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Gen+ Industry Innovator equips students with workplace skills through business projects ETIH EdTech — EdTech Innovation Hub
Gen+, a Scotland-based education non-profit, has completed a pilot of its Industry Innovator program aimed at developing meta-skills among secondary school pupils through partnerships with businesses. The initiative ran in five schools from January to March 2025 and is set to expand nationwide. The pilot paired pupils with organizations across a range of industries, including […]
Gen+, a Scotland-based education non-profit, has completed a pilot of its Industry Innovator program aimed at developing meta-skills among secondary school pupils through partnerships with businesses.
The initiative ran in five schools from January to March 2025 and is set to expand nationwide.
The pilot paired pupils with organizations across a range of industries, including technology, agriculture, recruitment, and public relations. Lessons were co-designed by teachers and participating businesses to reflect real-world challenges and introduce practical learning approaches beyond the traditional classroom format.
Pilot links classroom learning with industry tasks
Schools taking part in the pilot included Morgan Academy (Dundee), Braes High School (Falkirk), Alva Academy (Clackmannanshire), St Columba’s High School (Inverclyde), and Moffat Academy (Dumfries and Galloway). Participating businesses included Bad Dinosaur, Mossgiel Farm, House of NAF!, Livingston James, and Story Shop.
Pupils were tasked with projects such as redesigning classrooms, developing digital applications, and creating sustainable products. The approach aligned with recent recommendations from reviews of Scotland’s education system that call for a greater focus on meta-skills like creativity, adaptability, and communication.
Victoria Vardy, chief executive officer at Gen+, says the pilot was designed to offer pupils an alternative learning model grounded in collaboration with employers:
“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 program 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.”