STEM Workshops in Northampton

Northamptonshire sits at the heart of Motorsport Valley, the globally renowned cluster of motorsport engineering that has made the UK the dominant force in Formula 1. Silverstone, originally a wartime airfield, hosted the first ever Formula 1 World Championship race in 1950 and has been the home of British motorsport ever since. The county also has a distinguished heritage in footwear manufacturing: Northampton's boot and shoe industry predates the English Civil War, when the town supplied boots to Parliamentary armies, and it went on to pioneer mechanised production techniques in the Victorian era.

Cosworth Engineering, founded by Mike Costin and Keith Duckworth, established its operations in Northampton and produced the DFV engine that won 155 Formula 1 races, making it the most successful F1 engine in history. The Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula 1 team, based in Brackley, has been led to multiple world championships by figures including Toto Wolff and technical director James Allison. Adrian Newey, widely considered the greatest racing car designer in Formula 1 history, has worked extensively within Motorsport Valley and joined Aston Martin's Silverstone-based team in 2025.

The Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula 1 team is headquartered in Brackley, employing more than 950 engineers, aerodynamicists and data scientists. Cosworth, now based in Northampton, has diversified into advanced electronics, powertrain engineering and high-performance computing for automotive, defence and aerospace clients. The Silverstone Technology Cluster, surrounding the famous circuit, is home to around 4,300 companies employing around 41,000 people in high-performance engineering, advanced materials and technology development. Silverstone Park houses growing companies in electric vehicle technology, lightweight composites and autonomous systems.

Motorsport engineering careers are the headline opportunity, with Mercedes F1, Cosworth and other specialist firms offering apprenticeships, graduate roles and industrial placements in mechanical design, aerodynamics, data engineering and composite manufacturing. The National College for Motorsport at Silverstone provides specialist further education pathways. Beyond motorsport, the county's advanced manufacturing base creates careers in CNC machining, additive manufacturing and quality engineering, whilst the growing electric vehicle and autonomous technology sectors offer roles in battery technology, power electronics and software development.