South: Williams to launch engineering academy in partnership with Randstad

Williams, the leading Formula One team and advanced engineering company, will launch a new engineering academy in partnership with Randstad, the second-largest HR services provider in the world.

The Randstad Williams Engineering Academy will begin in 2015 and will see Williams mentor up to 10 students each year in a long-term extra-curricular programme that will help guide a new generation of engineers towards a successful career in Formula One.

To select the best candidates, Williams will be partnering with F1 in Schools, a not-for-profit educational organisation that delivers a world-class STEM competition that engages with millions of students across the globe. The Academy will be open to those aged between 16 and 18 at the time of entry, and having successfully made it through to that year’s F1 in Schools' world finals.

A selection of nominated finalists will apply to join the Academy in autumn each year and, following a series of assessments, up to 10 candidates will be successful, with the first students joining in November 2015.

Speaking about the Randstad Williams Engineering Academy, Pat Symonds, chief technical officer at Williams, said: “Formula One is a human capital business and companies like Williams rely on attracting the very best talent to stay ahead of the game.

"We will be giving talented students with a passion for STEM subjects the chance to get up close and personal with the team and be mentored by senior Formula One engineers. Young Driver Academies have existed in Formula One for a while, but this is the first time an engineering alternative on this scale has been established. We look forward to welcoming our first Academy entrants next year.”