Automotive Engineering experts return to university to inspire students

Automotive Engineering alumni and current students of University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD) got together for a conference at the university’s IQ Building in Swansea to discuss careers in the field of Motorsport and Motorcycle Engineering.

Alumni who now work at world-leading automotive companies such as McLaren, Gordon Murray, Arc, Bentley, Ford and Toyota Gazoo Racing returned to UWTSD to share their career journeys and successes with the current student cohort.

The conference aimed to inspire students by providing insight from industry experts who begun their careers from the same place, highlighting the achievable possibilities and opportunities within reach. The day also provided a reunion opportunity for the alumni, some of whom overlapped while studying at UWTSD.

The speakers provided an engaging, thought-provoking and uplifting day for the students, covering topics that ranged from the importance of visiting primary schools to generate interest in Motorsports careers from a young age, to keeping motivation and passion alive within professional life in order to stay innovative.

Abi Summerfield, Senior Lecturer in Motorsports Engineering at UWTSD, said: “The day was inspiring for the speakers and students who attended. It reassured us that the guidance we get from industry advisors on our course content makes our graduates distinctive and highly employable. It has reinforced that our combination of practical experience combined with traditional academic content is our unique selling point.”

Reflecting on their time at UWTSD, some of the alumni speakers offered thoughts on how their degree had helped shape their careers. Describing his time at UWTSD as “incredibly helpful and nourishing”, Mark Truman, CEO and Founder of Arc Vehicles, said: “The things I learnt in terms of work ethic have been invaluable, which I’ve carried with me throughout my career.

“The fundamentally great thing about this university is the real hands-on, practical experience that it gives people. I had looked at more theoretical courses at the time, and I don’t think any of them would have ignited the passion in me as much as being able to get my hands on vehicles, experiment, make modifications and take them on the track to see how they perform. That’s something this university does extremely well.”

Offering advice to current students, he says: “Don’t be afraid to take risks, don’t give up, and really cherish what you’ve got. If you keep trying, you’ll get there in the end.”

There are a wide variety of Engineering courses available to study at UWTSD, from foundation entry all the way through to Postgraduate.

Note to Editor

Speakers at the event included:

Mark Truman, founder and CEO of Arc Vehicle; Will Gray and James Hewer, Head of Powertrain and Head of Chassis at Gordon Murray Design respectively; Sam Mayers, Ford Pro Homologation Conversion Manager; Charlotte White, Event Operations Manager at BRSCC; Justin Morden, Senior Aerodynamics Engineer at Tata Motors European Technical Centre; Will Hunt, Functional Manager at Powertrain Systems Bentley Motors Ltd; Tiegen Lillicrap, Co-ordinator, Project Programme Management at Toyota Gazoo Racing; Harley Gasson, Senior Engine Design Engineer, McLaren; Joe Thomas, Design Engineer, Darwin Group Ltd.

Further Information

Ella Staden

Press and Media Officer    
Corporate Communications and PR    
Email: ella.staden@uwtsd.ac.uk     
Phone: 07384467078