Motorsport is all about passion, excitement and adrenaline.... plus of course, money and business!

Global motorsport is a multi-billion dollar industry which attracts the ‘best of the best’, whether that is drivers, engineers, mechanics, marketing and PR or logistics, to name but a few roles.

In whatever capacity potential candidates require the right qualifications, but even more importantly, they require the right attitude, enthusiasm and ‘can do’ mentality, which is intrinsic to the highly competitive nature of motorsport and the industry.

As in most professions, qualifications in English and Maths are desirable, as are communication skills, such as between driver and engineer, or explaining ideas or concepts.

In engineering, strength in these core subjects, plus science, is essential for both Engineer and Technician career paths.  But motorsport is not only about engineering. Like any other industry, there are requirements for supporting business skills, such as sales, marketing, PR, media, accounting, HR, hospitality and entertaining.

 Whatever path you choose, gaining experience is very important.

To supplement training in the classroom, TOC Automotive College has a technical partnership with Caterham Motorsport, where students can experience the demands of a race weekend at the Sepang racing circuit and actually work on the Caterham race cars. This enables the participating TOC students  to learn ‘hands on’ about the various aspects of a race weekend, giving them not only experience, but also a practical advantage in the motorsport even before they graduate.

The iconic Caterham Seven is based on decades of racing with the emphasis on driver ability and is the most accessible race series in Asia which can be seen via the link:  

http://www.caterhammalaysia.com

Meticulous preparation is required, aspiring to Formula One standards of professionalism, attention to detail and teamwork. Under the professional guidance of the engineers from Nexus Motorsport, the TOC students learn all about race car preparation, what is required at a race meeting under real racing pressure.

But there are actually lots of other opportunities to get involved in motorsport. In essence, motorsport covers every motor vehicle that races with wheels and an engine, including single seaters, GT and sportscars, touring cars, rally cars, dragsters, motorcycles and karts.

Motorsport is all about passion. Getting involved could include just volunteering to wash wheels, sweep-up or even making the tea! It all demonstrates a willingness which will endear you to a potential employer. Most importantly, it also helps to ‘open doors’ and meet people, which might well pay dividends later on.

Use every opportunity to gain work experience at weekends, evenings, or unpaid during the holidays. Try to pick an activity which will help you gain experience relevant to your future career and make sure you ultimately include this in your CV - even when applying for informal, perhaps unpaid, positions.

Read the motorsport websites, such as: www.pittalkasia.com  - and get to know the business you plan to be involved in.

Attend as many motorsport events as possible and network with as many people as you can - they are in the business and you might be able to find out why...! Request a business card and when you have contact details you can do just that – get in contact!

Think what you can do to improve your employability so that you stand out from the crowd, and how you can better demonstrate your enthusiasm, commitment and hunger to be involved in motorsport.

Don’t just dream - ensure your ambitions are achievable.