Dr Emma Bolger

The initial findings of our landmark research project exploring the career advantages of Gaelic Medium Education (GME) will be presented for the first time at the Rannsachadh na Gàidhlig conference this week. The project, led by myself and Ann Morrison, and titled Gaelic Medium Education: A career advantage for school leavers in Scotland? , investigates what senior phase pupils perceive as the added value of Gaelic and how equipped they are to capitalise on these advantages. The study also surveyed young adults aged 17–25 who had been through GME, to explore its relevance to their career outcomes. Independently funded by the Carnegie Trust for the Universities of Scotland, the research reveals that immersive Gaelic education delivers positive, long-term impacts. Key Findings Career advantages: Young people believe GME provides clear, tangible benefits that enhance employability, career opportunities and overall wellbeing Impact: Benefits were recorde...

We are now halfway through our month of data collection for our major project exploring the career planning and career outcomes of Gaelic medium education (GME) pupils in Scotland ( https://linktr.ee/gmecareers ). This article is an update for stakeholders and wider interested parties on the fieldwork so far. If the project is new to you, here is a quick summary: the purpose of the study is to explore the benefit of Gaelic medium education for young people’s careers. We are exploring senior phase (S4-S6) pupils' perceptions of the career benefits of GME and the impact of GME on the early career decisions of GME school leavers aged 17-25.  Our online survey targeted at young adults aged 16-25, who have left GME within the last 8 years, launched on 1st September 2025. Our first respondent was a recent GME leaver, whose Gaelic language skills helped them to secure a highly competitive Modern Apprenticeship, so that was a great start! We took a soft start, by promoting the survey throu...