Just the name sounds exciting, doesn’t it? High Performance Engineering is the application of engineering sciences to industries where accuracy, performance, reliability and safety are critical.

A few examples of where high performance engineering is vital are aerospace, automotive, marine engineering, military equipment and systems, motorsports, power plant engineering and biomedical engineering. In all of these areas, it is critical for the mechanical, electrical and control systems to operate reliably, otherwise a failure could be catastrophic or fatal.

FACTS AND FIGURES:

• Around 8,000 people are currently employed in high performance engineering roles across approximately 1,700 employers throughout Buckinghamshire.

• Formula 1 motorsport businesses are part of a world-leading cluster of high tech engineering businesses based out of the Silverstone Park Innovation Centre. They are named the Silverstone Technology Cluster. It has grown in significance over recent years.

• Over 4,000 companies whose main focus is to operate in precision engineering alone are located within an hour radius of Silverstone.

• Sports Engineering, linked to Silverstone, is a local and highly-regarded specialism.

• The Silverstone UTC is a centre of excellence for young people seeking a career in high performance engineering and attracts students from all over neighbouring counties.

THE WORKFORCE:

Buckinghamshire is home to a range of stand-out employers in high performance engineering, including Bosch, Focusrite, Chelton, Martin-Baker, Stantec UK, Safran Electrical & Power UK Ltd, Monodraught, Racelogic, Angus Fire and more.

ROUTES INTO HIGH PERFORMANCE ENGINEERING:

Looking to get into Engineering? You can find a variety of courses to launch your career right here in Buckinghamshire. Use the list below as a starting point for what you could study.

• Silverstone UTC offer courses in High Performance Engineering at level 2 and level 3 

• Bucks New University offers 27 courses that involve engineering.

• Milton Keynes College has engineering courses available from post-16 up to level 5 (HND), including a specialist Aeronautical Engineering course where you specialise in the knowledge and application of aerospace study. 

• Uxbridge College offers courses that can take you from after Year 11 up to a level 5 (HND) course in either Mechanical or Electrical Engineering.