BEAR led another successful year of inspiring the next generation of young engineers and highlighting the important role engineering and infrastructure play in everyday life.

Schools Education Programme

Almost 10,000 pupils from across Scotland took part in Transport Scotland’s Schools Education Programme during the 2025/26 academic year.

Between August 2025 and June 2026, the programme 239 school visits, reaching 9,826 learners across 28 of Scotland’s 32 local authority areas. Activities were delivered both in person and online, ensuring that young people from communities across the country could participate regardless of location.

A total of 5,317 learners visited the Contact and Education Centre at Queensferry in person, while 4,509 pupils joined virtual sessions delivered through the Developing the Young Workforce (DYW) Live programme in partnership with e-Sgoil and Education Scotland. A fifth of those reached were high school students.

Feedback from both teachers and pupils remained exceptionally positive throughout the year, with every teacher rating their visit as either “fantastic” or “exceptional”:

Teacher feedback:

• Carrick Knowe Primary School: “For the third year in a row, it was an excellent visit and cannot criticise any part of it.”
• Clovenstone Primary School: “The session was very hands on and encouraged the children to demonstrate team skills throughout.”

The continued success of the Transport Scotland Education Programme run by BEAR Scotland reflects a wider commitment to inspiring future generations and supporting skills development across Scotland.

Queensferry High School Partnership

Queensferry High School is close to BEAR’s South East Unit HQ. This year we supported the school in a number of ways. Firstly, we provided a £250 donation to its school garden planning project for plants and materials.

In April, two BEAR employees, including a Queensferry High School former pupil who is currently a graduate apprentice at BEAR, attended the Queensferry High School STEM Careers event, using eight volunteer hours between them.

We also undertook ‘Meaningful May’ Virtual work experience initiative with Queensferry High School. Twelve pupils were involved and a total of 12 volunteer hours were used by four BEAR employees to deliver the project.

Biodiversity push from Melrose Primary Pupils

In May, we attended a virtual session with St Mary’s Primary School in Melrose as well as Greener Melrose and Bright Green Nature in relation to enhancing biodiversity on road verges, planting wildflowers and carrying out less mowing where safe. We look forward to meeting with the group again in Autumn.