I wonder if there are figures for how many leave after graduation but eventually come back? The city does seem to have that draw

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Was talking to a bloke walking his dog in Rivelin Valley one lunchtime (in the days when I had time to cycle home every lunch)

 

Had a familiar tale. A student in Sheffield, loved every minute. Followed his mates to London, hated much of it but earned good money. 5 years later comes back to set up his own business working from home as he missed the city so much. As he said, works from home in the hours he wants to, walks down the Valley watches kingfishers at lunchtime.

 

I wonder if there are figures for how many leave after graduation but eventually come back? The city does seem to have that draw

 

Yes, the dip in demographics is in the 20s and 30s age range, as far as I remember. It's in the State of Sheffield report, but I can't remember which year, probably 2015 or 2016.

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Once they're ready to set up business, guess what - they've already put down roots elsewhere, established contacts, know the local economy.

 

And where did a son set up on his own? Cambridgeshire where there's a real vibrance you don't feel so much in the north - it's not just Sheffield. He now works for a small technology company and has job opportunities all around. We have some around here, but not enough.

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We moved here 10 years ago after living abroad. My wife was a student here and she thought it would be a good place to settle down in and start a family. That was a great decision for us.

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And where did a son set up on his own? Cambridgeshire where there's a real vibrance you don't feel so much in the north - it's not just Sheffield. He now works for a small technology company and has job opportunities all around. We have some around here, but not enough.

 

That's just it. I think it's down to a critical mass and infrastructure.

 

People want to set up businesses where there are others doing the same. People want to work for companies in a location where if they don't want to carry on working for that company, they've got options to move to another.

 

Higher up the career ladder, it's difficult to attract top level staff to Sheffield, because after all the hassle of relocation, they'll likely be stuck with one employer. It's a big risk.

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20 years ago it was probably true that Sheffield retained a higher percentage of graduates who'd come to the city to study than other university cities.

 

Unfortunately it's also true that average wages/salaries in Sheffield are now lower for graduates in Shefield than they are in places like Leeds and Manchester. The building of masses of student flats has freed up property for graduates to buy, but many who've stayed commute to find better incomes.

 

There's a consultation on Transport Strategy currently going around, see; https://sheffieldcityregion.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/SCR-Transport-Strategy-Consultation-Draft.pdf. There's some interesting background data provided, like twice as many commute from Sheffield to Manchester and Leeds as commute into Sheffield. And those comparative figures for incomes and prosperity.

 

It's chicken and egg. We won't get a better and more attractive city with all the best facilities without better incomes being spent here to pay for them. Graduates will leave for better jobs elsewhere, or commute long distances if they have to. Those who can travel to shop will, in Leeds, Manchester or London. The best jobs will almost certainly require a change of location.

 

Many graduates do stay in Sheffield, family ties, the nearby Peak Distict and some do get good jobs. Sadly a lot of graduates, and this applies across the nation, are finding themselves doing poorly paid jobs they could have started 3-5 years earlier with A levels or GCSEs.

 

I've raised a point regarding this before and I will raise it again - Sheffield urgently needs premium office space to be developed. Office space in Sheffield is far cheaper than it is in Leeds and Manchester, at first sight that is a good thing - once you realise it is because a lot of office real estate (available) is in either a bad location or too small for blue chip companies it becomes obvious that it is in fact a bad thing.

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Starting your own business is always a good way to kill a thread lol

 

And there’s the problem - I’m sure lots of people think “nar, that’s far too much effort”

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Its a tribute to how worthless the degrees from our Unis are, that graduates cannot escape Sheffield to a better paid job elsewhere.

 

Poor kids with huge debts all for a worthless piece of paper.

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Its a tribute to how worthless the degrees from our Unis are, that graduates cannot escape Sheffield to a better paid job elsewhere.

 

Poor kids with huge debts all for a worthless piece of paper.

 

Chip, meet shoulder. Shoulder, this is chip.

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Chip, meet shoulder. Shoulder, this is chip.

 

But it highlights why people leave. The oppressive nature of the place. I know Sheffield is full of salt of the earth types who will do anything for anybody unless that person wants to get on in life. And god forbid you ask them to pay a premium for anything, well, premium.

 

I'm on the fringes of Sheffield and about 2% of my turnover is generated in Sheffield. I certainly spend more with suppliers here than I get back. Half that 2% is with one company who chuck it in a van and take it down south anyway. "Oooo, I'm not payin' that, I'll mek it me sen" on more than occasion. I send a lot to Manchester at the moment 10% plus I'd guess. Leeds, not so much.

 

I'm not convinced it's down to things like business rates, they'll be high in Leeds and Manchester too. Perhaps a more forward thinking council? Things like creative industries are booming in Manchester in no small part to the development of media city. I don't want to mention the lack of airport but yeah, lack of airport may well stop big companies opening something that needs skilled employees. It's not like Sheffield doesn't have the talent.

 

If company X makes a bit of noise in the press about opening a new branch with a skilled workforce in Manchester or Leeds, does anyone in SCC pick up the phone and ask them why not Sheffield? Should they?

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A thought provoking article in the Business Section of the Sunday Times today. The Centre for Economics and Business Research studied the growth of the digital economy in America and identified three factors crucial to success: a highly skilled workforce, cheap housing and a sense of cultural buzz. They ranked every region in Britain according to these factors. Newcastle upon Tyne came first so the north isn't all bad. Sheffield doesn't get a mention.

 

See; https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/tech-on-the-tyne-is-all-mine-hp9z8dfbr?shareToken=8e99eb8b23c82c452050c00cdbbc412d

 

Of course we all know studies and surveys tend to prove anything you skew the inputs to produce, but is this far wrong?

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It would be interesting to see the figures for the 3 factors independently. Is Sheffield missing just 1 of them, or 2, or all 3?

We have cheap housing for sure, on a par with Newcastle I'd have thought.

And we have 30k students every year in the city, so that must produce nearly 10k graduates a year, many who would apparently like to stay...

So are we just missing a sense of cultural buzz?

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