How two Komatsu engineers are helping encourage the next generation of talent

_{Jane Hodgson and Kathryn Mullins, engineers working at Komatsu UK in Birtley, England, United Kingdom, traveled to Abu Dhabi in 2019 to help judge the F1 in Schools World Finals. The event included activities at the Yas Marina Circuit where grand prix races are held.}

When Jane Hodgson and Kathryn Mullins wanted to interest young people in engineering careers, they looked for volunteer opportunities at local schools. As engineers at Komatsu UK’s headquarters in Birtley, County Durham, England, their managers were encouraging them to promote STEM learning amid a growing shortage of people in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math.

“Some students may not think of this as a career only because they don’t know enough about it,” Hodgson said. Mullins added, “I wanted to show students the different sides to engineering and rid it of the stereotypical image people have.”

When the women discovered a program called STEM Racing (formerly F1 in Schools), they were intrigued. Founded in 1999 and recently renamed, it uses motor sports to build excitement around STEM learning for ages 9 to 19. At participating schools around the globe, students develop their own versions of a team preparing for a grand prix, collaborating to design, manufacture, test, market and race miniature compressed-air-powered cars. Formula One teams support the program by hosting events and granting access to their facilities. In 2024, the program involved more than 1.8 million students from 28,000 schools in 64 countries.

“We went along to see what it was all about, and we really enjoyed it,” said Mullins. “So, we've been doing it ever since. It's just a wonderful experience, and it's something I would have loved to have done at school.”

They started by judging a regional one-day competition among teams from different schools. Since then, their volunteer activities have grown into a 15-year commitment that has involved national UK competitions and one trip to the world finals in Abu Dhabi.

_{Kathryn Mullins with Nico Rosberg, a former Formula One driver who won the World Drivers' Championship in 2016 and 23 grands prix over 11 seasons. He was among the celebrities attending the 2019 F1 in Schools World Finals in Abu Dhabi.}

_{Jane Hodgson meets with members of an F1 in Schools teams during the 2019 World Finals in Abu Dhabi. As a judge, she is given a set of criteria to use when assessing each team’s entry.}

Over those 15 years, Mullins and Hodgson have watched some of the same students grow up, sharpen their skills and enter the job market. It's particularly gratifying to them that many are girls and young women.

Hodgson, a Compliance Engineer, and Mullins, a Planning Engineer, didn’t have the benefit of female mentors when, at a young age, they became fascinated by the way things worked. They rarely saw other women in their classes as they pursued their studies, eventually landing advanced degrees. Volunteering for STEM Racing was a way to fill the gap they experienced.

“I thought it was particularly important to try and encourage girls in these roles and make them understand that they can do this, too,” Hodgson said. “I wanted to show these students that females are just as capable in this line of work, and being in the minority shouldn’t put you off pursuing the career you want,” Mullins said.

Girls and boys alike have impressed them with their enthusiasm, motivation and commitment. The program is rigorous, requiring students to learn about physics, aerodynamics, design, manufacturing, branding, graphics, marketing, public relations and financial strategy. They learn presentation and time management skills and raise sponsorship money to pay for costs. It varies by school, but most or all of this work is done outside their regular school schedule.

When Hodgson and Mullins heard that Komatsu and Atlassian Williams Racing were launching a new initiative to attract and mentor young STEM students, it made perfect sense to them. If the last 15 years have taught them anything, it’s that Formula One is a powerful way to get students’ attention.

“It’s massive,” said Mullins. Talking to a group of 10-year-olds about science, technology, engineering and math is one thing. Talking to them about super-fast race cars is another. “That’s when they’ll say, ‘That sounds really cool.’ The adults, too.”

The Komatsu-Williams Engineering Academy, aimed at attracting and developing the next generation of engineers, enrolled its first class in January. Ten young people from around the globe will receive mentoring, participate in tailored e-learning activities and have access to two world-class teams of engineering talent over a four-year period or more. They’ll also have an inside track to internships and jobs at Komatsu and Atlassian Williams Racing.

Hodgson and Mullins will be watching closely as the academy continues. They expect to be answering questions about it when they attend STEM Racing events, and they hope it will encourage more colleagues to support STEM learning for young people.

As Mullins put it: “When you get the opportunity to share your enthusiasm with the students, encourage them and talk to them about engineering; it’s extremely rewarding.”

_{Jane Hodgson poses alongside Zac Smith, a member of the first Komatsu-Williams Engineering Academy, during the F1 in Schools UK National Finals in March.}

 

_{Teams raced compressed-air-powered cars on this track during the F1 in Schools UK National Finals in March. The annual competition is designed to replicate some of the excitement of a grand prix weekend}

 

_{Winners of the F1 in Schools UK National Finals in March were treated like celebrities, with an emcee presiding over the ceremonies. The top winners will travel to Singapore to compete in the World Finals.}