Motorsport series in NZ / Industrial placement year.
Discussion
Hi all, I was hoping I could pick some of your brains in here on finding some work in NZ.
A little about me, I'm a 21 year old Automotive/Motorsport Engineering student, in my 2nd year of a 3 year degree course, and I'm looking to take a years industrial placement after this year before returning for the final year, so as to gain practical experience, make contacts and replenish my battered bank balance. (Oh and to get out of the UK for as long as possible!) I have specialised my studies in CAD design, but I would like to gain some practical experience in a race team, as I only currently have a brief repertoire in this field.
My fiancées father lives in Auckland, and she has mentioned that she would like to go there to work for a year when she finishes her degree next year, and with him offering us a flat he owns it's looking seriously tempting.
Only problem is I can find little information on the motorsport industry out there? I have been told that it does exist, but I was hoping maybe some of you guys could point me in the direction of some of the better known teams? The equivalent would be teams such as Carlin Motorsport or Barwell Racing in the UK, although any kind of company would be a consideration.
I hope that some of you may be able to point me in the right direction, as I require a job offer to be made before I can apply for my work visa.
Thanks in advance for any advice.
Dan
A little about me, I'm a 21 year old Automotive/Motorsport Engineering student, in my 2nd year of a 3 year degree course, and I'm looking to take a years industrial placement after this year before returning for the final year, so as to gain practical experience, make contacts and replenish my battered bank balance. (Oh and to get out of the UK for as long as possible!) I have specialised my studies in CAD design, but I would like to gain some practical experience in a race team, as I only currently have a brief repertoire in this field.
My fiancées father lives in Auckland, and she has mentioned that she would like to go there to work for a year when she finishes her degree next year, and with him offering us a flat he owns it's looking seriously tempting.
Only problem is I can find little information on the motorsport industry out there? I have been told that it does exist, but I was hoping maybe some of you guys could point me in the direction of some of the better known teams? The equivalent would be teams such as Carlin Motorsport or Barwell Racing in the UK, although any kind of company would be a consideration.
I hope that some of you may be able to point me in the right direction, as I require a job offer to be made before I can apply for my work visa.
Thanks in advance for any advice.
Dan
Sadly, we have very little of a motorsport "industry" to work in... in NZ there's not many people who make a living out of motorsport (other than people who supply the industry, engine builders etc) with a lot of NZ's (even top level) teams being blokes in sheds doing it for the love of it.
There ARE a few race-teams that're fully professional though, that it'd be possible to hook up with, especially if you weren't expecting a lot of money out of it.
Of course there's always the option of coming over and getting a day-job and then working nights/weekends for the race teams for little or nothing, which is how many of the locals seem to do it.
I've got a friend who's a professional motorsports engineer/crew-chief who I could ask for you and see if he knows of anyone looking for people at the moment. The race season's just started here and runs for about the next five months.... there's little motorsport over here in the winter, other than small-scale stuff.
There ARE a few race-teams that're fully professional though, that it'd be possible to hook up with, especially if you weren't expecting a lot of money out of it.
Of course there's always the option of coming over and getting a day-job and then working nights/weekends for the race teams for little or nothing, which is how many of the locals seem to do it.
I've got a friend who's a professional motorsports engineer/crew-chief who I could ask for you and see if he knows of anyone looking for people at the moment. The race season's just started here and runs for about the next five months.... there's little motorsport over here in the winter, other than small-scale stuff.
I was expecting that may be the case, having to get a day job then spending evenings and weekends doing it, but if that's the case then fair play, I can cope with that!
If you could post up some details of some of these professional teams that would be great. I'm not looking to come out there until around October next year, as the missus wants to wait for her graduation first.
If the day job arrangement is likely to be the most probable way of approaching this, what does NZ offer in terms of a manufacturing industry? As I mentioned, I've specialised my studies in computer aided design, and this can be applied to almost all aspects of manufacturing engineering, not just motorsports or automotive, although the closer I can get to that the better, obviously! As one example I currently work part time in the UK for Milmega, doing 3D design on their range of high power microwave amplifiers, so my skills are easily transferable to other sectors.
Where should I be looking for jobs in this kind of industry?
If you could post up some details of some of these professional teams that would be great. I'm not looking to come out there until around October next year, as the missus wants to wait for her graduation first.
If the day job arrangement is likely to be the most probable way of approaching this, what does NZ offer in terms of a manufacturing industry? As I mentioned, I've specialised my studies in computer aided design, and this can be applied to almost all aspects of manufacturing engineering, not just motorsports or automotive, although the closer I can get to that the better, obviously! As one example I currently work part time in the UK for Milmega, doing 3D design on their range of high power microwave amplifiers, so my skills are easily transferable to other sectors.
Where should I be looking for jobs in this kind of industry?
Kozy,
If you're looking at doing both the motorsport and manufacturing engineering jobs, you're probably looking at a big manufacturing centre, which means either Auckland (North Is) or Christchurch (South Is).
With regards to finding an engineering "day job" I'd recommend using a recruitment agency... there's plenty of that sort of work around (at the moment) and I'd not imagine you'll have a problem finding that kind of job (I'm in the industry myself you see). As for Motorsports teams, I'll chat to my mate in a week or two when I next see him and ask if you'd have a chance of working with them next summer season, and if not, maybe a list of the motorsport teams that'd be good to hit up. It's possible that you might be able to get a fulltime position with one of these teams.... it wouldn't be huge pay, and it'd be long-hours, but it'd be a good experience... alternatively, if you can't find that and you're prepared to work for nothing (or next to nothing) you'll have no trouble finding a nights/weekends position with most major race teams.
I'll post back here in a couple of weeks once I've had a chance to chat to my mate about chances etc. It's good that you're planning this so far in advance, gives a lot of time to prepare and scope your options
If you're looking at doing both the motorsport and manufacturing engineering jobs, you're probably looking at a big manufacturing centre, which means either Auckland (North Is) or Christchurch (South Is).
With regards to finding an engineering "day job" I'd recommend using a recruitment agency... there's plenty of that sort of work around (at the moment) and I'd not imagine you'll have a problem finding that kind of job (I'm in the industry myself you see). As for Motorsports teams, I'll chat to my mate in a week or two when I next see him and ask if you'd have a chance of working with them next summer season, and if not, maybe a list of the motorsport teams that'd be good to hit up. It's possible that you might be able to get a fulltime position with one of these teams.... it wouldn't be huge pay, and it'd be long-hours, but it'd be a good experience... alternatively, if you can't find that and you're prepared to work for nothing (or next to nothing) you'll have no trouble finding a nights/weekends position with most major race teams.
I'll post back here in a couple of weeks once I've had a chance to chat to my mate about chances etc. It's good that you're planning this so far in advance, gives a lot of time to prepare and scope your options
That would be fantastic if you could do that! I understand the implications of working full time for a race team, but hopefully it would be worth it. I would also be fully prepared to work for nothing evenings and weekends if I had a full time day job on (hopefully) a higher salary, as I have done this in the past with a local rally team.
I shall get on to some recruitment agencies in the next week or so and see what I can get, looking on their websites there does seem to be plenty of jobs suited to my skills.
For the record I will be residing in Auckland, so anything I get would have to be predominantly based in that immediate area.
Just on a side note, where would I stand on car ownership with a UK license over there?
I shall get on to some recruitment agencies in the next week or so and see what I can get, looking on their websites there does seem to be plenty of jobs suited to my skills.
For the record I will be residing in Auckland, so anything I get would have to be predominantly based in that immediate area.
Just on a side note, where would I stand on car ownership with a UK license over there?
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