By: Shilpa Sharma
FORMULA ONE great Lewis Hamilton has just launched a scheme to get 150 black graduates to teach Stem (science, technology, engineering and maths) subjects.
He wants the recruits to work with disadvantaged children in England and act as a catalyst into getting more people from a black background into his sport and science and technology more generally.
Last year, using his own wealth he commissioned a report – known as the Hamilton Commission – in partnership with Royal Academy of Engineering, looking into why so few people of colour go into motorsport. There is also a well-recognised gender imbalance.
In an interview broadcast this week with two young black pupils from BBC’s Newsround, he told them that there were 40,000 jobs in his sport, but only one per cent of them were filled by people of a black background.
In the interview, he encouraged more black girls to take up science subjects as it would open some of the great avenues.
More diverse workforce
He said: “Ultimately more diverse workforce is beneficial for everyone.”
The new scheme, launched in partnership with the education charity Teach First, will look at ways of how to best attract and train these potential black Stem teachers.
The F1 driver told BBC the scheme “is another step towards addressing barriers preventing young black students’ engagement with STEM, as identified in the Hamilton Commission report”.
Hamilton said: “We know representation and role models are important across all aspects of society, but especially when it comes to supporting young people’s development.”
The project will also analyse the obstacles that could avert young black students from moving forward in STEM subjects.
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