Silverstone will host a technical university
As part of its development plan to make Silverstone an economic activity zone throughout the year, the British circuit has been selected to host a technical university, which will train students in various automotive sports industry professions.
This project will be realized thanks to the collaboration of three different partners: in addition to the circuit, Tresham College of Higher Education and the University of Northampton are involved to accommodate up to 540 students aged 14 to 19 starting from September 2013.
The aim is to prepare students ready to become employees in an industry that represents more than 600 million pounds and is considered a future-oriented sector, important for the future of the national economy. This is part of a new form of learning, which aims to combine both theory and practice in the workplace.
One can feel this political will in the words of Andrea Leadson, the Member of Parliament for South Northamptonshire, who stated: “This is very good and important news. Silverstone is at the heart of motorsports and high-performance engineering in the UK and the world. The technical university will give young people the chance to develop their skills within a very specialized geographical area. Event management is very important for Northamptonshire’s economy, and employability is very important here. The use of the circuit and the links with the industry will provide young people with practical experience that they can use in their careers.”
This is also part of Silverstone’s development plan, whose current owner, the BRDC, wants to make it a year-round activity zone. That’s why they built a new pit straight with paddocks more in line with what teams can find in the Middle East and Asia. One of the main developments was the construction of the Whittlebury Hall hotel. However, it is now under administration due to a liquidity problem. This will not, however, lead to a cessation of activity. The establishment with 211 rooms will therefore be able to continue accommodating teams and their guests during race weekends.
The university’s reception will therefore be an additional source of revenue while clearly aligning with its main activity, which is the wish of the BRDC in its search for external investors. Currently, the Qatar Investment Authority is in the lead to win the tender launched by the British Drivers’ Association.
With the participation of RacingBusiness.fr
