Motorsport apprenticeships

[ellis427]

Hi,

wondering if anyone can help me or put me on the right track. I've finsihed all schooling and always been a huge motorsport fan, and now i'm looking to be part of motorsport. Want an apprenticeship if possible with a team in kent. However really struggling to find anything, let alone any available spaces on the internet.
So is there any websites, forums, information anyone knows that may help me? Even better anyone on here can offer me an apprenticeship?

Thanks

matt

[nsmith1180]

You really are in the wrong part of the country IMHO. Most bigger teams, like your RMLs and the like are based Milton Keynes, Northampton and upwards. If you can get up that far on a daily basis then RML are Northants, they do the Silverline Chevy for the BTCC and the WTCC cruize too, Thorney Motorsport are Milton Keynes, dont konw what racing they are involved in tho.

Heading south, Sumopower are in East Sussex, all depends on where in Kent you are really

[anonymous-user]

Trackspeed are based in Surrey and there are a few teams in essex i.e Chad Racing, Ctr-ltd etc. Good luck in your quest for a career in Motorsport its a hard industry to get into and there are fewer jobs each year. Just work hard, dont say no to any oppertunity and show willingness to learn and you will get far.

[456lbft]

There are quite a few teams based around Brands, and other specialist car companies, including MSV at the circuit itself. Good to know that you have your family's support, because you'll need it on the wages you're likely to be offered. Experience is what counts, and hard, hard work.

[ellis427]

Thanks alot guys for the replies.

I'm west kent so essex and the like arn't millions of miles away, so i may have to look into some of the teams in that area.
Everyones looking for experience, which unfortunately i don't have however i will be putting everything i have into getting that, and moving myself up the motorsport ladder. Just hard getting the first step done.

thanks again

[mad4amanda]

There are loads of teams around brands: motorbase and jamun spring to mind plus lots of smaller operations like Autosport PA motorsport etc why not come up on a test day like tomorrow or friday when all the teams for the Formula ford festival are in , try talking to the race office for a list of the teams in that day and ask if he knows where they are based?

[ellis427]

mad4amanda said:

There are loads of teams around brands: motorbase and jamun spring to mind plus lots of smaller operations like Autosport PA motorsport etc why not come up on a test day like tomorrow or friday when all the teams for the Formula ford festival are in , try talking to the race office for a list of the teams in that day and ask if he knows where they are based?

Good thinking, will try to get along to this.

[Piglet]

So what have you actually done so far? You say you're a huge motorsport fan and you've been on PH for over a year so what have you done to further your ambition?

Have you been to a circuit, talked to teams and offered to wash wheels, make tea, carry things etc? Have you been back week after week to persuade someone to give you a chance? If not why not? Have you signed up as a marshal to give yourself chance to get closer to the action and to make contacts that might turn out to be useful? If not why not?

That's not just me being belligerent, that's what you're going to have to explain to any team that you want to work for. There are hoards of people who want to work in motorsport, some of them have lots of experienced gained on an unpaid basis. Many more of them have never done anything and are waiting for a job to pay their way...I know who I'd employ

You don't actually say what you want to do within Motorsport?

[ellis427]

Piglet said:

So what have you actually done so far? You say you're a huge motorsport fan and you've been on PH for over a year so what have you done to further your ambition?

Have you been to a circuit, talked to teams and offered to wash wheels, make tea, carry things etc? Have you been back week after week to persuade someone to give you a chance? If not why not? Have you signed up as a marshal to give yourself chance to get closer to the action and to make contacts that might turn out to be useful? If not why not?

That's not just me being belligerent, that's what you're going to have to explain to any team that you want to work for. There are hoards of people who want to work in motorsport, some of them have lots of experienced gained on an unpaid basis. Many more of them have never done anything and are waiting for a job to pay their way...I know who I'd employ

You don't actually say what you want to do within Motorsport?

You raise a very arguement there sir.

I have attened hundreds of events, spoken to many a mechanic, driver and member of a team on how to get started and there recommendations. But yes your right i could do much more when it comes to talking to people and making sure i'm an option. Problem is when at an event i find myself drawn to the racing!

Yes experience is the most important thing which unfortunately i don't have, but if it meant working for a year and abit to get that without much pay i would do it. Got to start at the very bottom but eventually it will be worth it in the long run.

What do i want to do within motorsport. Well always the driver ! realistically though i've been thinking a technician, mechanic really anything i get my hands on, as theres not to much about at the moment.

[Piglet]

Sounds to me like you're trying to land "a job" and I'd hazard a guess that there are very few "jobs" around (in motorsport as well as the rest of the world) and those that there are and that get advertised (and I suspect that very few jobs get advertised) probably go to those who have further qualifications in the relevant engineering and automobile/motorsport subjects and experience.

IMV (and others may have other views) you need to get on the ground and offer to help out, not to ask for a "job" at this stage, but offer to do the menial stuff for a low (or no!) budget team at weekends - that is likely to involve you needing to fund yourself to go to the various circuits around the country that the teams go to. Treat it as a hobby and gain some experience.

Very few teams have budgets, most motorsport in this country is carried out by teams and individuals who don't have any money and can't afford to pay you or even to fund your travel.

