Workforce for the Future evaluation

The Workforce for the Future project involved working in partnership with museums, Developing the Young Workforce (DYW) and schools on the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD).

The project supported P5 – S2 pupils to work with their local museum on projects that introduced the diversity of job roles within the museum sector while developing employability skills. It was delivered across all 32 council areas in Scotland over three years. Pupils created various outcomes, from exhibitions and audio tours to school resources and shared experiences.

Whilst this project had a national remit, we valued the uniqueness of each region across Scotland and were committed to ensuring that each project had local relevance.

Within the project there were three strands:

Workforce for the Future: Pilot

This project began with pilot projects for P5, P6 and P7 pupils.

Workforce for the Future: Primary Schools

Museums, schools and Developing the Young Workforce worked together to provide young people with the opportunity to learn more about how local history is shared, whilst exploring the museum as a workplace. Through this strand primary school pupils developed their employability skills, learnt about the diversity of job roles in the sector, and increased their confidence and creativity, whilst museums were seen as desirable places to work and visit. This strand was funded by Art Fund.

Workforce for the Future: Secondary Schools

S1 and S2 pupils co-created a resource with their local museum, learning about the diversity of job roles in the sector and increasing their employability skills. Working with S1 and S2 pupils who are pre-subject choices allows for flexibility in the curriculum, which enabled effective participation in this project. This strand was funded by Postcode Culture Trust.

Key highlights from the project are:

• Working with local DYW co-ordinators supported schools to connect with their local museum.
• Participating museums could access up to £2,500 to support their engagement with local schools.
• MGS commissioned Daydream Believers to create the Marseum learning resource which has engaged over 4000 pupils across Scotland.
• The secondary school strand engaged pupils across 8 different council areas in Scotland.
• The primary school strand reached schools across 21 different council areas in Scotland.

We collaborated with Daydream Believers to create a free, accessible, learning resource for schools and museums to support Workforce for the Future projects. The Marseum learning resource was created to develop young people’s skills while supporting pupils to learn about museums and galleries. The resource is free and available for anyone to download, use, and run their own project.

• Legacy work is ongoing. Long term relationships have continued between schools and museums across Stirling, Oban, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Borders, Orkney, Shetland and more!
• Many young people have never visited or are unaware of their local museum, showing the need to increase engagement with SIMD areas.
• Flexibility is key; each partner could shape Workforce for the Future and Marseum to fit their needs, encouraging creativity and collaboration through challenges, leading to deeper learning for pupils.
• Transport remains a major barrier. Funding helped museums connect with previously inaccessible schools.
• Marseum, a free national learning resource, has been vital in removing barriers and highlighting museums’ role in skills-based learning aligned with Curriculum for Excellent and Education Scotland goals, with partner schools embedding the project in their curriculum for future year groups.