Introduction
EngineeringUK co-hosted a roundtable with Education Scotland, the Scottish Government agency leading the review of the Curriculum for Excellence (CfE). The purpose was to bring engineering and technology industry perspectives into the early stages of Scotland’s sciences curriculum reform.
We brought together representatives from 11 employers spanning Scotland’s engineering and technology sectors, including energy, infrastructure, construction and critical technologies.
Scotland’s curriculum review marks the first iteration of the new 10 year Curriculum Improvement Cycle and will shape learning through to 2038. It is therefore an important moment to create stronger connections between learning and work.
It is also an opportunity to strengthen the place of engineering in Scotland’s curriculum. Engineering underpins some of Scotland’s most exciting core sectors, including space, life and chemical sciences and green technologies. Making engineering explicit across disciplines can also help learners connect scientific principles to modern roles and national priorities such as net zero.
This briefing summarises the insights from the discussion.
Who this is for
- MPs
- Policymakers
- Employers
Key findings and recommendations
Priority knowledge and skills:
- transferable and meta skills are as important as technical knowledge in a rapidly changing labour market
- build work‑readiness skills earlier in the learning journey to support young people to transition more smoothly into apprenticeships and entry‑level roles
- nurture creativity and innovative thinking throughout STEM, whilst supporting learners to challenge sources and think critically
- strengthen maths–science alignment to support confidence in maths and understanding of the relevance of numeracy to scientific and engineering pathways
Building a future-oriented curriculum:
- curriculum should seek to demystify and elevate engineering, showing its breadth and connection to national priorities
- link learning to careers through breaking down disciplinary siloes in science and introducing engineering terminology, concepts and occupational maps
- embed equity into curriculum design so that all learners feel inspired and enabled to succeed in engineering and have consistent access to high‑quality STEM enrichment
- ensure that the curriculum remains agile, embedding feedback loops with industry and enabling learners to apply core scientific principles to emerging technology and real-world contexts
Maximising industry’s role:
- use national data to target industry-produced resources at clearly defined curriculum “touchpoints,” and facilitate structured, planned engagement programmes
- develop a coordinated national approach for employer-supported STEM resources and school-industry engagement, ensuring quality, accessibility and consistent reach across all schools
- provide nationally rolled-out professional learning to support teachers to use industry‑aligned STEM resources confidently and effectively
While the focus for this discussion was Scotland, many of the priorities identified can also be applied to the English context – whilst acknowledging differences in demography and the existing policy landscape for the school curriculum.
