Daniel returns to Hafan campus to share his formula for success

Recent learner Daniel Pirie returned to Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor to talk about university life and competing in the ‘Formula Student’ motor racing championship.

Daniel studied the two-year BTEC Enhanced Engineering course at the Hafan campus in Pwllheli, completing his diploma just over a year ago.

He is now starting the second year of an Aeronautical Engineering degree at Kingston University London.

During his first year, Daniel was part of the team that designed and built the university’s Formula Student car, which raced at Silverstone this summer before also competing in Cyprus and Greece.

Daniel, who has a keen interest in Formula One, used skills he had forged while at Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor, when he helped his peers develop F1 In Schools race cars for the North Wales regional championship.

“I enjoyed the participation in the F1 in Schools competition while at Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor,” said Daniel when he returned to the Hafan campus recently. “It gave me the chance to improve my teamworking and problem-solving skills, which helped me greatly with the Formula Student race car design which I chose as an extracurricular activity at university.”

F1 in Schools sees teams of students create their cars using computer-aided design and manufacture processes, before racing them at speeds in excess of 35mph at the North Wales finals in Denbigh.

It’s not just a case of having the fastest car - the teams are tasked with gaining sponsorship and are scored on a verbal presentation to judges, and their engineering and enterprise portfolios.

F1 in Schools is embedded as part of the Level 3 Engineering course at Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor, and a team from the Hafan campus reached the UK final in 2024. The college also offers the programme to local schools, with more than ever set to take part this year.

Daniel said: “It's great to hear that the college is extending its participation and support for local schools in this year’s competition at the North Wales regional finals. I wish all the teams the best of luck in this year’s competition.”

Daniel said his time at Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor laid the groundwork for university, adding: “After studying the Level 3 General Engineering course I was confident and able to achieve good grades in written assignments, technical reports and lab reports, due to the foundation knowledge and feedback I had received from my tutors at Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor.

“Also, the skills I gained from the Computer-Aided Design and Performing Engineering Operations units have helped me with the extracurricular activities at university.”

Emlyn Evans, engineering lecturer at the Pwllheli and Dolgellau campuses, said: “It’s great to hear about our past students and what they are up to once they leave college and progress with their studies and future careers. It gives us all a great deal of satisfaction that we have been a part of their development.

“Daniel has dedicated himself to his studies and will be progressing into his second year at Kingston University London, after achieving ‘A’ grades in his first year.

“We wish Daniel and his team at Kingston University London all the best competing in Formula Student, and we look forward to hearing of their continued success in the competition.”

For more information about the engineering provision at Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor please contact ev.evans@gllm.ac.uk

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