The Cutlers - The Company Today

The association between The Company of Cutlers in Hallamshire and The Worshipful Company of Armourers & Brasiers’ of London to form an award scheme began in 1924 and the first Annual Prize-giving took place in 1928.

By the early 1990s a substantial expansion of the Award Scheme had taken place, both in the number of recipients and the provision of funding, which allowed the size of the awards to be increased.

The following categories currently comprise the Scheme:

Engineering Awards
For students and apprentices in engineering nominated by Sheffield Hallam University and the EEF (Sheffield).

Design Awards 
For students at Sheffield Hallam University.

Pontifex Awards 
Principally for young Trainee Managers in the Steel Industry.

Medical Metallurgy Awards
For local students, apprentices or trainee managers.

The awards, in particular the travel dimension of the awards, provide a unique opportunity for young people, employed or seeking employment in a wide spectrum of companies involved in metals manufacture whether manual, technical or managerial grades, to broaden their career horizons.  

Applicants are interviewed by a Selection Panel and the granting of Awards is judged by both their written applications and most importantly their Interview, set against the Application Guidelines and a clear purpose for their reason to travel, which is intended to provide a travel award winner with the opportunity to gain further knowledge and experience in their particular field.

Clear travel plans are a key ingredient of an application. Pontifex award winners are expected to submit a detailed follow up report.

Successful applicants are invited to attend an Awards Presentation Evening at The Cutlers’ Hall, together with their families.