Red Bull Technology Campus has announced the creation of its Education Centre in Milton Keynes.
The opening is a key milestone for the Team’s Drive For Change strategy, which aims to develop diversity and inclusion within motorsport and engineering, by disrupting the talent pipeline from grassroots upwards.
Set to open in 2024 and targeted at 9 to 14-year-olds, the Education Centre aims to open the world of motorsport to a wider demographic, attracting students into Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and raise awareness of the opportunities these specialisations provide. Thus, encouraging young people to pursue their passion beyond GCSE level (or equivalent), where, according to research*, much of the diversity is lost.
The Team has officially partnered with Milton Keynes College Group to develop a curriculum, where the learning content will be aligned to the UK National Curriculum.
This is designed to inspire young people into careers in STEM, which is a national skills priority identified by government.
There will also be a Curriculum Advisory Board made up of selected technology industry leaders to support and advise on the skills needed for the future. Understanding potential skills gaps and challenges facing the sector provides a unique perspective and opportunity to inspire students with the art of the possible – jobs beyond motorsport in the wider world of tech, in non-traditional roles that often don’t yet exist.
The Education Centre forms part of the Team’s Diversity and Inclusion strategy: Drive For Change. Inclusivity is at the very heart of the Team’s culture and we want to ensure that our workforce better reflects the diversity of wider society.
Progressive steps are being taken through a programme of internal and external initiatives and the Team is working with specialists such as Racing Pride and Association for Black and Minority Ethnic Engineers, as well as our partners, to support this journey.
Oracle Red Bull Racing Team Principal and CEO Christian Horner said: “The launch of the Education Centre on our Technology Campus is a landmark moment on the journey towards a more diverse motorsport community. Since its inception, Red Bull has placed the development of young talent at the core of its existence, with inclusivity at the heart of our culture.
"We feel strongly that the talent pool we are recruiting from should better reflect the diversity of wider society but to achieve this, we must disrupt the STEM talent pipeline from grassroots level. Our aim is to inspire young people to pursue STEM subjects at school, at university and to eventually translate that passion into successful careers.”
Research* shows that the main drop-off point for all under-represented groups in STEM is pre-GCSE (or equivalent level), meaning that, by the time they make their subject selections, most students will have made a choice as to what they enjoy, are good at and what has the most appealing career at the end. The challenge is often that there is a lack of clarity and visibility on what the career options are with these subjects and how varied they can be.
Being within a high-visibility and highly varied STEM careers environment, the Education Centre further aims to use this platform to deliver curriculum-relevant inspiring away-days for schools and students from all backgrounds.
Pre-work packages will be offered to teachers so students can enjoy a four-to-six-week programme of motorsport themed learning, culminating with the in-person visit to the Red Bull Technology Campus to experience interactive and experiential learning at the heart of the sport.
F1 in Schools are looking to support the project with their ‘Mini-Challenge’ cars, enabling students to get hands-on with building and racing their own car as part of the experience.
