Member Article

Young Engineers aim for winning formula

Fast track careers beckon for students who have designed and built a racing car which will be put to the test in an International competition at Silverstone in July. The Formula Student team from the University of Sunderland, SURacing, presented their 2008 car to sponsors at an event this week to highlight the ‘Journey into Engineering’ from primary school and secondary school.

The 2008 car is the fifth car SURacing have designed, built and tested in the region and is the most sophisticated leg of the engineering journey.

Geoff Clack, Education and Training Co-ordinator at event hosts EEF Northern, said: “This whole project is an excellent route to developing the wider competences of a professional engineer, those involved develop skills in financial management, project management, team building and working to a tight schedule.”

The more ambitious students can embark on a two year programme, from the age of 14 that offers engineering qualifications. The Young Apprentice Scheme, run by Les Brown from EEF Northern, offers practical, real world, experience as they wrok as an engineering apprentice in a North East company. The most recent group of young apprentices to complete their programme exceeded government targets with 100% achieving 2 GCSEs in engineering.

Les Brown said: “The scheme attracts above average ability pupils in year nine to pursue a course in engineering that maintains the requirements of the national curriculum. These young apprentices then become work ready, which is what employers value and they then have the opportunity to take the fast track to becoming the leaders of the engineering industry of the future.”

Companies wishing to sponsor the University of Sunderland Formula Student team should contact Julie Liddle, Formula Student, at julie.e.liddle@sunderland.ac.uk.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .