Story Highlight
– UK motorsport employers partner with social mobility charity.
– Fifteen low-income students gained hands-on motorsport experience.
– Diverse roles included engineering, design, and commercial functions.
– Bursaries provided to remove financial barriers for students.
– Initiative enhances access and diversity in motorsports careers.
Full Story
Fifteen undergraduates from low-income backgrounds have successfully completed work experience placements within the UK motorsport industry, a development that highlights the sector’s commitment to enhancing social mobility.
This initiative saw students gain practical experience at leading organizations during the summer, including Silverstone, Mercedes HPP, Lola Cars, Power Maxed Racing, and Brick Kiln Composites, located in the renowned Motorsports Valley. The variety of roles offered, ranging from engineering and design to operations and commercial roles, underscores the diverse career trajectories available within the industry. In addition, each participant received a bursary aimed at alleviating financial challenges, thereby broadening access to these placements for a more diverse group of young people.
The placements resulted from a collaboration between upReach, a prominent social mobility charity, and Mission 44, the charitable foundation established by Sir Lewis Hamilton. This partnership marked a significant expansion, introducing motorsports into upReach’s Exclusive Work Experience Opportunities program for the first time. Oscar Feeney, Partnership Manager, remarked, “These placements aren’t just about giving students a glimpse behind the scenes. They’re about providing young people from underrepresented backgrounds with the networks, skills, and confidence to build genuine careers in motorsports – an industry that has historically been difficult to access.”
Brick Kiln Composites, which hosted eight students, expressed their enthusiasm for supporting this initiative, stating, “We are excited to support upReach in providing opportunities to those in our community that often don’t see themselves represented in the automotive and Formula 1 industry. We look forward to challenging ourselves to offer more opportunities to the communities that support and surround us in the future.”
Each year, upReach’s Exclusive Work Experience program allows undergraduates from disadvantaged backgrounds to gain insights and develop professional skills across various sectors. The recent inclusion of motorsport roles reflects not only the charity’s expanding outreach but also the industry’s growing acknowledgment that talent is present in all communities, not just among those with established connections.
For students aspiring to careers in motorsport, where access is often reliant on personal networks or unpaid internships, such programs can be life-changing. Thanush Thavabalan, a second-year Mechanical Engineering student from the University of Bath, described his enriching experience at Lola Cars: “Before my experience week through upReach, I had limited exposure to Motorsport Engineering. However, from the moment I arrived at Lola Cars, I began building confidence in my understanding of technical concepts. Being immersed in a professional motorsport environment helped me connect theory to real-world applications. The team was incredibly supportive, and I gained valuable insights into engineering design, materials, and performance-driven problem-solving. This experience not only strengthened my technical foundation but also confirmed my passion for pursuing a career in the motorsport industry.”
The significance of quality work experience cannot be overstated, as it plays a critical role in determining graduate employment outcomes. Research by the Sutton Trust indicates that students from working-class backgrounds are significantly less likely to secure internships compared to their middle-class counterparts, with an alarming increase in the gap since 2018. The situation is exacerbated by the prevalence of unpaid or underpaid roles; in 2024, 61% of internships fell into these categories, effectively excluding those unable to support themselves without a salary.
Data from upReach reveals a stark contrast in career trajectories based on work experience. Among students who completed exclusive internships through the charity, 69.8% secured graduate roles, compared to only 43.9% of those who did not partake—a substantial difference of 26 percentage points that can alter future career paths significantly.
As the motorsport industry evolves, leaders within the field are increasingly recognizing that a diverse workforce enhances innovation and competitiveness. Collaborations with organizations such as Mission 44 are pivotal in ensuring that the future workforce in motorsports mirrors the full diversity of UK talent. Employers and students interested in upcoming work experience placements are encouraged to visit the upReach website for further details.
