Star Academies and Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team gear up for second year of Future Engineers Academy

The year two programme revved off from the starting grid with an event for secondary pupils from Small Heath Leadership Academy, Eden Girls’ Leadership Academy, Birmingham, Star King Solomon Academy and Starbank School, where pupils met engineers and industry experts from the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team, Motivez and Driven By Us, with the primary phase launch to follow in the spring.

Building on last year’s standout launch that engaged more than 1,300 Star pupils across Birmingham, the programme will continue to deliver world-class engineering experiences and inspire the next generation to think bigger and aim higher.

With a focus on increasing diversity and inclusion in engineering and motorsport, in its inaugural year, the programme has inspired pupils from groups traditionally underrepresented in these fields - including girls, ethnic minority pupils, and those from areas of social and economic deprivation. By giving young people hands-on access to cutting-edge STEM experiences, the immersive learning experience has broken down barriers, challenged stereotypes, and ignited ambition for careers in engineering, technology, and motorsport.

In its first year, the Future Engineers Academy put STEM into top gear across Star schools, offering pupils hands-on workshops, engineering challenges, and enrichment activities, supported by delivery partners Motivez and Driven By Us. Pupils took the wheel on engineering projects, designing sustainable F1 cars, building karts, creating team liveries, and testing their teamwork in LEGO® engineering exercises. The programme crossed the finish line with a visit to the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team’s Brackley factory, where pupils got up close to championship-winning cars, handled cutting-edge components, and presented their own car and livery designs to F1 engineers.

In its second year, the Future Engineers Academy will give pupils even more opportunities to build, code, and create, while design competitions and challenge presentations – judged by motorsport engineers - will put their skills to the test. Pupils will also have direct access to Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team engineers throughout the process, gaining first-hand insight into real-world engineering, teamwork, and careers in motorsport. The kart build challenge will culminate not just in track testing but in a national competition against other schools, giving pupils the chance to measure their skills on a wider stage.

Pupils will again have the opportunity to apply their knowledge and skills to engineering problems and projects, including through a new motorsport-focused sustainability challenge as well as building a full kart from scratch and solving coding challenges. Through workshops, engagement with mentors and independent learning, pupils will work in teams, developing their ability to collaborate, as well as individually, developing their confidence and communication skills.

The programme will also introduce a new end-of-year celebration in July, recognising and rewarding achievements across all strands. Every activity is designed to boost confidence, spark creativity, and show that engineering and technology are exciting and achievable career paths.

Reflecting on the success of the programme and looking ahead to its next phase, Sir Mufti Hamid Patel CBE, Chief Executive of Star Academies, said:

“Seeing our pupils explore and experiment through the Future Engineers Academy is incredibly inspiring. Working alongside the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team, Motivez, and Driven By Us, they are gaining hands-on experience, learning from world-class engineers, and discovering what is possible when creativity, teamwork, and determination come together. 

"As the programme enters its next chapter, we are giving young people even more opportunities to spark their imagination, take on new challenges, and develop the skills and confidence to shape their own futures. This collaboration shows them that ambition has no limits and that the next generation of innovators, engineers, and problem-solvers is already among us.”

Elaine Hayes, Assistant Principal at Eden Girls’ Leadership Academy, Birmingham, said:

“The first year of the Future Engineers Academy has been transformational for our pupils. Through hands-on projects, expert mentoring and real-world visits, young people who might never have considered engineering have discovered practical skills, teamwork and a newfound confidence. The programme has opened doors – showing pupils that engineering and motorsport are not only exciting, but genuinely within their reach – and has already raised aspirations across our school. We are proud to be part of a collaboration that creates real opportunity, breaks down barriers and helps our girls imagine bigger futures.”

Anca Raines, Chief People Officer at Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team, added: “One of the programme highlights from last year was the pupils’ reward trip to our factory. It was a pleasure to see their passion and enthusiasm for STEM and F1 firsthand and how much our team members enjoyed the experience. We are really excited to launch the second year of the programme and see more students take on this opportunity.”

Hiran Odedra, Head of Inclusion and Social Impact at Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team, added: “As a team we are committed to driving positive change not just within our sport, but in the wider Engineering sector. It’s a pleasure to collaborate with Star Academies to bring the Future Engineers Academy into primary and secondary classrooms and watch the students grow their skills and confidence in STEM.”

With the Future Engineers Academy now geared to enter its next phase, Star Academies' pupils from across Birmingham are set to drive their learning and creativity forward, taking their STEM skills to new heights across a year that promises even more opportunities to experiment, collaborate, and showcase their ideas. As these young engineers take the wheel of their own learning journeys, the Future Engineers Academy is igniting ambition, fuelling imagination, and proving that the next generation of innovators, engineers, and problem-solvers is already on the starting grid.