At Programmed, we’re committed to inspiring tomorrow’s leaders through initiatives that nurture bright young talent in the communities we operate in. We particularly recognise the importance of supporting young women in traditionally male-dominated fields, leading us to sponsor ‘Team Surge’ from Korowa Anglican Girls’ School in the transformative STEM program F1 in Schools.
F1 in Schools is a program and competition that challenges high school students to design and manufacture their own miniature F1 racing cars. Every year, 29,000 teams compete in the hope of being selected as one of the 55 teams at the world finals.
Beyond the engineering aspects, students must also build and market their brand to prospective sponsors, such as Programmed, to compete successfully. As Sapphire sponsors, Programmed provided the financial support necessary for the team to represent Australia while competing on the world stage at the 2024 Aramco F1 in Schools World Finals, hosted in Saudi Arabia
Korowa’s best and brightest faced a few challenges before hitting the asphalt, including only two members able to compete in person and the rest competing remotely. Even with these setbacks, ‘Team Surge’ shone, notching up the following achievements:
- 8th Place Overall
- 3rd Fastest Legal Car
- Fastest Australian car
- 2nd Overall placed Australian team
- Runner up for Best Engineered Car Award
- Runner up for Sponsorship and Marketing Award
- Runner up for Autodesk AI (Generative design) Award
- Selection of team Design Engineer for the Komatsu-Williams Engineering Academy
While Programmed’s financial contribution to the teams’ success was immensely appreciated, Team Surge found the connections built with Programmed staff equally impactful.
“This experience allowed us to envision potential pathways after school, including internships and careers,” said Tessa Plant, Surge Team Manager. “Additionally, as a predominantly female team, we were inspired to see ourselves represented in the Programmed community, fostering a sense of inclusion and empowerment.
“We are incredibly grateful for the support and guidance Programmed has provided,” added Tessa. “Moreover, we deeply appreciate Programmed for taking a chance on our team—a decision that has transformed the lives of our team members, elevated the profile of the F1 in Schools program at our school, and impacted the culture of over 200 girls’ schools globally, where we’ve had the opportunity to share our story thanks to the support of Programmed.”
With Programmed’s F1 in Schools sponsorship, we’re thrilled to have the opportunity to help create the next innovators and leaders of tomorrow, allowing these budding young engineers to hit the ground running (or driving!) as they enter their future studies and careers.
