The innovative Gen+ programme, which encourages pupils across Scotland to be all they can be, continues to break new ground.  

Now in its second year, the Gen+ programme is introducing a first-of-its-kind Continuous Professional Development (CPD) course for secondary schoolteachers jointly created with the University of Strathclyde Business School. The course is fully funded by the Scottish Funding Council.

The online course, entitled Gen+ Teach Leadership Course, is an innovative extension of the Gen+ programme, which is building meta-skills capacity for every pupil and teachers across Scotland, aims to equip and inspire the next generation of young Scots to have the skills and confidence to learn, lead, and thrive.

The one-year course offers three modules – Leadership, Communication and Collaboration, Resilience and Wellbeing – over three terms. The course is aligned with the General Teaching Council for Scotland, and the hours of study will count towards teachers’ CPD for the year.

The course which gives teachers the opportunity to learn remotely at the Strathclyde Business School has proved immensely attractive to both primary and secondary teachers, who can work through the materials at a time and place that suits their timetables.

Victoria Vardy, CEO of Gen+, said: “We have been delighted at the response from the teaching profession to this valuable initiative, in which the Business School brings best practices in leadership and communication to teachers, all of whom are natural leaders.

It is open to teachers in all schools which, now and in the future, will be offering the Gen+ programme, and they are being encouraged to form their own learning groups to discuss and reflect on their experiences in this radical and inspiring opportunity.”

She added: “We would also like to thank the University of Strathclyde for its support with this tailor-made course, which includes the first teacher CPD modules to be delivered by the highly-respected and influential Business School.”

Professor Phil Considine, the Director of Executive Development at Strathclyde Business School has contributed decades of leadership teaching insights to the course.

He said: “From my work with businesses of all shapes and sizes, I know first-hand the importance businesses are placing on leadership and meta-skills.

By taking the knowledge we have gained from working with different businesses and embedding it into this course, there will be a direct impact on pupils:  teachers will be better equipped to teach and model these in-demand skills to help their pupils reach their full leadership potential.”