What is an Industrial Placement?
Industrial placements are a structured year in the industry normally in between the second and third year. As a student, you would be working for one of the teams in your chosen department trialling a few different roles in that area to find what is the best suit.
When do Industrial Placements happen?
Applications for student placements open around August/September time for start in July the following year. The placements can vary in length however a year is the standard time.
How to get an Industrial Placement
To apply for industrial placements you should have at least two years of university education experience by the time the placement is due to start. You also must be able to return to university for a year after the placement to finish your studies. Motorsport Jobs is a great place to get your application started and sent off to the teams.
How do I apply for an Industrial Placement?
Motorsport Jobs is the perfect website for all your Industrial Placement applications! Usually, a CV and Cover Letter are required as well as completing the application forms supplied by the teams. You can set alerts on Motorsport Jobs for placements by clicking HERE - this will ensure that as soon as any new placement opportunites go live, you will get a notification email allowing you to apply immediately.
Can anyone apply for an industrial placement?
Industrial placements are aimed at those in degree-level study between their second and third years of university. Each company and placement will have different criteria for the degree you are studying, so it's best to spend some time reading the full job descriptions thoroughly to ensure you match the criteria.
When teams shortlist candidates for placements, they will look for students studying relevant subjects for that specific placement. So, for example if you are looking to work within Performance and Simulation, Vehicle Modelling, or Driver Development departments, teams will look for subjects such as Engineering, Physics or Applied Mathematics.
If the placement is Composite or Mechanical Design for example, then teams will look that you are studying subjects such as Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering or Materials Engineering – so it is important to match the placement you are applying for to the subjects you are studying to stand the best chance of success, but as long as you have an interest in and are studying STEM subjects then you have a good chance,
Why should I take an Industrial Placement?
Industrial Placements are a great step into the industry as you get to experience what it’s like to work in motorsports. Now more than ever, teams look for experience when hiring, so having that year of hand-on experience in invaluable. It’s also likely that during your placement year you will really start to understand your strengths and weaknesses, allowing you to focus on the areas you need to, and help you to form your opinion of what area you really want to pursue as your full time job when you graduate.
What work will I do on an Industrial Placement?
The work given on placement will vary depending on the department and role. Usually, you will try out a few different roles within your chosen area to find which is the best fit for you!
Through the practical work that you will be tasked with, you will also develop skills in problem solving, creativity, teamwork, planning, innovation, and communication whilst performing tasks that you are set.
What is the difference between an Industrial Placement and an Internship?
The first main difference is the duration. Industrial placements are a year long and run with the academic calendar, acting as an extra university year. Internships however can vary in length and can take place at any time. They also are not as limited to the level at which you are studying.
Do all F1 Teams run industrial placements?
Most of the UK-based Formula 1 teams run student placements with applications currently open at the following;
Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team
Red Bull Racing and Technology
Red Bull Advanced Technologies
Hit the button to view and apply for all the live student placements on Motorsport Jobs now INDUSTRIAL PLACEMENTS
Will I get paid for an Industrial Placement?
Industrial Placements are paid opportunities however this varies between the teams. Other perks are also team dependent but usually include health care and on-site gyms as well as much more.
Tips for your application
Try to detail as much relevant experience as possible e.g Formula Student/ Motorsport specific experience.
Don’t forget to let your personality and passion show!
The application process can be quite long so don’t stress if you don’t hear back immediately.
Prepare for the interview assessments, these usually come in the form of a psychometric test as well as area-specific content.
Look at communities such as FemmeSpeed for support as well as finding people in a similar position with a passion for motorsports.
Any other information that will help
You don’t need to be the biggest motorsport fan ever, even if you just have a passion for engineering this is perfect for you to experience that at one of the highest levels!
For more information to help you get a job in motorsport visit our Career Advice page, and don't forget to set yourself personalised Job Alerts on the Motorsport Jobs website.
This article was created in collaboration with FemmeSpeed - A motorsport community where girls, women and non- binary people can come together to create an equal future. DRIVEN BY DIVERSITY, POWERED BY WOMEN.