Diversity at the heart of team’s new investment

Local businessman and philanthropist Walter Gleeson, CEO of Highclear Investments, has provided the cash injection to allow the University of Wolverhampton Racing (UWR) to step up to the Praga Cup.

Professional driver Shane Kelly will lead a team of university students through the season, with UWR’s 2022 challenger unveiled by Gleeson and Formula One race winner Johnny Herbert.

Gleeson said: “This sponsorship is primarily about promoting manufacturing and engineering jobs as viable career paths for all, but especially women and students from the BAME community.

“I’m really hoping that this investment will provide the necessary exposure to the range of courses available at the university while at the same time allowing us to give something back to the community.

“I was invited to watch the team at Oulton Park last year by one of the other sponsors which gave me a real insight into how hard-working, knowledgeable and diligent the UWR student engineers are.

“I hope that this sponsorship boost, offering students the chance to work on a brand-new car in an exciting new competitive environment, will open up lots of new experiences for the team and will help to attract an increasingly diverse student-base to the university and, ultimately, the team.”

Third year mechanical engineering degree student Laura Thompson added: “I’m really excited to get to work on the new car and the opportunities it will bring to the team. Within engineering, I knew I would be in a minority as a woman, but because I really wanted to do it, I didn’t mind having to push through some barriers.

“The team don’t treat me any differently and there are plenty of opportunities for women to get involved. If you’re really interested in engineering – just go for it. Push through those barriers and you can achieve anything.”

The university has invested £10 million in the engineering facilities at its Telford Innovation Campus, with students undertaking a variety of degrees including motorsport, automotive, mechatronics, aerospace, manufacturing, mechanical and chemical engineering.

UWR – who clinched class victory in the F3 Cup last year – while they continue to compete in the IMechE Formula Student competition and are the factory works team for the Morgan Motor Company, where students are developing two Morgan Plus Fours for racing on behalf of the historic car manufacturer.

UWR and the opportunities it provides are made possible by more than 40 sponsors, with Highclear Investments joining supporters like Hadley Group, Oceanscan, Bowers Group, and FBC Manby Bowdler.

Professor Ian Campbell, interim vice-chancellor at the University of Wolverhampton, said: “Our investment of £10 million in enhanced provision and expanded facilities in Telford’s School of Engineering demonstrates our commitment to providing the next generation of skilled engineers.

“Our new courses combine activity based learning and live industrial project work with a real focus on creativity and employability.

“UWR has recently taken delivery of awards for the F3 Cup Championship and we’re really hoping that this new exciting partnership with Praga, in a brand-new race against professional teams and drivers, will prove beneficial to increasing diversity on our engineering and manufacturing courses whilst at the same time enhancing the student experience to really prepare them for industry-standard careers in the future.”