- INFINITI names engineering student from Calgary (Alberta), Matthew Kemp as the 2019 Canadian winner of its acclaimed INFINITI Engineering Academy
- Following an intense trackside final at FORMULA 1 PIRELLI GRAND PRIX DU CANADA 2019 ahead of this weekend's Grand Prix, Kemp has become the first of the seven Academy Engineers (one per participating region) to be awarded a unique one-year placement to work in automotive and Formula 1™
- Chosen by a panel of judges from INFINITI, Renault F1® Team, the Alliance and Harvard University, Kemp will begin his unique one-year placement with INFINITI and Renault F1® Team in January 2020, together with another six winners from all over the world
Montreal, QC – INFINITI awards an engineering student from Calgary (Alberta) the career opportunity of a lifetime to work with INFINITI and Renault F1® Team, as Matthew Kemp is crowned winner of the INFINITI Engineering Academy 2019 Canadian final.
The INFINITI Engineering Academy is a global search for motivated engineering talent to work across automotive and Formula One™. This unique program is the most successful technical recruitment initiative of its kind, with 50 per cent of past winners securing full time roles at either INFINITI or in F1® following their placement. Through the Academy, INFINITI has successfully recruited talented student engineers in Canada for four consecutive years.
The 20-year-old Mechanical Engineer student Matthew Kemp was selected by a panel of judges from INFINITI, Renault F1® Team, the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance and Harvard University, ahead of nine other finalists and hundreds of applicants from around the country in an action-packed trackside final at FORMULA 1 PIRELLI GRAND PRIX DU CANADA 2019, ahead of this weekend's Grand Prix.
To compete, the students tackled an intensive program designed to evaluate both technical and soft skills, which included an engineering exam; intensive one-to-one interviews; a decision-making challenge designed by Harvard University Professor Dr. Julia Minson; a Formula 1™ technical challenge designed by Renault F1® Team, and build a dragster model vehicle. The final challenge tested communication skills with a Q&A session in the form of a press conference with seasoned Canadian journalists.
Kemp will move to the UK in January 2020 for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity where he will spend six months working at the Renault F1® Team's Technical Center (Enstone) and six months at INFINITI's European Technical Center (Cranfield). Included in the prize package are travel, accommodation, access to a company car and a competitive salary, as well as the opportunity to work with world-leading engineers at the forefront of the automotive and motorsport industries.
Tommaso Volpe, director of Global Motorsport & Performance Projects, INFINITI commented, "At INFINITI, we believe that human talent is the driving force behind technology. The Engineering Academy has been incredibly successful; it has allowed us to discover the best emerging talent around the world. In fact, it is no accident that half of our former winners have secured full-time engineering positions in automotive or in Formula 1™."
Cyril Abiteboul, managing director, Renault Sport Racing, also added: 'Attracting top new talent is crucial for success in Formula 1™, and the INFINITI Engineering Academy helps us to achieve our goal. It takes a unique talent to flourish in this industry, and the quality, in-depth selection process employed by the INFINITI Engineering Academy enables us to search for the right people efficiently. Time is the most precious commodity in Formula One™, knowing the intensive process our new engineering undergraduates have been through before they reach us is very reassuring."
Commenting on his win, Kemp said: "I feel incredible; I have learned so much about myself and what it takes to work in motorsport. Going through all the challenges and finishing on top is amazing. Being the youngest, I felt like the underdog, but it has been an honour to compete alongside the nine other finalists. I am very thankful for this opportunity provided by INFINITI and the Renault F1 Team, and looking forward to starting my placement in the U.K"
"New engineering solutions are developed minute by minute in Formula 1™ - Track to road technology is more important than ever. We are training a new generation of engineers, with an important role to play in the crossover between the two industries, while empowering them with a unique program by the largest automotive alliance, Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi", concluded Volpe.
For more information on the INFINITI Engineering Academy or to apply, please visit academy.infiniti.com
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