Designed for Life

This is the official podcast of the Design and Technology Association. 'Designed for life' aims to entertain, inform and inspire, bringing the worlds of business and industry together. Design and Technology is a wide-ranging curriculum subject that, along with qualifications in other facilitating subjects, can open doors to students across an ever-increasing breadth of career. England was the first country in the world to introduce this subject to its mainstream curriculum offer in 1988. Where we led others, have followed and in various guises, it is now taught in countries around the world including India, Australia, China, USA, France and Finland. This podcast consists of a series of short, informal conversations with people from across the worlds of education, industry and design. The intention is to help to link business, industry and education, as the solutions to tomorrows problems are being educated today!

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Designed for Life

Designed for Life, in conversation with Phil Cotton - Learn by Layers

August 21, 2026 • Tony Ryan • Season 6 • Episode 5

0:00 | 50:34

3D printing has gone from strength to strength in recent years within UK schools and is now firmly established as one of the major tools used by students to fast prototype.

The majority of D&T departments now have at least one printer, and with the market now dominated by Bambu Lab, these new machines are making 3D printing available to all (including many students now having their own machines at home); it is clear that the use of 3D printing will continue to grow and develop within education.

Phil Cotton saw an opportunity some years ago, and, as a teacher and Head of Department, was an early adopter of 3D printing. As he used it more in his own school and shared his experiences online, he noticed other teachers reaching out for help and advice...in this way, Learn by Layers, an online 3D printing educational platform, was born.

Over the years, the platform has grown and developed into a small business supporting educational printing worldwide. A Bambu curriculum was added as Phil adapted the content to meet teachers' needs and requests.

LearnBylayers provides ready-to-teach 3D printing resources for schools and is currently taught in over 1500 schools in 33 countries.

We pick up this conversation as Phil readies himself to diversify his online offering into online revision, supporting STEM subjects with the release of the Studylayers platform (more information within the pod). As we prepare for the start of a new term, grab your earpods, grab a tea or coffee, put your feet up for 50 minutes, and listen to Designed for Life, in conversation with teacher and founder of Learn by Layers, Phil Cotton.

www.learnbylayers.com

Studylayers link

https://www.learnbylayers.com/studylayers/