Formula E and PIF tackle green skills gap

Arab News

14 hours ago

LONDON: A major electric motorsport-backed education initiative is targeting Britain's critical shortage of workers in green industries, with Formula E's Driving Force program, presented by PIF E360, predicted to reach over 50,000 students worldwide by the end of 2025.
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Formula E, the world's first and only all electric motorsport, continues to accelerate change on and off the track through its flagship STEM and sustainability youth education programs. Driving Force presented by PIF E360 comes as the UK faces a projected deficit of 200,000 skilled workers in net-zero zero roles by 2030, while green job opportunities continue to expand by 9.2 percent year-on-year.
The skills gap has prompted new Department of Education statutory guidance for schools to create stronger links between subject lessons and careers. Every pupil is required to learn how the knowledge and skills developed in that subject helps gain entry to, and work within, a wide range of careers.
All students between Years 7 and 11 are to experience at least one meaningful encounter with an employer each year and to learn about careers through every subject.
Driving Force uses the appeal of all-electric motorsport to engage students aged eight to 18 in sustainability education, equipping young people with the knowledge, confidence and role models needed to pursue the ever-growing roles in sustainability, science and tech.
As part of its community engagement, Formula E delivered an in-person Driving Force workshop at Hammersmith Academy in London on 16th July, reaching over 90 students.
The session that research represents the type of direct intervention can significantly influence young people's career suggests aspirations and STEM representation, and is part of a series of 5 workshops delivered across London in July, focusing on schools close to the upcoming London E-Prix race location of the Excel in East London, and the Formula E HQ in Hammersmith.
Earlier this year, Formula E also delivered Driving Force workshops in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and Miami, United States during their respective race weeks.
Through hands-on learning, the in-person workshops connected classroom learning to real-world careers in motorsport, mobility, engineering, battery innovation and clean energy, leaving behind a lasting community legacy in the heart of London.
Julia Palle, VP of Sustainability, Formula E said: 'A survey in 2024 of more than 7,000 UK secondary-school students reveals a worrying downward trend in both their involvement in and their ambition to pursue STEM subjects — a stark wake-up call for educators and policymakers alike. Teachers are being asked to make stronger connections between subjects and careers, but they need support from employers to do that effectively. Driving Force, presented by PIF E360, is part of the solution to help the education system deliver what our students and our green economy both desperately need to succeed.'
In addition to Driving Force, Formula E's wider social impact FIA Girls on strategy includes several key initiatives including Together, Inspiration Hour and Better Futures Fund, the Track these programs form a core part of Formula E's commitment to delivering long-term, community-focused benefits in every host city and create inclusive opportunities.
Formula E was born out of a desire to help shape a more sustainable future for current and future generations to come and continues to deepen its commitment to creating lasting, positive change through social impact initiatives that aim to tackle inequalities and nurture inclusive, resilient and diverse communities in every city they visit.
As the world's first all-electric FIA World Championship and the only sport-certified net zero carbon since inception, the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship brings dramatic racing to the heart of some of the world's most iconic cities providing an elite motorsport platform for the world's leading automotive manufacturers to accelerate electric vehicle innovation.
The Formula E network of teams, manufacturers, partners, broadcasters, and host cities is united by a passion for the sport and belief in its potential to accelerate sustainable human progress and create a better future for people and the planet.