Championing Autodesk in Scottish education

Motherwell College has been appointed to champion Autodesk products in Scottish education.

Autodesk has recently announced the appointment of Motherwell College as the Lead Centre for Autodesk 2D and 3D design education and training developments in the Scottish Qualification Authority's Digital Media and ICT Vendor Alliance (DIVA) Programme.

The DIVA initiative aims to enrich and expand Scottish qualifications and provide students with industry recognised skills.

Motherwell College will build on their well-established links with Autodesk to create tailor-made materials for Scottish education and will work with other colleges and schools to ensure opportunities for using the new materials spread across Scotland quickly and effectively.

The move follows the signing of a three year non-exclusive Memorandum of Understanding between Autodesk and SQA in January 2007 to collaborate on Scottish education and training awards.

Autodesk 2D and 3D design software tools are already used in Scottish education for curriculum delivery and are widely used in Scotland's rapidly growing digital and creative industries, which according to Scottish Enterprise are currently valued at GBP2.8 billion Gross Value Add.

The agreement with SQA covers customisation of Autodesk learning materials for the Scottish curriculum and collaboration on new or modified qualifications, as well as associated professional development for Scottish teachers and lecturers.

Alistair Brook, Autodesk Education Manager for Europe, Middle East and Africa, said: "We have been working with Motherwell College for many years and we are looking forward to working with them in the future as they help us align the curriculum materials closer to the needs of the SQA, along with Scottish schools and colleges.

"Autodesk has made significant new investments in education recently and we recognise the impact that design software tools can have from the age of 11 upwards in secondary schools.

We are looking to provide the tools to younger and younger generations and our work with SQA in Scotland is a key part of that development".

Gordon Rodgers, Business Manager for Vocational Qualifications Development in SQA, said: "Scotland's manufacturing and construction industries need people to enter the job market who are skilled in the latest 2D and 3D design tools.

We recognise that the development of these vocational skills relevant to industry requirements needs to start earlier in schools and colleges.

Autodesk is an industry-standard and their Inventor and Revit tools could map onto our courses very well as they engage students in real-world learning ready for the world of work".

Head of Creative Arts, Media and Design at Motherwell College, David McShane, was delighted with the move to put his college at the heart of curriculum development with Autodesk.

"Industry is looking to students coming through because they have got the knowledge of the new technology and new approaches to it.

They are going to companies and saying 'let me show you this'.

This development with Autodesk through the SQA DIVA Programme is good for the college and good for industry in Scotland".

For schools and colleges interested in learning more about Autodesk's Career Curriculum and Certification Programme integrated into the Scottish curriculum please contact Pat.Robb@sqa.org.uk.

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