A pioneering educational initiative involving real-world business collaborations across Scottish schools is helping pupils develop vital creativity, adaptability, and problem-solving skills ahead of future challenges.
A new educational initiative aimed at equipping pupils with essential skills for an uncertain future has been conducted across several Scottish schools from January to March. The programme took place at Morgan Academy in Dundee, Braes High School in Falkirk, Alva Academy in Clackmannanshire, St Columba’s High School in Inverclyde, and Moffat Academy in Dumfries and Galloway.
The scheme involved pupils undertaking a range of practical projects, including reimagining classroom spaces in collaboration with an interior designer and helping to develop everyday products in connection with a dairy farm. The programme has garnered positive feedback from educators, particularly for students who may struggle with conventional learning methods. Various businesses participated in the initiative, such as app developer Bad Dinosaur, Mossgiel Farm, nail salon House of NAF!, recruitment company Livingston James, and Glasgow-based PR agency Story Shop.
Recent assessments of Scotland’s education system have highlighted the need for schools to enhance their focus on developing meta-skills—such as creativity, adaptability, communication, and problem-solving—to better prepare young people for the challenges of the future.
Victoria Vardy, chief executive of Gen+, the organisation behind the programme, explained the motivation and approach: “At Gen+, we believe the future belongs to young people who can adapt, collaborate and lead with creativity and purpose. Industry Innovators set out to give pupils just that — a chance to work with real businesses, take on real challenges, and build the skills they’ll need to thrive.
“We co-designed the programme with pupils, teachers and entrepreneurs, and their feedback shaped it at every step. The result is a learning experience that feels relevant, ambitious and exciting. It confirms what we’ve always believed: meta-skills matter, industry insight matters, and young people deserve a curriculum that reflects the world they’re growing into.”
Scarlett Hollerin, co-founder of Story Shop, one of the participating businesses, emphasised the programme’s value for pupils with diverse learning needs. Speaking to The Herald (Glasgow), she said: “As the mother of two young boys, I think a lot about how they learn and the skills they’ll need for the future.
“Sitting still and nodding through lessons isn’t how every young person learns best — and it certainly isn’t how the world works.
“This programme gives students a chance to think differently, to get stuck into something real, and to see themselves reflected in the kind of exciting, purpose-driven entrepreneurs we work with every day. It’s an opportunity to ignite a passion — and to embed those role models into the curriculum in a way that actually means something.”
Educators have described the initiative as ‘transformative’, highlighting its potential to supplement traditional education by fostering skills and experiences that prepare pupils more effectively for the demands of the evolving workforce.
Source: Noah Wire Services
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
8
Notes:
Narrative describes a programme conducted January-March (recent timeframe). No overt signs of recycled content, though specific event dates aren’t explicitly anchored to current year. No references to outdated personnel roles.
Quotes check
Score:
9
Notes:
Quotes attributed to Victoria Vardy (Gen+) and Scarlett Hollerin (Story Shop) appear original, with Hollerin’s quoted as given to The Herald (Glasgow). No verbatim matches found in existing coverage, suggesting first-use sourcing.
Source reliability
Score:
7
Notes:
Narrative originates from The Herald (Glasgow), a reputable regional newspaper. Participating businesses (e.g. Bad Dinosaur, Mossgiel Farm) confirmed as genuine entities, though lesser-known outside Scotland.
Plausability check
Score:
8
Notes:
Claims align with documented push for meta-skills in Scottish education (as noted in referenced assessments). Programme details (schools, businesses, collaborative projects) demonstrate specificity consistent with factual reporting.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): HIGH
Summary:
Recent initiative with original quotes from verifiable sources. Outlined educational focus corresponds with Scotland’s stated curricular priorities. Minor uncertainty about exact programme year offset by contextual plausibility and lack of anachronisms.
