Motorsports event at Silverstone opens doors to low-income young people
Social mobility charity upReach launches programme for underrepresented young people to pursue careers in motorsports and engineering.
On 4th February, 61 university students from low-income backgrounds visited the iconic Silverstone Museum for a day of learning, networking, and skills development. The free event in Towcester was organised by upReach, in partnership with Sir Lewis Hamilton’s Charitable Foundation, Mission 44, with the aim of helping attendees to explore diverse career opportunities in motorsports and automotive engineering.
Event activities included a panel Q&A with industry professionals, which raised interesting questions such as how to navigate this male-dominated industry as a woman, as well as a workshop on writing stand-out CVs to make a good first impression in the competitive job market.
There was also a networking lunch, with the valuable opportunity to connect with professionals and employers from leading motorsport teams, including Aston Martin F1 and McLaren.
Finally, attendees explored the museum exhibitions, caught a rare glimpse of a test run on the Silverstone track, and attempted their own race in miniature, on the Scalextric course.
Motorsports is a growing industry in the UK, centered around ‘Motorsports Valley’ in the Midlands and Oxfordshire, which is home to over 4,000 motorsports-related employers. The wider engineering sector makes up 18% of the UK workforce, with growing demand for workers, making it a desirable career path for many young professionals.
Nick Bent, upReach CEO, said “Motorsports is such an important industry in the UK, and we’re thrilled to be working with Mission 44 and other motorsport experts to support students to access careers in this sector. Our partnership has opened doors to young people from lower socio-economic backgrounds, with events like this offering the chance to build their confidence, speak to role models, and help them see this as a viable career path for their future.”
Melissa Brookfield, a student who attended the event, commented, “It was incredibly valuable to hear about the various potential paths into motorsports, both including and aside from the common engineering routes. It was particularly reassuring to hear that many of the professionals did not have a direct path into the sport, and that some of their opportunities arose unexpectedly through alternative pathways.”
The Silverstone event marked the second year of the partnership between upReach and Mission 44. This collaboration offers career coaching, industry events, and work experience placements at key motorsports employers, improving access for undergraduates from low-income backgrounds to engineering and technology careers.
Students on the Motorsports programme are offered 1-to-1 coaching, tailored CV and application reviews, interview and assessment centre preparation, the chance to access exclusive internships, and more. UK undergraduate students can apply for the programme here.