Career help and guidance, please

[Ashi]

Hi all
Im 18 years old and am interested in pursuing a career in engineering/motorsport. I have no previous experience of racing or track days, although i follow f1 closely and am greatly interested in the technical side of things. I would love to attend meets and races but my school commitments means this has been very difficult. I like to think that i do know quite a bit about motorsport and racing driving.
I hope to apply to do a masters in engineering in uni, possibly aeronautical/mechanical or maybe automotive. I am taking maths, physics and chemistry at A-level.

So a few questions:
1. Can anyone tell me the best way to pursue a career in this industry? (My dream job would be working for a formula one team or designing any cars)
2. Is there anyone who i could contact to get any sort of work experience in the summer? (I live in London)
3. In the long term, are these kind of jobs available in the london area? (i would preferably like to live here)
Thanks

[Office_Monkey]

I don't work in the motorsport (or automotive for that matter) industry, but if you're wanting to work for an F1 team, you're best off being a bit more flexible with where you want to work or live. It's a dream job for many, and TBH the teams can pick and choose. I would suggest you have a little look around this forum, this has been asked before (once quite recently too). Good luck with your choice

[Ashi]

Thanks. The reason why I can't be so flexible is that due to religious requirements i would have to live within a community, ie in london where i live now

[tim2100]

Don't bother.

Sorry but its true. At my local college they offered a motorsport BTEC course that was vastly over subscribed. Because so many kids love cars and going quickly they all want to get into motorsport.

There are very few jobs in the motorsport industry, so when they do recruit they pick the cheapest local people they can, or they have the pick of the crop.

IMO if you still want to get involved then do something like aerospace MCAD design. become very very very good at this, and go into a motorsport team as an experienced person.

Also if you love cars & motorsport then you do not want to do it as a job for the next xx years. You will become to hate it, eg if you enjoy watching F1 on TV, then that will just remind you of work.

[Ashi]

Thanks for the advice.
Would aeronautical engineering (/design) be a better choice than mechanical engineering for jobs in this industry? Or is it more about previous work experience? And what be a common or advisable career path to follow to become good in MCAD design?

Edited by Ashi on Monday 3rd May 23:57

[bn9af]

Ashi said:

Thanks for the advice.
Would aeronautical engineering (/design) be a better choice than mechanical engineering for jobs in this industry? Or is it more about previous work experience? And what be a common or advisable career path to follow to become good in MCAD design?

Edited by Ashi on Monday 3rd May 23:57

Aerospace engineering is very good if you want to become an aerodynamicist, as the average aero degree does more aerodyanimcs and CFD than motorsport/automotive, but otherwise mechanical engineering or automotive engineering would be the way to go. Previous work experience is only important if it is working for a racing team or as an engineer, so as an 18 year old looking to go to uni, a lack of work would not be looked down upon.

You mentioned earlier about work experience/placement, these are impossible to come by until you are an undergraduate student, even then, they are hugely over subcribed, so you have to stand out to get one.

But if you want a job in the automotive industry you will probably have to move, and if you can't, don't get you're hopes up.

[Ashi]

Ok. Is there a difference between aeronautical engineering and aerospace engineering?
I dont mind any job in a similar type of area as designing cars etc, ie aerodynamicist. Are these jobs common or available in london? Or is this whole industry usually based outside major cities?

[TooLateForAName]

London is an expensive place to employ people just in terms of office costs and salary expectations. Don't hold out great hopes. Have a look around at where the engineering companies are based. It isn't as if someone working in CAD/modelling needs to be in London in order to meet others.