14 replies to this topic

[scarbs]

With the time I spend on these forums and fromresponses to my atricles in TechnicalF1.com, I get to knwo alot of Students and engineers trying to break into to F1 or the related motorsport industry.
The reason for this thread is, how many forum members are seriously trying to get a career going in f1 ? if so what courses are they attending or what experience are they gaining to make it. I find may would F1 engineers suffer from because of a lack of knowledge or contacts in the industry. while there are many people I meet in the business that would be pleased to help.
May be there is the need to have a forum or Web site or community (oh I hate that word) dedicated to actually directing and advising these engineers into a career in f1. For drivers there is a career ladder (albeit a tough one) already laid out for them, some of these programmes have sponsorship and supoprt form the teams. The back office workers suffer from having no path to follow.
Has any one constructive comment on this...?

[JohnE]

Scarbs

I agree with your idea of having some kind of employement section.
I decided to go back to school for what started as Mechanical Engineering but after I started to follow F1 I decided to change to Aeronautical Engineering and focus on Aerodynamics. I am planning to transfer to a different college here in the US that concentrates more on Aerodynamics and get involved in the schools SAE car program, (its a program where you design a small open wheel car). What are you or anyone elses thoughts as I am open to recomendations on different schools or other ideas

[condor]

There was a job in our local paper this week for BAR, for a wind-tunnel technician and CAD designer - but when I mentioned about posting it in chat - was told all the jobs are advertised in Autosport.
So guess you have to look there
Alternatively, the jobs are advertised on the teams web sites

[SennaVsProst]

Im a ME student as well... and after graduation I plan on interning at one of the teams where my Dad happens to have connections, and this is after graduating with an engineering degree! Ill be sweeping floors, but if Im lucky, and maybe I will I could be helping out with some of the basics of the team functions in a few months, and then hopefully train in house for some more serious work, make use of the degree... so im crossing my fingers. By the way for Formula SAE which is a great program I hope to finish my degree at UC Davis just for that reason alone, unless I can convince UCLA to start one of their own.

[JohnE]

Actually is there anyone out there who has an Aeronautics degree and works in motor sports doing Aerodynamic design work that I could run some questions by?

[Jezztor]

JohnE : I am not yet doing aeronautical engineering, but thats what i plan to do or start at the end of next year. My email is jezztor@yahoo.com, you're welcome to ask questions and ill answer to the best of my ability.

Scarbs, as i said in an email, the idea definitely is a good one. It can get big, real big. I would very much like to help out with it in every way possible...so if I can offer anything, please take it up!

Jezz

[AndyM]

Great thread Scarbs. I produced a page on my website a couple of months ago along a similar theme.

F1Mech.com Careers Page

I have put links to colleges and universities that have been singled out by a number of teams, and there is info about Formula Student and other sucj initiatives.

I know Scarbs has been indirectly involved in F1 before but, but for those who are looking at it here is my current state of affairs: I am looking at getting into Formula 1 (you would never have guessed it by my web page now would you...;) ) and I have started on the bottom rung of the ladder by working for Team MDR (Martin Donnelly Racing) in Formula Ford over the holidays. I have attended various race meetings so far and have really been able to get my hands dirty as they say. I did have an offer from a Formula 3 team but that was more of a 'stand around and make tea' kind of affair which did not really interest me. I guess what I am trying to say is if you are looking at scaling the ladder, put your foot in the door and try and get some some work with a team near the bottom of the ladder. I am not getting paid for what I do, but its the learning aspect and the enjoyment that I do it for. Off to Thruxton this weekend - can't wait!

Thats my 2$ anyway!

Andy

[naes]

I am at university studying aeronautical engineering and french and am adding other languages to this as the years go by, as F1 is so international it seems that languages would be a major thing. I eventually will work as a technical director (aka Newey).

As for getting into F1 I saw the most fun way as working as a race engineer in lower formulae, this lets me go all around the world, learning languages, meeting people, making contacts and having fun from the start.

A lot of these courses like Reynard's I don't think are very useful, I think a better thing to do is to travel and gain life experience during my holidays, though I will be attending lots of racesnext year as I'm now allowed my car at university.

In addition to this I'm in my university karting team and go 1 or 2 times a week and will be working on the formula SAE project next year.

Also I have a few potential contacts, a team owner lives 20 minutes from where I live and a daughter of a team owner and another daughter of a high-ranking F1 worker goes to my university.

Séan

[Sid]

I was too the part of the Formula SAE team in the University of Michigan, I think they won the solar car race in australia in 98 , but anyways here is my question, I have a BS in computer engineering (did allright i guess, gotta a cum laude), but have just realized that computers don't interest me?

