Autocar and Courland have announced the six finalists of the 2013 Next Generation Award, who will attend a panel judging day today at Haymarket Consumer Media’s Teddington Studios.
The finalists will face a panel of judges representing the award partners, Autocar, Courland International, Jaguar Land Rover, McLaren Automotive, Peugeot, Skoda and Toyota GB, as well as SMMT’s Chief Executive, Mike Hawes. Their entries will be judged on three main criteria: innovation, communication and strategy.
This year’s finalists are:
- Joshua Mitchell, Southampton University
Child and Pet Protection System
- Jake Larsson, Cranfield University
Sensory Integration System
- Alexander Siamatas, Coventry University
Collapsible Compact Seat
- Ashley Finn, Cranfield University
Adaptive Engine Temperature Control
- Aaron Lo, Hertfordshire University
Shock Energy Regeneration System
- Serge Kaldany, City of London University
Second Active AeroTunnel
The three top-scoring finalists will be invited to the SMMT Annual Dinner on 26 November, where the winner will be announced. The top prize is work experience at the five partner manufacturers and be awarded £7,500.
The award also provides an excellent springboard into a career within the industry; last year’s winner, Roberto Antonio Pace, now works at McLaren Automotive, while the two runners-up have secured jobs at Aston Martin and JCB
Autocar publisher Alastair Lewis said, “The 2013 contest has seen an unprecedented number of high quality entries from university students countrywide. The first and second round judges faced an extremely difficult task in carrying out their evaluations. We would like to thank all students and university lecturers and faculty heads for embracing the Autocar-Courland Next Generation Award and we look forward to working with them in 2014 as the contest grows and establishes itself on the academic calendar”.
Launched in 2009, the Next Generation Award offers students the opportunity to kick-start their career within the automotive industry. This year’s entrants were asked to answer a 500 word brief set by Autocar Editor-in-chief, Steve Cropley. This asked them to describe an invention, innovation, legislative change, change to corporate policy or adoption of new convention, which would be a worthwhile benefit to the UK industry.
Click through for more information on the Autocar-Courland Next Generation Award.
