We can't wait to welcome you to Andover College!
We have created this interactive page to give you a sense of what studying Motorsport at Andover College is like. Scroll down to learn more about the courses on offer.
If you have any questions about our courses please get in touch, email -AskConstructionMV@sparsholt.ac.uk
Check out the pictures of all the trips and extra-curriculum activities our students get to experience along with all the help and support we can provide through our experienced Careers and Health & Wellbeing teams.
Meet your lecturer!
Welcome to Motorsport!
Your lecturer Tim has put together a short video to get you excited about studying Motorsport at Andover College - take a look here.
About the Course
The various IMI Diplomas offered at Andover are learning programmes designed to meet the current and future needs of the Automotive industry at Andover we are proud of the industry connections and first class professional teaching we can offer to applicants. In addition, you will hone your skills in the recently built £3.9 million Technology & Future Skills Centre!
The course you have chosen runs over a two year period. Year one is Level 2 and Year 2 is Level 3. The first year will be largely learning automotive fundamentals with the extra Motorsport elements, including, Event regulations and Vehicle Inspections.
As a Motorsport student you will also be involved in maintaining and developing the two college track cars as we use these to help introduce you to the initial principles of track side management and how to run an effective Motorsport team.
As a college we run a Race team and Rally team throughout the whole year and you will all have the opportunity to be part of this during your second year. Some of your assignments will be based on these competitions.
Our Rally Car is a Nissan Micra 1.4 and we run in class A – up to 1400cc. We are current champions of class A of the Association of Central and Southern Motor Clubs tarmac rally championship!
Our Race car is a Renault Clio 182 and we race with the Classic Sports Car Club in the Tin Tops class. Our last result was 15th out of 45 and we are the only near standard car which was a great result!
During your second year we will help prepare you for your transition after college, whether this is into employment, higher apprenticeships or university.
Be sure to take a look at the IMI web page to explore your options in this exciting industry!
If you are interested in continuing your learning at a higher level then a degree in Motorsport Engineering could be an option to consider. Previous students have successfully achieved places at a variety of universities, including recent graduate John who graduated from Wolverhampton recently and is now working with a Le Mans racing team!
A typical day?
As a Motorsport engineer working in design, testing or production, your day-to-day duties may include:
- Assessing new ideas by looking at performance, strength, costs and safety
- Designing prototypes with computer-aided design (CAD) software
- Testing components and bodywork
- Testing working models on the track
- Building production models and carrying out quality control checks
- Finishing vehicles with the team's colours and sponsorship logos
As a Motorsport engineer working in racing, your day-to-day duties may include:
- Setting up vehicles to suit track and weather conditions
- Monitoring engine speed and other data during races
- Fine tuning the vehicle and sending technical instructions to the driver or rider
- Carrying out ‘after-tests’ on vehicles after a race to look for signs of damage
Below is a great video highlighting the importance of understanding both the practical and theory elements of Motorsport!
Additional Resources
Interested in learning more about the various topics you could study at Andover College? Please take a look at these additional resources below.
Video recommendations:
- British Touring Car Championship 2019 Highlights - here.
- World Rally 2019 - here.
- How to Build a Toyota 2JZ Engine - here.
Recommended reading:
- Investigate the different Types of Motorsport available here.
- Engineering Explained: How Sequential Transmissions Work - here.
In addition, you may want to look into the variety of other online free courses available with the Open University. Take a look at their full catalogue here and keep your skills sharp over the summer!
Our Courses:
IMI Level 2/Level 3 in Motorsport Vehicle Maintenance & Repair (2 Years)
Careers Guidance
Our careers guidance aims to expand the horizons of all students enabling you to make informed career decisions in order to progress both during and after college.
Carol is our dedicated Careers Advisor for Andover College!
We also have our Sun Progression Mentor Anna!
Anna works alongside the Southern Universities Network (SUN) to help students recognise the routes of progression available to them, and to continue their journey in education!
We recently launched the new Careers Hub located in the College library so come and say hello to Carol and Anna!
Student wellbeing and support
At Andover College we understand that starting college in these uncertain times can be daunting and we aim to make this process as simple as possible.
We have a dedicated team that provide our students with any additional support they need including;
- Counselling
- Carer support
- Childcare support
- Confidential one-to-one services
We also have at the college Romeo our therapy dog! Romeo is part of the continued effort from Andover College to consistently improve on and add to wellbeing provision for students. Romeo is based on campus with his owner throughout term.
Research has shown that students are significantly less stressed and anxious, and even have increased happiness and energy, immediately following spending time in a drop-in session with a dog present.
Social Media
We love to post about all our students on our platforms including their achievements, trips and excellent work - take a look at some of the highlights below and make sure you follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube!