View Full Version : considering motorsport education
Ok , a bit about me.
Im 21, did buisness studies alevels, left and managed to get a job in dispatch in the construction industry, really did not enjoy this so moved onto working in a technical department again in construction.
Now id like to go one of two ways, i would either like to study software dev / game dev through university, or i would like to take all the skills my hobby has taught me over the last few years and put it to use doing a motorsport foudnation degree at university. It seems this is the only real way to get into the industry now days, and no offence to others on these boards but i really dont want to get bagged into being a mechanic ( change brake disks, change exhaust, occasional clutch and cambelt) as it really wont keep me entertained for long.
I believe i have a good understanding of cars, and have learnt a lot building both my 205 gti6 and my renault 5 gt turbo's , im pretty adept with a spanner however i would also like to learn to engineering skills such as welding, metal forming and fabricating.
this is the degree ive been looking at http://www.staffs.ac.uk/study_here/courses...y-tcm428206.jsp (http://www.staffs.ac.uk/study_here/courses/motorsport-technology-tcm428206.jsp)
The only thing thats playing on my mind, is i have heard about people doing the same degree , yet still taking there vehicles to garage to have alternator belts swapped etc, and this worrys me slightly.
Does anybody on here have any advice as im still young and i want a career i enjoy, and sitting all day doing calculations on roof pitches and estimates on quanitys just isnt doing anything for me.
Thanks
Ok , a bit about me.
Im 21, did buisness studies alevels, .......motorsport foudnation
sort your spelling out first mate.;)
youth of today i dunno.... :mart:
as for the job, you need to look into how many job spaces are actually available and how many people are going for them. students: jobs ratio...
i wouldn't worry about people on the course taking their cars to garages, as not everyone has the inclination to get grubby under a car.
as for your wish to learn "welding, metal forming and fabricating" - isn't that more manufacturing industry based? - is that really included in motorsport engineering these days? I'd avoid manufacturing in this country at all costs....
Andrew Cooke
14-09-2009, 13:15
you won't learn any hands on skills at university, at Stafford they wouldn't let the students anywhere near the machines (certainly not when I was there, unless you count me sneaking in to machine my gearbox casing :D )
haha yes im sorry, i wrote that out in bits and bobs pretty quickly (boss coming, window down, boss gone window up spec :P.)
Yea ive been researching into the market, im not sure yet how many jobs are out there but it does appear anywhere I phone only wish to take on students through placement or folks with whelms of experience. With regards to the metal working side of things ive looked and i believe your 100% correct in that it wont touch on that so i guess that's just going to be something for me to learn via the net and you tube videos :) as i don't really want to do a course based soley on that as its not something i could see a great deal of money ever being earn t through.
Ill take your advice on the manufacturing side of things , not that i was really planning to go that way anyhow but still, appreciate the advice.
you won't learn any hands on skills at university, at Stafford they wouldn't let the students anywhere near the machines (certainly not when I was there, unless you count me sneaking in to machine my gearbox casing :D )
hmm this is a bit of a worry as im not to confident on how much you can ever really learn straight from text books.
If you wish to do welding, metal work etc etc you could look at a local college, one that does eithermechanics courses or welding etc. Evening classes at college are often really good as the place is not filled with young hoodlums and nobby youths. You can learn quiet alot i know i did when i did the Cisco computer programming courses.
Iam my self looking into welding courses etc local to me, maybe do the same as well as your uni course ;)
Andrew Cooke
14-09-2009, 13:25
I'm not sure how things will pan out with motorsport in the near future, the FIA are limiting F1 team sizes - this year unlimited, next year 350, year after 280, that means a lot of redundancies of skilled motorsport types... combine that with companies spending less on fun stuff like sponsoring race teams and things are pretty unpredicatable.
ahh u did cisco hey.. that was my original intention a few years ago i was planning on going to s****horpe uni to do a cisco course.. then my plans changed. I plan to look at the welding courses at college to see whats on offer aswell as the wonga involved.
I looked into night school courses in welding, they wouldn't take anyone on unless you are currently working as a mechanic :(
Yeah at college you gotta pay, but you wont end up in uni scale debt lol.
Im glad i became a gas man via britishgas dude, i look at loads of mates that went uni... 90% of them are now struggling to find jobs, and in massive debt... and the others have ended up in jobs they have no interest in at all, it just so happens they were qualified.
bare that junk i just wrote in mind :)
Nothing wrong with Uni, enjoyed my time there, got a diploma in computing, work with computers, no real expenses apart from my renault habit which needs looking into. Getting as bad as jesus got 4 of them at the moment :confused: and I am working in computing for a car parts company which I enjoy :) cant beat that really.
Plus even if you have massive debts they only take a certain amount out of your wages each month, im only paying back £29 a month back on a 14k loan. Plus they only charge inflation on the loan. With the way this country is going I will never be able to pay my debt back :crap:
never said there was anything wrong with uni... just that im gald i took the route i did, :) and that there are other options
Junglist
14-09-2009, 14:44
lol i thought colleage was like maths english , history etc , and university the same but with Medical and law etc ,, i never thought you could do such courses when i left school .. :ashamed:
Amo R11 n R5 gtt on here, is a welder by trade, he would have a better idea as to what the welding market is like. - but as its an offshoot of manufacturing and they rely on contracts, i'd be wary.
If you end up going to uni these days, its an indication of your level and type of intelligence, not necessarily that you did a course that will get you a job in your specific field.
I did materials science at uni, and now work for GSF.
If lady luck isnt on your side, you might have to have a serious rethink as to what you wanna do. Eventually it won't matter, as it will be money and ease of work that will count, whilst family life and hobbies take priority.
A lot of people get jobs just because they have been to uni, not what course they have taken.
My mate now works for Enterprise rent-a-car and they just look for people with degrees to take on as trainee management.
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