Number of females engineering students in Wiltshire triples since 2020
Wiltshire College and University Centre says it's pushing to increase diversity in its classes and the industry
Last updated 12th Mar 2026
New figures are revealing how the number of female students studying motorsport and engineering in Wiltshire has tripled since 2020.
21 women and girls are currently on courses at Wiltshire College and University Centre, while there were only six in September 2020. The 2024/25 academic year saw a peak of 22 students.
David Campion leads Motorsport Engineering at the College University Centre and said increasing diversity is something they're keen on.
"We're trying to increase our women, we're trying to increase our ethnic minorities as well, coming into our actual curriculum and then hopefully feeding into the job role," he said.
Motorsport and Engineering have traditionally been heavily dominated by men, but a growing number of role models in the TV and sporting arena's is paving the way for future generations of women to thrive in the industry.
Executive Director for Lackham, Lily Raynor-Blundell, said it's encouraging, but there's more to do as women make up less than a fifth of the work force in the industry.
She said: "The more role models they see, younger girls will be able to consider STEM engineering, motorsport as a career option rather than just seeing it as something that only the boys do."
David added that increased diversity brings different ways of thinking and different solutions.
"You can see it in education itself," he said. "They've come up with different solutions. Actually, that's a really clever way of doing things. And it's nice to see the different aspects and different things because men and women do think differently quite often, especially in engineering problems."
"Give it a go, it's the best thing you'll ever do"
Greatest Hits Radio spoke to Jodie Buxton, who's studying a Bachelor's in Motorsport Technology, who said it's encouraging to see greater female representation in the industry.
"I think the number of roles, if I put Formula One as an example, with Team principals, engineers, radio engineers, it's becoming more and more every day. There's more roles, it's more accessible," she said.
Jodie told us that she was found her passion for engineering through tinkering with bikes with her dad, who also had a taxi business, where she would get involved in the remodelling of the cars.
Jodie said she enjoys the variety of the course she is on, saying the hands-on experience can be put into a real world perspective.
"It's okay writing the solutions on paper, but being able to put that into real world technical perspectives, I think that's really, really good for me. That's what I enjoy the most about it."
Jodie hopes to progress to a career in aeronautics after studying for her masters.
"I'd like to sort of branch into more of a aeronautical side, and I do have a couple of jobs lined up for the MOD," she said.
Jodie urged any girls or women who enjoy engineering to get involved.
"I think the diversity is much more open now. It's more accessible for us to be able to do it. I think you should just apply and just do it. Just jump into it, it will be one of the best things you'll ever do."