New recruits: Claire Hall, event coordinator for Team RAC in Middlesex, England

Ana Arendar speaks to young people who have completed their training and recently started work in the automotive industry

I’ve been interested in motorsports since the age of 12 – it began with an interest in Formula One and grew from there. So, on completion of my A-levels I enrolled on an HND course in motorsport. The two-year course included practical work such as building our own race cars and organising motorsport events. I later went on to do 15 months’ work on the British round of the World Rally Championship, which was great experience. After that I went back to university to do a top-up year on my HND, which got me a degree in motorsport management.

For the past two years I’ve been working for Team RAC in |the British Touring Car Championship. I manage the logistical side of things – sorting out the timetable so everyone knows where and when the races are, booking accommodation for the team, looking after hospitality and ensuring everything runs smoothly.

Last year the job took me to Macau, on the coast of China, for the World Touring Car Championship. The whole team was flown out there to work for 10 days. I managed the logistics and booked all the hotels, flights and ferries.

I work with 16 men and one woman. It’s great fun but you definitely have to have a good sense of humour. I always knew that this was a male-dominated industry, which can put some women off. When I started my course at university there were three girls and 35 guys, which made it very daunting, but once I got to know everyone it was fine. If you have got a passion for this industry then go for it – your gender should not be an issue.

TOP TIP: "Get as much experience as possible. Join a motorsport club or, if you have a local circuit, get a part-time job or apply to become a marshal."