Automotive students and apprentices of Telford College travelled to the National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham to visit the Autosport International Show, discovering what the industry had to offer and what career paths were available.

Running for over thirty years, the Autosport International Show is Europe’s biggest motorsport show, boasting exhibitors from across automotive engineering, innovations in performance and the upper echelons of motorsport.

This year featured a live action arena complete with stunts and displays, exhibits from Formula One, Le Mans and the FIA World Rally Championship, as well as an exclusive talk from Haas F1 rookie Ollie Bearman.

Robert Hands, automotive lecturer at Telford College, said: “It was great to give students a chance to explore all the options open to them in the automotive industry, outside of working in a garage.

“The Autosport International Show is a fantastic opportunity to network with exhibitors, ask about career paths and showcases what this extensive industry has to offer.

“Our students loved looking at all the race cars, the vast selection of machining tools and, of course, the fantastic live show. We also spoke to Harper Adams University and the University of Wolverhampton, the latter launching their brand-new student race car.

“They spent ages looking at a barn find Lamborghini Countach, that was completely unrestored complete with twigs sticking out the bumper! It really captured their imagination about the potential behind restoring a car as a long-term project.”

The automotive department has a number of extracurricular trips lined up, including trips to employers and universities. Robert adds: “We hope to come back next year, as our students have enjoyed this visit so much and it’s helped strength their understanding of the wider industry.”

See our automotive courses or visit our industry-standard automotive centre at our next open event.