Student Alfie’s work experience with occupier Silverstone Composites after meeting the company through the Silverstone Park Schools Programme.
Motorsport fan Alfie took full advantage when tech businesses from the globally renowned innovation campus visited his school, Sponne School in Towcester, Northants to deliver careers awareness workshops as part of the programme.
Alfie said: “I’ve been interested in computers and maths since primary school, so I had already decided the route I wanted to go down: engineering or a related sector.
“When the businesses came to visit school, it made me realise that there were so many different careers and businesses in engineering and related fields, so I wanted to find out more.”
This was followed by a behind-the-scenes tour for Sponne students of some of the technology, engineering and manufacturing companies at Silverstone Park.
The tour enabled the youngsters to take part in hands-on activities designed to provide an insight into the skills needed to succeed in industry.
Further intrigued about a career in STEM, Alfie then successfully applied for a work experience placement with Silverstone Composites who support the Silverstone Park Schools Programme.
Silverstone Composites MD Marcus Trofimov said: “When we met Alfie, we were really impressed with the insightful questions he asked and that he took the initiative to enquire about work experience opportunities.
“His enthusiasm for motorsports shone through so we were delighted to have him join the business for a week where he gained experience in every department to create his own model race car made from carbon fibre.”
Marcus added: “We’re passionate about investing in young talent by creating opportunities for young people to gain skills and experience, which is why we’re delighted to support the Silverstone Park Schools Programme.
“Our industry needs passionate and skilled individuals to continue to drive innovation, and a great way to find that future talent is to inspire and nurture young people who have a genuine interest in the sector.”
The Silverstone Park Schools Programme is a multi-year careers education programme that connects local partner schools with employers at Silverstone Park, designed and delivered by Ahead Partnership.
It was launched in 2018 in response to local employers’ concerns about a skills shortage. Indeed, according to the Institute of Engineering Technology, 46% of employers believe that young people do not have the ‘technical skills’ or ‘soft skill’ required to work in their industry.
Chantal-Lawren Welch, Marketing Manager at Silverstone Park said:
“It’s been brilliant to witness Alife’s journey through the programme, seeing him build his confidence and channel his passion into work experience within the industry.
“His engagement with businesses on-site and his enthusiasm for exploring the different careers here at Silverstone Park is testament to the power of long-term programmes such as the Schools Programme and shows the tangible outcomes of multiple careers interventions throughout different stages of the educational journey.
“We engage with over 1,000 young people each year at Silverstone Park through the programme so it’s brilliant to see the business community come together to excite and inspire so many young people about careers in STEM.”
