Babcock International has returned to one of Europe’s largest student engineering events, reinforcing its commitment to supporting the next generation of engineering talent.
As a business built on engineering and technology, Babcock served as the official Artificial Intelligence partner for Formula Student 2024, which took place at the iconic Silverstone race track on 17–20 July.
The event provided an invaluable opportunity for aspiring engineers to develop key skills such as business planning, project management, and hands-on engineering. Over the course of the event, student teams unveiled race cars they have built from the ground up, alongside autonomous systems designed to meet specific performance challenges.
Neil Young, Global Engineering Capability Director at Babcock, emphasised the importance of nurturing future talent: “Mentoring and working with next-generation talent in engineering and technology is a priority for Babcock. Ensuring we have the right skills, in the right place, at the right time enables us to deliver on critical defence programmes. Supporting events like Formula Student is part of our wider strategy to break down barriers to STEM and skills. Witnessing the innovation, teamwork and passion from these young minds reaffirms the importance of investing in the engineers of tomorrow.”
This year, thousands of undergraduate engineers from around the world participated in Formula Student and the Uncrewed Aerial Systems (UAS) Challenge — two flagship initiatives led by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE). While Formula Student focuses on the design, build and performance of single-seater race cars, the UAS Challenge tasks students with developing a fully operational uncrewed aerial system, capable of completing defined mission objectives.
Babcock supported both events through its longstanding partnership with the IMechE. Throughout the year, the company worked closely with students, providing mentorship that helped them gain valuable real-world engineering experience.
By investing in initiatives such as Formula Student and fostering a culture of innovation and guidance, Babcock played an active role in equipping future engineers with the skills and confidence needed to tackle tomorrow’s engineering challenges.
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