Kirsty is the Senior Education Officer for Technologies and Digital at Education Scotland. She leads a team of 6 Education Officers who support local authorities, schools and teachers across Scotland.
She has worked for Education Scotland for over 12 years & led significant reviews & changes to the Technologies curriculum. She works with numerous stakeholders in & out of the education sector from National Cyber Security Centre & GCHQ to Daydream Believers so Scottish schools, teachers & learners get the best possible support for Computing Science, Craft, Design, Engineering & Graphics, Business Education, Digital Literacy & Digital Learning and Teaching.
First career aspiration as a child?
I come from a family of educators so I was always on the path to be part of the education system in one way or another. However, I really didn’t know what I wanted to teach. Chemistry, Maths & finally settling on becoming a Craft, Design & Technology teacher. My Primary 7 report card has a comment from the Head teacher which states she expects to see me in parliament someday….. I suppose, in way I did end up in that space.
What would you tell your teenage self?
It will all be ok! I’ve always taken risks but they have been pretty calculated. Leaving school at the start of S6 (while my parents were on holiday & weren’t aware) to start a teaching degree at 17 years old, moving from Edinburgh to Aberdeen for a 6 week job after graduating & then moving back to Edinburgh 15 years later to take a 2 year secondment with Scottish Government as a Senior Advisor for Determined to Succeed(I had no real idea what the role was & what I would be doing but it was definitely not like working in a Design and Technology department).
Biggest challenge?
Definitely being a mom & wanting to keep working full time. Trying to get a work/life balance was a struggle when I first had my son, which was also when I started at Education Scotland. Working for a national agency means a lot of travelling & the support of my wider family was the only way I could do both. I made mistakes, worked too many hrs, didn’t prioritise myself & most of all kept saying ‘yes’ when I really couldn’t do anymore, but we learn & along with having a bigger team I think I’ve managed to get a good work life balance (it just took about 7 to 10 years).
Biggest inspiration?
I can’t pick one as I think “it takes a village to raise a child”. I’ve been lucky enough to have a supportive family & colleagues throughout my career & who I have been able to learn from, who have challenged my thinking & encouraged me to always keeping learning, thinking & being creative.
What is your spirit animal?
I think it would be a dolphin. I’ve always loved the water & I think the tv programme Flipper was one of my childhood favourites. Flipper was always there to support & help but couldn’t do it on his own.