welovedesignetc
The design courses blog for BA (Hons)
and HND Vis Comm at Edinburgh College

Schools Project



Introduction

The Schools Project is an initiative led by the Graphic Design team at Edinburgh College as a way of fostering collaboration between FE and Secondary Education in Scotland.  The original funding for this project came from Threebrand, a leading design agency in Edinburgh, who are part of the Graphic Design Partnership (a formal group of agencies who work closely with our design students as mentors).

Key Aims

- promote career opportunities within Creative Industries with an emphasis on Art and Design
- better prepare school pupils for interview and progression into FE courses
- develop closer working relationships between FE lecturers and schoolteachers
- improve recruitment and retention on vocational courses in FE.

Ambassadors

The project has two student ambassadors - HNC Graphic Design students Holly McNie and Niamh Curran - whose winning idea has been used as the basis for the setting up of workshops in 7 schools where the students are now working with Art and Design and CDT pupils.

The inclusion of funding from DYW (Developing the Young Workforce) has helped expand the project to include three events -

1. A CPD event for teachers, to be held in the college on Friday 12th May.
2. The Inspire Project for S2/S3 pupils from schools across Edinburgh.
3. A 'One Week Project' to be held in Edinburgh College.



Student Ambassadors Niamh Curran(l) and Holly McNie.


Show & Projects

The best 20 submissions for the CD Project from across all the secondary schools that take part will be shown at our Engaging Employers event at Dovecot Gallery in Edinburgh. These 20 students, along with their teachers and parents /guardians, will be invited along to the show on Thursday 1 June 6-9pm.

As well as being part of this exhibition, the 20 students will be invited to Edinburgh College, Granton Campus, for a One Week Project working with students, designers and lecturers. This will run from Monday 12th June to Friday 16th June.

More

Beyond these events we are hoping to rollout the Schools Project to more schools and a broader range of subjects within Art & Design.

For information on the CD Project - check out the Project page >>
For more information, please email course tutor Helena Good - helena.good@edinburghcollege.ac.uk