I guess better late than never , I want to get into to racing in some capacity, (eg. business development, sponsorship, finance, marketing, or something) but how do I approach companies without any contacts

any suggestions??

PS: Does not have to Formula 1

[scarbs]

Here is my outline for a proposed site to provide support to potential motorpsort engineers. I'll happily do alot of the research with universities & manufacturers and seek some sponsorship for the site. Is there some one seriously willing to help build a site to manage this....?

Motorsport Engineers Portal Site

Outline
Provided for students and engineers seeking work in Motorsport. Focussed not simply F1 teams, but all related racecar manufactirers and suppliers. From explaining the roles available in Motorsport to understanding the skills required to fulfil that role. Selecting the correct graduate or vendor courses and detailing the places providing these course. Outlining the manufacturers requirements and policies on recruitment. A forum for members to support each other on any of the preceding topics, also members can provide feedback on all of the courses listed. A CV exchange where members can securely record their skills and experience for selected Manufacturer HR departments to search for possible recruitment.
In the future the site can provide a forum for people in the business to air views and highlight areas for further training and emerging technology.



Site would provide:

Information on relevant courses in current Motorsport technologies
Insight into what skills and experience are required to work for teams
Insight into what technology teams are using
Specific job descriptions for roles in teams
A forum for students and job seekers to exchange knowledge
A database of interested students or job seekers skillsexperience for manufacturers to access

Detail of pages

Courses at Universities

Relevant courses listed by category
Link to the Course prospectus
Link to the University contact details
Feedback from current and past students


Software applications

Applications listed by category
Detail of applications function
Link to technical papers on application
Link to the Course prospectus
Link to the training centres contact details
List of manufacturers using it
Feedback from current and past students


Courses on Software

Courses listed by category
Course prospectus
Contact details
Feedback from current and past students


Manufacturers (F1 teams, other race car manufacturers and suppliers)

Positions available
Software in use
IT infrastructure
Technical Infrastructure
Names of HR contacts
Graduate recruitment policy
Non graduate recruitment policy
Feedback from new employees at the team


Job descriptions
Lists of job roles and skillsexperience required


CV Board
CV’s of members for team and member access


Forum

Q&A on Motorsport on career building
Q&A on Degree courses
Q&A on Software applications
Open forum on information on manufacturers

[AndyM]

Scarbs, I would like to get involved if possible. I am currently involved with making a small magazine promoting motorsport engineering to school-leaver age teenagers, which is being published by one of my friends. I am being used as one of the case studies. Current feedback from the publishers after their research is that there are plenty of jobs going for students fresh out of University, and there are obviously plenty of recent Uni graduates who have their sights set on a carreer in motorsport, it seems there is a bit of a lack of communication between the universites and the companies involved in motorsport at the moment. I will be working with Ricardo on my 4th year engineering project, so I guess I will be able to get a bit of an insight into the employment problems/possibilities etc that may/may not exost at the moment.

The mag is being published with the help of the MSA and will be an official publication, and has people such as Pat Symmonds from Benetton involved I believe. It is still in it's infancy at the moment, but information from here would be very useful to the suggested website project.

I have some webspace which could be used if necessary, and I would be willing to build a site to hold all of the information.

Its a great idea and I think it should be pursued further. Any other thoughts??

Andy

[lustigson]

Scarbs, it sounds like a very good idea. I'm not a technically oriented motorsports fan myself, but more interested -- and educated, more or less -- in the commercial side of it. I've had a number of idea's on how to use the internet for motorsports initiatives and teams themselves and this looks very good.

[Jezztor]

Scarbs

I seem to think there are very few south african's on this forum, from the South African point of view, I have many contacts which i could talk to for sponsorship too. I know many would be interested including Anglo Gold, one of SA's biggest groups. I may be able to talk to some F1 people from who we could get articles, advice and maybe even help in setting up. I can get a huge 45mb pipeline for a website for a very good price (around 50 UK Pounds a year). My cousin could help design as she is highly skilled in Java, HTML, Maya and many other programs and website applications. I could also try get stuff published promoting our site, and talk to mechanics etc who would be willing to help too.

You have my email.
Jezz

[Sid]

BTW, this should be a sticky thread

lustigson Scarbs, it sounds like a very good idea. I'm not a technically oriented motorsports fan myself, but more interested -- and educated, more or less -- in the commercial side of it. I've had a number of idea's on how to use the internet for motorsports initiatives and teams themselves and this looks very good.

ditto

[lustigson]

Folks,

I'll be on vacation from tomorrow afternoon, but I might be very interested in co-operating on this subject. Could anyone of you keep my kind of up to date in the next two weeks? I would appreciate it very much. My email address is, I believe, in my profile, but just to be sure: christiaan@lustig.nl.

Thanks!;)