The number of women studying motorsport engineering triples

Wiltshire College & University Centre reported this increase, highlighting a growing interest among young women in STEM careers.

Figures show that 21 women are currently enrolled in motorsport engineering programmes, compared to just six in September 2020.

The 2024/25 academic year saw a peak of 22 students, bringing the total number of female students on the courses to 80 over the past six years.

Executive director of curriculum and Lackham Campus at the college, Lily Rayner-Blundell, said: "It’s fantastic to see more girls in every class.

"That’s from Level 1 right through to degree-level courses.

"It really shows that girls are increasingly seeing STEM subjects as a pathway into exciting careers including motorsport and engineering."

She also noted that the rising number of female students reflects growing awareness of the diverse career opportunities in engineering and motorsport.

Ms Rayner-Blundell said: "Girls often approach problem solving in different ways and bring different perspectives.

"That diversity of thinking is really positive for industries like engineering and motorsport."

Among the current students is 20-year-old Jodie Buxton from Devizes, who is completing a bachelor's degree in motorsport technology.

Her passion for engineering started at a young age, working on vehicles with her family.

She said: "When I was younger, my dad and I used to tinker with bikes, and he also had a taxi business, so I spent a lot of time helping with cars.

"That’s really what got me into it."

Ms Buxton believes the increasing number of women in the industry is making engineering careers more accessible.

She said: "Representation is really important.

"If you look at Formula One now, there are more women working in roles like engineers and radio engineers."

Ms Buxton hopes to continue her studies after completing her degree and eventually move into high-performance engineering.

She added: "I’d like to do a master’s in aeronautical engineering and branch into the aerospace side."

Motorsport engineering student Rachel Robertson recently made her debut in the F1 Academy series.

The championship was created by the Formula One World Championship to support the development of female racing drivers.

Ms Robertson finished tenth in her opening race in Shanghai, showing her ability to compete at an international level.

The college is also developing new initiatives to support women entering the industry.

These include plans for an all-female student racing team.