IN December, Chris Aylett, Chief Executive of the Motorsport Industry Association opened the National College for Motorsport’s new, purpose-built £1.5m unit.
The new facility will enable the college to expand its specialist training to an additional 240 students and apprentices by 2021 at the world famous Silverstone race track.
The National College for Motorsport, operated by Tresham College of Further and Higher Education, trains full-time students and apprentices from across the UK for a career as race mechanics at one of the UK’s most prestigious venues.
Past students have gone on to work with a range of motorsport champions across the world including Formula One teams like Williams, Renault, Team Haas, Red Bull, Force India, Manor and Mercedes, where they prepare cars for competition at Grand Prix races around the world.
The new 7,500 square foot facility is at Silverstone Park – the high-tech engineering business estate located next to the Silverstone Formula One circuit, being developed by property manager MEPC. It has fully equipped workshops and classrooms and flexible learning and exhibition space to ensure that the space is suitable to combine the practical and theoretical training of full-time students and apprentices.
The design was created and project managed by GSS Architecture and worked on by Kier Construction, built by Silverstone Parks.
David Higham, Vice Principal at Tresham College of Further and Higher Education said:
“We are delighted to have been able to expand our provision at the National College for Motorsport at Silverstone following the fantastic success achieved by our staff and students since we established the specialist training in 2003.
“Our investment is not just in the building itself but also in the cars our students work on such as Formula Renaults that are currently being raced across Europe. We will continue to develop our curriculum over the next few years in partnership with industry and ensure that we produce the talent that employers want in the future.”
Chris Aylett, CEO at the Motorsport Industry Association said: “The unique National College for Motorsport has helped many young people begin their journey in an industry which they love, and which will reward them well in future. The primary reason the UK is the best in the world of motorsport engineering is the quality of our people, and for many years this college has delivered the best. This investment ensures their students will get the very best start in life for years to come and is to be welcomed.”
For more information about the courses and opportunities at the National College for Motorsport visit www.nc4m.ac.uk Contact Tresham College of Further and Higher Education on 0345 658 8990 or visit www.tresham.ac.uk