Forres Academy students taking part in Powering Futures Schools Challenge 2025/26 with Scottish companies

Thirteen local pupils are working with industry mentors to develop solutions for energy, engineering, food and drink, and sustainable housing challenges.

The Forres Academy students are taking part in the ‘Powering Futures Schools Challenge 2025/26’ - a nationwide programme that brings schools and industry together to equip young people with skills, confidence and experience for work.

Biology teacher, Jacky Barrère, is leading the initiative at the school, helping 13 pupils research, develop and present solutions to challenges set by leading Scottish businesses.

She explained: “Powering Futures allows our pupils to see how the skills they are learning every day actually apply in the real world - from applying to university or college to gaining their first job.

“Industry mentors who support the pupils in school are hugely motivating. The challenge format gives young people confidence to share their ideas and problem-solve as a team.”

Powering Futures was started in 2020 to help young people develop skills, critical thinking and confidence for the workplace. The challenge programme tasks teams of S5 and S6 pupils with solving a problem set by industry and culminates with pupils presenting their creative solutions to a panel of industry judges.

At the end of the process, participants gain a SCQF Level 6 qualification, equivalent to a Scottish Higher.

This year, the choice of challenges are: design a campaign that reconnects people with local, sustainable seafood; design a town for 2500 new homes where heating is affordable, efficient and low carbon; create a nine-month timeline of experiences and events showcasing careers in clean energy; design a plan for moving the equipment and materials for new electricity infrastructure to a remote environment whilst minimising the impact; and design a community space using end-of-life shipping containers and sustainable materials.

These are backed by Seafood Scotland, Vital Energy, BAM and Siemens Energy, SSEN Transmission and BAE Systems.

Co-founder of Powering Futures, Jennifer Tempany, believes opening up career pathways to young people will shape a sustainable and prosperous future for Scotland.

She finished: “By connecting young people with Scottish industries in a hands-on way, we’re helping Scotland’s next generation explore exciting opportunities in energy, food and drink, engineering, technology and beyond.“