Williams today announced the launch of a new Engineering Academy in partnership with Randstad, the second largest HR services provider in the world. The Randstad Williams Engineering Academy will begin in 2015 and will see Williams mentor up to 10 students each year in a long term extra-curricular programme that will help guide a new generation of engineers towards a successful career in F1.

To select the best candidates, Williams will be partnering with F1 in Schools, a not-for-profit educational organisation that delivers a world-class STEM competition that engages with millions of students across the globe. The Academy will be open to those aged between 16 and 18 at the time of entry and have successfully made it through to that year's F1 in Schools World Finals.

A selection of nominated F1 in Schools World Finalists will apply to join the Academy in autumn each year and following a series of assessments up to 10 candidates will be successful, with the first students joining in November 2015. Over the course of the next seven years each cohort of students will be gradually whittled down in number as they complete a series of vocational placements and mentoring experiences at Williams and undertake e-learning projects. Given the global nature of the Academy, with students applying from all over the world, remote e-learning with a motorsport engineering theme will be a central tenet of the programme. Randstad will be using its global presence and extensive experience of global education systems and vocational skills training to help Williams in the promotion and the ongoing assessment of the students.

Speaking about the Randstad Williams Engineering Academy Pat Symonds, Chief Technical Officer at Williams, said; "Formula One is a human capital business and companies like Williams rely on attracting the very best talent to stay ahead of the game. Too often young engineering students lack information and guidance on how to secure a job in the sport and this new Academy will help break down these barriers. We will be giving talented students with a passion for STEM subjects the chance to get up close and personal with the team and be mentored by senior Formula One engineers. Young Driver Academies have existed in Formula One for a while, but this is the first time an engineering alternative on this scale has been established. We look forward to welcoming our first Academy entrants next year. "

"Williams has been passionate about promoting the study of STEM subjects for many years," added Claire Williams, "and we have been looking for a new programme that would encourage a new pipeline of talented students from across the world to join our organisation. Randstad are a long term partner of Williams and a major recruiter in the Automotive, IT and Engineering segments. Their knowledge of the global educational space is second to none. As a patron of F1 in Schools I am very familiar with how bright the entrants are and we are delighted to be working with them to select the best candidates.

"Formula One is fiercely competitive and therefore our students will be competing with each other to remain in the Academy until the very end. We are breaking new ground with this initiative and we are confident that we can give our students important vocational skills that will perfectly complement their traditional education."