Fully funded 'enterprising educators' training for teachers

SCOTTISH teachers can access fully funded training at postgraduate level to become ‘enterprising educators’ as part of a collaboration between the University of the Highlands and Islands and Scotland’s Enterprising Schools.

CREATE, the university’s Centre for Enterprise and Innovation, based at Inverness College UHI, developed a fully funded, bespoke online training resource for primary and secondary school teachers, called the Enterprising Practitioner’s Programme, which was run as a pilot by Scotland’s Enterprising Schools (SES) in 2016.

The resources were accessed by more than 1500 primary and secondary school teachers, enabling them to support young people in the development of entrepreneurism.

Building on the success of the programme, CREATE has now developed a newly-accredited Masters-level module for SES called ‘The Enterprising Educator,’ which will complement its existing Enterprising Practitioner’s Programme. The module will be delivered over 15-weeks through a combination of online study and face to face tutorials, allowing teachers to develop a critical understanding of effective enterprise in education. It is fully funded so free of charge to participants.

The module will look at enterprise, creativity, employability, entrepreneurship and innovation, and how this supports the Scottish Government’s work to support the development of an enterprising population and new-business growth.

Dr Carol Langston, Head of Entrepreneurship at CREATE, said: “Within education, we need to start as early as possible to foster and support an attitude shift – to make sure young people develop the skills to succeed and also to encourage the idea of being your own boss as a valid option when considering future careers. We have a responsibility to make sure that young people have a good understanding of what being your own boss involves in a whole range of different and exciting environments, and how the skills and mind-set developed are highly valued by employers.

“This module will develop teachers as enterprising educators and provide a stepping stone into Masters-level study. More and more teachers are being encouraged to think about their professional development, study beyond degree level and become leaders in their field and we are delighted to be able to support SES in delivering professional learning at this level. It also feeds into the Scottish Government’s ambitions to promote a ‘can do’ culture of entrepreneurship and innovation”

SES is a national team that educators working with children and young people from age 3-18 can access to support them embed enterprise in the curriculum. Earlier this year the Scottish Government awarded SES a grant of £250,000 to support future entrepreneurs and develop an entrepreneurial mind-set in children, young people and educators in Scotland. It was also granted the General Teaching Council Scotland Professional Learning Award for Organisations with the support of CREATE.

Lorraine Ross, SES head of programme, said: “Educational research indicates that the contribution enterprise in education makes to the development of children and young people can enhance their life chances and choices.  It helps to identify and nurture their natural ability to be enterprising and helps prepare them for a rapidly changing world of work. There is a need to increase teachers’ awareness, confidence and engagement in these areas and to build on the best emerging teaching and learning practices.  We are delighted to be working in partnership with CREATE and the University of the Highlands and Islands to offer this important new programme for Scotland’s teaching practitioners.”

For further information, contact CREATE. Email create.ic@uhi.ac.uk or telephone 01463 273 267.