Scotland - education

ICE Scotland offer a range of educational activities for schools and resources for careers events.
Provision of these intiatives varies across Scotland depending on the availability of volunteers.
If you are a teacher interested in booking an activity please contact the ICE Scotland office.

In your region

Find out more about some of the activities we run and support across Scotland.

Whilst we do our best to accommodate all requests, activities are dependent upon volunteers being available. If you'd like more information or want to book an activity then please contact us.

School activities

Flood Risk Activity (first & second level)

This classroom based activity introduces primary school pupils to the idea that civil engineers work in our communities to help prevent flooding. The pupils learn about land use and sustainable urban drainage using easily sourced materials.

Giant Tetrahedron (second level)

A fun activity which uses maths, science and teamwork skills to build a structure 4m high! Using simple materials, a P6/7 class can learn about civil engineering and work together to construct a 4m high tetrahedron - far bigger than any one of them could manage by themselves.

Rapid Response Engineering Challenge (third level)

The Rapid Response Engineering Challenge is an interdisciplinary, problem solving activity for S1/2 pupils, which challenges them to consider the engineering assistance required to restore basic life systems after a natural disaster. It is ideally suited to Curriculum for Excellence and links well with resilience education topics.

Civil Engineers - working towards Net-Zero: A careers presentation for senior pupils

In this short film Gavin, Julie, Mario and Erin will tell you about their careers as civil engineers. They’ll cover the wide variety of work involved, how what they do impacts climate change and tell you about the many routes into the profession.

This 11 minute presentation is aimed at senior school pupils in Scotland. If you have any further questions about civil engineering as a career, please get in touch with [email protected].

What is Civil Engineering: A careers presentation for senior pupils

Hear from Paul, Aaron & Josh about their careers as civil engineers. They’ll explain about some of the different branches of civil engineering and what they get out of the job.

This 14 minute careers presentation is aimed at senior school pupils in Scotland. If you have any further questions about civil engineering as a career, please get in touch with [email protected].

The Queensferry Crossing

The Queensferry Crossing was Scotland’s biggest transport infrastructure project in a generation and a vital connection in the country's transport network.

The 1.7 miles (2.7km) structure is the longest three-tower, cable-stayed bridge in the world and also the largest to feature cables which cross mid-span. This innovative design provides extra strength and stiffness, allowing the towers and the deck to be more slender and elegant.

The project used innovative methods and cutting-edge technology and materials to pioneer techniques in civil engineering and construction.

• The innovative cable arrangements provide strength and stiffness so the deck and towers can be narrow and elegant
• Wind shields almost entirely eliminate the need for closures during high winds
• Cables can be replaced without closing the bridge and dehumidification system prevents corrosion
• Thicker road surfacing with longer surface life which can be machine laid making it easier to replace
• An Intelligent Transport System (ITS) over 13.7 miles (22km) of 'managed motorway' help regulate the flow of traffic approaching and crossing the Forth. A first for Scotland.

What do you need to do to become a civil engineer?

If you're interested in a university or college course in civil engineering, it's important to make sure that the course you choose is 'accredited'. This means that it meets the Engineering Council's quality and curriculum standards.

Having accredited academic qualifications will make it easier for you to become professionally qualified as a chartered engineer (CEng), incorporated engineer (IEng), or engineering technician (EngTech). Use our course search to find accredited courses throughout the UK.

Opportunities in your region

ICE Scotland has strong links with further and higher education institutions that offer accredited engineering courses. Our Graduate and Student Committees across Scotland organise a wide range of events - many of which are free -  to encourage students to join in, and to develop their knowledge and skills. ICE Scotland has close ties with:

Universities

• The University of Aberdeen
• The University of Abertay
• Dundee University
• University of Edinburgh
• Edinburgh Napier University
• Glasgow Caledonian University
• University of Glasgow
• Heriot-Watt University
• University of Strathclyde
• University of the West of Scotland

Colleges

• Ayrshire College
• Dundee and Angus College
• Edinburgh College
• Fife College
• Forth Valley College
• Glasgow Clyde College
• Inverness College
• Glasgow Kelvin College
• North East Scotland College
• Perth College
• West College Scotland
• West Lothian College