Scotland’s teacher shortage for science, technology and engineering (Stem) subjects, highlighted recently by Tes, demands our urgent attention.
Most importantly, it requires practical solutions. Working daily with educators to integrate robotics into teaching and education, I’ve witnessed the challenges that teachers face - but also the transformative impact of hands-on Stem education when those educators are properly supported.
Teachers don’t shy away from incorporating robotics and other aspects of Stem workplaces into their classrooms because they are unwilling.
Rather, they face significant obstacles: lack of confidence with technical subjects, limited access to resources and the pressures of an already demanding workload.
The reality is that robotics education requires technical knowledge that can’t simply be picked off the shelf. Meanwhile, some teachers worry about being outpaced by students’ technical knowledge, creating another barrier to adoption.
Building sustainable Stem solutions
Through our work at the at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, we’re moving beyond one-off engagements with schools towards sustained, project-based approaches that create consistent experiences for students. While students might enjoy a single robotics workshop, they quickly forget without reinforcement. Building the talent of the future requires consistent messaging throughout a student’s educational journey.
We’ve seen remarkable success when schools receive proper support. A primary school in Fraserburgh, for example, entered our VEX Robotics Competition and progressed to the UK finals. A community group in Broxburn, with our support of free kits and transportation, achieved similar success. Both demonstrate what’s possible with supportive ecosystems around Stem education.
Schools can benefit hugely from industry partnerships bringing real-world context into classrooms. These connections provide technical expertise, showcase career pathways and potentially offer funding streams to sustain educational programmes. When industry professionals contribute their knowledge, both teachers and students benefit from authentic learning experiences.
Schools need accessible, modular projects that don’t require extensive technical knowledge to implement. The instant gratification of seeing a robot move after writing code creates powerful learning that textbook coding can’t match. This immediate connection between action and result helps to maintain student interest and provides teachers with manageable entry points into robotics education.
The National Robotarium is pioneering innovative CPD approaches, such as delivering professional development to teachers simultaneously with running student workshops. This maximises impact without requiring additional teacher time. By training teachers while their students are engaged in related activities, we eliminate the need for substitute teachers and reduce barriers to professional growth.
Collaborations with East Ayrshire and Midlothian councils demonstrate how sustained engagement can be scaled across different regions. In East Ayrshire, we’re coordinating Stem transition days for P6-P7 pupils, featuring hands-on robotics workshops, demonstrations and industry presentations. In Midlothian, we’ve provided robotics kits to primary schools, delivered targeted CPD and organised celebration events where students showcase their work.
These sustained partnerships create year-round programmes that include teacher-developed activity sheets, optional competitions and, importantly, consistent messaging about robotics across a student’s educational journey. The model provides a flexible blueprint, ready to be adopted by other local authorities, enabling wider access to quality Stem education without reinventing the wheel or being cost-prohibitive.
Mirroring industry practices in the classroom
What’s often overlooked is how robotics education and wider Stem learning foster essential transferable skills. Real-world robotics projects require teamwork, problem-solving and collaboration. By mirroring these industry practices in the classroom, we develop skills that transcend specific technical knowledge - vital in the fast-changing technology landscape.
A bridge between industry and education, such as the National Robotarium, can help to translate cutting-edge technology into accessible learning experiences - but we can’t do it alone.
Industry investment in robotics education represents a direct contribution to developing the future workforce. Whether through financial support, provision of robotics kits, event funding or teacher resources, businesses have multiple pathways to invest in Scotland’s economic future.
The Stem teacher crisis is real, but solvable. With proper support, industry engagement and innovative approaches to teaching, we can ensure that Scotland isn’t left behind in preparing students for an increasingly digital future.
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