Modification garage "apprenticeship"?

[Leez]

Thanks for the responses everyone

I think I will go to RPW and ask there for an internship, and yes; I will take my camera for you Sam Maybe if I say I'm from the forums they will be more willing

Peanut that is so true, the only things we have been taught so far is theory. The only practical thing we've done so far is looking into microscopes. I'm starting to regret choosing engineering, it's so boring. Like, intensely boring. I'm not really keen to go to TAFE either, I won't have time since I have over 30 contact hours for uni

The old saying:

"It's not what you know, it's who you know"

QFT. Apparently every F1 engineer knows each other one way or another. They're like a big family

bd-850 that's exactly what I've been trying to do But no one wants little old me

[bd-850]

just keep on nagging

[Josh_Emerton]

In my opinion, F1 is the pinnacle of motorsport, best of the best - some people really underestimate the amount of skill that those drivers have (usually the rally fans, incidentally).

(As I write this, Australia is 4-36 at the cricket. Learn to play!!! I'm a pom lol, go England! Well, go Pakistan, for today.)

Anyway, enough rambling. Perhaps PM the RPW guys here on the forum and set up a meeting with them?

[SIR-VRX]

For the old Group B Rally Fans...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozntieZs8Bg

Best 11:00 you will ever watch on YouTube

[Josh_Emerton]

Bet ya I can find a better 11 minutes - just search Wipeout highlights. Laughs galore

[Aspired]

Isn't Mechanical Engineering at uni all about things like how much load a certain metal beam can handle, or designing machines or metal gears/cogs, stress testing and all that sort of stuff, it's more related to large industrial machinery or automated production lines, Its not really about car engines and stuff, you go to TAFE for that right ?

[Leez]

True, but the stuff we learn can easily carry over to car engines. Also, we are also taught TO think, not just WHAT to think for example, graduates with mathematical degrees are highly sought after since they are taught 'lateral thinking' which can be applied to anything

And no matter what anyone says, F1 is the absolute pinnacle of motorsport in my books!

[ofey]

(As I write this, Australia is 4-36 at the cricket. Learn to play!!! I'm a pom lol, go England! Well, go Pakistan, for today.)

Just wondering Josh, do you hold an Australian Passport or a UK one?

True, but the stuff we learn can easily carry over to car engines. Also, we are also taught TO think, not just WHAT to think for example, graduates with mathematical degrees are highly sought after since they are taught 'lateral thinking' which can be applied to anything

And no matter what anyone says, F1 is the absolute pinnacle of motorsport in my books!

I think you'll find that in an F1 or Rally team, so long as you're not the team's Chief Engineer nor the team principal, I think they don't require you to have an Advanced degree.

I've met Patrick Head (co-founder and Engineering Director of the Williams Formula One team) as he is an alumnus of my Alma Matter. He graduated with a Mechanical Engineering degree in 1970 from UCL. Adrian Newey, I met at an IET function when I collected one of my scholarships and he graduated from the University of Southampton with a first class degree in Aeronautical Engineering. Ross Brawn studied engineering at the Harwell Atomic Research Establishment and at Reading College. Never met him though *sniff*

So your degree can be a passport but you will find with each of these famous folk, it's connections, Patrick's father worked with Jaguar. Newey mentioned to me that his father knew some people in Motorsports which is what drove him in that direction. As for Brawn, you will find that he worked at the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority and because of his intrumentalist background ended up working for Sir Frank Williams which got him his break.

So you do need to know someone.

Still I think you should be realistic about your strengths. There are many aspects of motorsports you can be involved in. Sure I love cars but it's different from the life I have now to put food on my table for my family. I'll say try an internship at some places (RPW is a good start). Learn and read as much as you can outside of your own school work but work towards learning how you can improve yourself and round out your knowledge rather than polarising yourself in a single direction.

*my 2 cents*

[Josh_Emerton]

Ofey - both. I'm a dual UK/Aus Citizen, born in the UK.