Inside Red Bull’s plan for future F1 domination with new education centre to train next generation of engineering talent
RED BULL RACING are out to catch the next Adrian Newey – after planning a new education centre at the team’s factory.
In an F1 first, the facility will be based at their Milton Keynes HQ and will welcome students between nine and 14.
It will aim to attract them to careers in engineering and follow design whizz Newey, who has won eleven Constructors’ Championships with three different F1 teams.
In association with the MK College Group, Red Bull want to use the popularity of the sport to encourage kids to study STEM [science, technology, engineering and maths] subjects at school.
The programme will have its own curriculum, making it a fun way of attracting students to STEM subjects beyond GCSE level.
Zoe Mills, Red Bull Racing‘s Head of Employee Experience, said: “The utopia for us is where we have someone come to an interview and we ask them why they want to work for us and they say ‘it is because I went to the education centre and that is what inspired me to continue with my STEM subjects’.
“That’s when we know we will really have made a difference.
“All the engineers are keen to get involved. For instance, if you look at our aerodynamics department, they will work with Milton Keynes College, who will break it down into a language that is easy to understand for nine-year-olds.”
MK College Group CEO and Group Principal, Sally Alexander, added: “It is about how you make those subjects relatable and exciting.
“Pupils might think they are dry subjects and not understand what engineering is, but if you come in and think you could be on the pitwall and that looks great, but in order to do that I have got to get my maths GCSE, then your motivation is high.
“It is about engaging young people and what that can mean to them in the future.”
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The new talent pipeline fits in with F1’s goal to increase diversity and inclusion within the sport.