More than a dozen companies – many of them operating in advanced engineering and manufacturing – have volunteered to deliver careers advice for secondary school students through the Silverstone Park Schools programme during the 2023/24 academic year.
Carbon Component Solutions (CCS), CoFiGi Performance, Ducati UK, Fibonacci, Hexagon, Lunaz, Performance Projects, PUNCH Flybrid and Silverstone Composites, which are all located at Silverstone Park, plus Silverstone Technology Cluster members EES Solutions, Jaltek and NS85 will each participate in the programme – now entering its sixth year.
Ducati UK Managing Director Fabrizio Cazzoli enthused: “As a global company, Ducati is passionate about supporting young people – they are our workforce of the future and come with new ideas and energy which can be central to our way of innovation in both technology and customer experience.
“We are therefore delighted to continue our support of the Silverstone Park Schools Programme which, through its volunteer network, is doing so much for teenagers – as well as their teachers and parents – in making them aware of career types and pathways that are on their doorstep.”
And said Silverstone Composites MD Marcus Trofimov: “We’re looking forward to once more supporting the SP Schools programme – it is a really important initiative that is helping to address concerns about the skills gap in the local area.
“Our area of work, in manufacturing carbon fibre componentry for Formula 1 and advanced engineering sectors such as space and automotive, definitely falls under ‘jobs of the future’ and the career possibilities are exciting and many.
“Young people can often bring new ideas and fresh thinking to a project.
“We firmly believe companies should, where possible, be supporting them through work experience, apprenticeships or full-time roles and opening their eyes to the opportunities through the Silverstone Park Schools programme is a great start.”
CCS, which makes composite components for motorsport’s highest levels as well as automotive, is taking part in the programme for the first time.
Director Scott Noon commented: “We’ve decided to volunteer because the programme is delivering young people with the best careers advice possible – direct from employers. Conversely, this can only be of benefit to employers by helping them build a potential skills pipeline for the future.
“The minds of students – and also teachers and parents – are being opened to career possibilities that they otherwise might be unaware of, thereby helping to address issues surrounding a skills gap on both a local and national level.”
Scott added: “Our business will be represented in schools by at least one of our female engineers as we want to reach out to female students and help them realise that our type of work is very definitely not a ‘male only’ environment.”
Silverstone Park Asset Manager Ruth Williams said: “We convey a huge thank you to the network of business volunteers who are giving up their time to go into schools and run workshops for the students and who are also hosting the youngsters for a tour of their own businesses here at Silverstone Park.
“As the number of businesses locating to Silverstone Park increases, so does the number of people being employed here – many of whom are in their youth which is great to see.
“The feedback from schools and students themselves shows how much of a positive impact the Silverstone Park Schools Programme has had on young people and we look forward to building on that success during the 2023/24 academic year.”
Businesses wishing to volunteer for the Silverstone Park Schools Programme should email leonie.matthews@aheadpartnership.org.uk
