Going back to Uni as an adult is a tough call – by the time we hit 21 most of us have financial commitments. Any older and it’s likely you’ll have family commitments too. But how much will a motorsport degree help your career? Is it really worth the time, money and commitment? Find out in this week’s quick read.
A Motorsport Degree Will Help You Get the Best Jobs
We did a quick survey of 20 motorsport engineering jobs currently being advertised and 90% of them specified that a motorsport degree or other related degree were required. Companies are looking for people who have already decided that motorsport is more than a hobby. Chances are they are trusting you with seriously expensive kit. Would you let an amateur pilot fly a Boing 747? If you were a recruiter working for a top motorsport company, would you rather employ someone who had experience specific to the job at hand or just generalised experience in an automotive or engineering field? Here at the NMA we also insist that our students get motorsport experience alongside their degree – who wouldn’t want to employ someone who had a specialist degree and relevant experience?
A Motorsport Degree Will Keep Your Skills Up to Date
If you qualified in an automotive or engineering discipline over ten years ago, chances are technology has moved on masses since. Each year homologation rules change in nearly every racing series. New simulation software and methods are developed at a rapid rate. New sustainable targets are introduced. How do you keep up if you want to stay at the cutting edge of motorsport? Motorsport degrees are a great way to top up your skills and if you’ve already qualified in a similar discipline, just a few years back, there’s the chance you can gain a full motorsport degree in as little as a year!
The National Motorsport Academy motorsport degrees range from an online full BSc (Hons) Degree as well as a final year Top-Up Degree for those who want to convert their current degree to motorsport or anyone who has a current BTEC, HND or Foundation degree. You study only the final year of the BSc programme and obtain a full degree at the end.
The following modules are covered on the BSc (Hons) Motorsport Engineering Top-Up Degree:
- Advanced Engine Development or Aerodynamics
- Hybrid & Electric Vehicles
- Final Motorsport Project where you can specialise in a field of your choice using the research, simulation and software skills you’ve previously developed.
 To find our if you’re eligible for our final year Top-Up email our Admissions Team.
We are also constantly updating our course content too so that you’re sure to be studying topics and using technology which are industry standard in the very least. Our tutors are committed to keeping on top of current and future industry developments and continue to push the boundaries of motorsport in their own careers.
A Motorsport Degree Will Help You Earn More Money
It’s long been a fact that graduates earn more than those who have worked through the ranks from an apprenticeship. It’s sounds unfair but it’s a fact that having a motorsport degree will significantly impact your earning potential. It’s assumed that those with a degree will have a better skillset and depth of knowledge than those without. We don’t believe this to be true, especially when many motorsport mechanics come from an automotive background where in-depth apprenticeship or workplace-study programmes are the tried and tested way of learning such a hands-on subject. But the fact remains – graduates earn on average £10,000 more per year than non-graduates.
If you already have a degree, you can increase your salary even more by taking your education even further with a motorsport Master’s Degree or PhD. A recent study showed the median engineering graduate income to be £56000 in the UK. It rose to £62000 with a Post-Graduate qualification.
It’s not uncommon for a motorsport engineer’s salary to rise to £150,000+ per year but you can guarantee that they have a motorsport degree or equivalent!
Maybe You Think Uni’s Not for You?
Has Uni never really appealed to you? Perhaps you were not the most academic at school and didn’t stay on for A Levels? Adult education is a wonderful thing as it takes your experience into account when applying for courses as well as previous qualifications. So, if you missed out on going to Uni to get your degree or want to convert your existing qualification to specialise in motorsport, the National Motorsport Academy can help you get your career on track. What’s more, you can start at any time, fit your studies in around your work and family life and cover the cost of your learning with a student loan if you’re here in the UK. It’s also not unknown for employers to help cover the costs of advancing your learning so check with your HR department.