If you do get to the stage of having a proper paid job in motorsport then expect long hours, low pay and teams that fold on a fairly regular basis leaving you unsure whether you will ever get paid or not!!

Oh and when you're running a team or something similar, remember to be nice and helpful to the youngsters hanging around your garage...remember you were one of them once!

[n3il123]

How about trying to get a job in a garage as a trainee mechanic? At least that way you would have some practical experience working on cars, thats how this guy got into F1 F1 mechanic book its worth reading this book anyway as it shows that the life of a racing mechanic isn't as great as many assume it to be.

Another thing to look at is things like getting into data acquisition as there seems to be quite a few jobs going in that area (or at least there have been a couple advertised recently).

[leechy458]

hi
can anyone help me out with an apperentiship around the midlands area i am at the national college for motorsport in silverstone and need an apperentiship to finish my qualification at level 2. i have experience from a family run race team which is no longer running and worked with Atech GP in the workshop and at the world renault series in 2010 running 3 formula renault 2.0 UK cars.
any help or suggestions will be helpful.
Thanks Ryan.

[davepoth]

leechy458 said:

hi
can anyone help me out with an apperentiship around the midlands area i am at the national college for motorsport in silverstone and need an apperentiship to finish my qualification at level 2. i have experience from a family run race team which is no longer running and worked with Atech GP in the workshop and at the world renault series in 2010 running 3 formula renault 2.0 UK cars.
any help or suggestions will be helpful.
Thanks Ryan.

Go knock on the door of every company in Silverstone? Surely the college have a list?

[leechy458]

davepoth said:

leechy458 said:

hi
can anyone help me out with an apperentiship around the midlands area i am at the national college for motorsport in silverstone and need an apperentiship to finish my qualification at level 2. i have experience from a family run race team which is no longer running and worked with Atech GP in the workshop and at the world renault series in 2010 running 3 formula renault 2.0 UK cars.
any help or suggestions will be helpful.
Thanks Ryan.

Go knock on the door of every company in Silverstone? Surely the college have a list?

yeah but the thing is i live in a bnb for the days im at college as i am still learning to drive and havent got the money for insurence so i was lookin for somewhere a bit closer like birmingham or coventry as i cant afford to stay 6 nights away from home as the bnbs charge about £45 a night because the location.

[EDLT]

leechy458 said:

hi
can anyone help me out with an apperentiship around the midlands area i am at the national college for motorsport in silverstone and need an apperentiship to finish my qualification at level 2. i have experience from a family run race team which is no longer running and worked with Atech GP in the workshop and at the world renault series in 2010 running 3 formula renault 2.0 UK cars.
any help or suggestions will be helpful.
Thanks Ryan.

Since you've already got experience have you tried asking other teams in the Renault World series? You'll probably need to move house.

[leechy458]

EDLT said:

leechy458 said:

hi
can anyone help me out with an apperentiship around the midlands area i am at the national college for motorsport in silverstone and need an apperentiship to finish my qualification at level 2. i have experience from a family run race team which is no longer running and worked with Atech GP in the workshop and at the world renault series in 2010 running 3 formula renault 2.0 UK cars.
any help or suggestions will be helpful.
Thanks Ryan.

Since you've already got experience have you tried asking other teams in the Renault World series? You'll probably need to move house.

yeah i have tried a few of the teams and had no luck and i am only 17 so cant afford to move house

[EDLT]

leechy458 said:

EDLT said:

leechy458 said:

hi
can anyone help me out with an apperentiship around the midlands area i am at the national college for motorsport in silverstone and need an apperentiship to finish my qualification at level 2. i have experience from a family run race team which is no longer running and worked with Atech GP in the workshop and at the world renault series in 2010 running 3 formula renault 2.0 UK cars.
any help or suggestions will be helpful.
Thanks Ryan.

Since you've already got experience have you tried asking other teams in the Renault World series? You'll probably need to move house.

yeah i have tried a few of the teams and had no luck and i am only 17 so cant afford to move house

Try the rest, and then try the teams that run cars at the same event. In motorsport everyone knows everyone, being "that guy from Atech" is a huge advantage over everyone else trying to get in to the industry.

Staying in B&Bs is an expensive way to live. £45 per day is £270 per week, a decent bedsit or studio flat is half that or less.

[davepoth]

leechy458 said:

davepoth said:

leechy458 said:

hi
can anyone help me out with an apperentiship around the midlands area i am at the national college for motorsport in silverstone and need an apperentiship to finish my qualification at level 2. i have experience from a family run race team which is no longer running and worked with Atech GP in the workshop and at the world renault series in 2010 running 3 formula renault 2.0 UK cars.
any help or suggestions will be helpful.
Thanks Ryan.

Go knock on the door of every company in Silverstone? Surely the college have a list?

yeah but the thing is i live in a bnb for the days im at college as i am still learning to drive and havent got the money for insurence so i was lookin for somewhere a bit closer like birmingham or coventry as i cant afford to stay 6 nights away from home as the bnbs charge about £45 a night because the location.

If you want in to motorsport, it's got to be Silverstone. Ask around with coursemates and see if there's a sofa you can crash on one night a week (at university we had one of my flatmate's brother on our sofa 3-4 nights a week when he was doing an internship at a magazine)