The National 4 and 5 Design and Manufacture courses allow Students’ to develop knowledge and skills enabling them to appreciate, contribute and adapt to the diverse opportunities offered in design and manufacturing industries.

Candidates develop creative and practical skills by designing and making solutions to real problems. In addition, they gain an understanding of the impact of design and manufacture on everyday life.

The course encourages Students’ to take a broad view of design and manufacture, through making decisions and taking responsibility for their own actions, generating and developing ideas, applying knowledge, and justifying decisions. These transferrable skills place candidates in a strong position regardless of the career path they choose. Students develop skills in critical thinking, analysis, creativity and communication.

Useful Link:  SQA website https://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/45647.html

Higher Design and Manufacture provides a broad and practical experience in product design and manufacture. It provides opportunities for students to gain skills in designing and communicating proposals to resolve real life problems and adapt to the diverse opportunities offered in design and manufacturing industries.

Throughout the course, the close relationship between designing, making, testing, and refining design ideas is highlighted to show students how designers and design teams operate. There are opportunities for students to apply practical skills and an understanding of the properties and uses of materials and manufacturing processes. It does so in a way that allows students to inform and refine their own design proposals. It offers them opportunities to explore design alternatives and to consider the manufacturing practicalities that these design alternatives bring to light.

The course combines elements of creativity and designing for aesthetic or visual impact with elements of designing for the practicalities of manufacturing. It helps the learner appreciate the importance to a product of form, function, and performance. It helps them develop strategies for the evaluation of these attributes and to refine and resolve their designs accordingly. Students consider the various factors that impact on a product’s design. They will consider the life cycle of a product from its inception through design, manufacture, and use, including its disposal and environmental impact/or re-use.

Useful Link:  SQA website  https://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/45647.html

Advanced Higher Design and Manufacture will allow students to explore the multi-faceted world of product design and manufacturing in an increasingly commercial and industrialised context.

The course focuses on creativity and innovation in the contexts of product design and manufacture. Students will have opportunities to make good use of their knowledge and skills already obtained across their learning experiences.

The challenges and activities for learning in the course encourage learners to become successful, responsible and creative in their use of design and manufacturing skills and technologies, and to continue to acquire and develop the attributes and capabilities of the four capacities, including: creativity, flexibility and adaptability; enthusiasm and a willingness to learn; perseverance, independence and resilience; responsibility and reliability; and confidence and enterprise. In addition, a course of this nature should prepare the learner to be able to understand the effects of design and manufacturing decisions, and promote self-awareness and responsibilities in environmental stewardship. Through these challenges and activities, learners should find learning an enjoyable and engaging experience.

Useful Link: SQA website https://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/48446.html