Sep 29, 2025 · 36 min · 11 segments
The complex systems of the Energy Transition require people with hands-on technical training that traditional universities just don't provide. Hear how SCU Motorsport and Director Alan O'Neill are…
Alan O'NeillGuestBrian DeBruinHostWell, you know, Alan, I think we want to kind of orient the students out there to this train of thought, or frame of mind maybe is a better way to say it, that really, I think worldwide there's this change in attitude from the past where It seemed like college was seen as the right path for anybody who is ambitious to aspire to.
But I think the spotlight is really starting to turn to considering a skilled trade as well.
And I see this attitude, this shift in attitude happening in the U.S. Do you see that in the U.K. and also in Europe?
It's very slow and it's one of the things we've been doing the research, we've been talking to various nations all over the world.
India being probably one of the greater examples to use where it's almost from a cultural perspective, the kind of higher education degree approach.
What we're finding is that practical engineering will make them a much better engineer at that kind of academic stroke degree design research level.
So we obviously aware that the US, I think the programs are called EdTech in the US.
And funnily enough, last week, as recent as last week, we had a conference call with a race engineer.
He's operated in Formula One, Formula E, World Insurance, and he gave us the feedback that that's what's needed.
And the way I describe it is if I was a team owner and I wanted my race car set up to an optimal level, I don't want someone coming to me and describing it in a theoretical basis.
You know, I'm not interested that theory says that they must do this, must do that.
I want my car set up in a practical fashion and get out on the track and hit pole position.
Well, really for too long, you know, the assumption was made that a little bit of on-the-job training would suffice for people to be able to wire a house or install plumbing or repair a car or... work with an HVAC system, HVAC system.
But, you know, I don't think that this paradigm is providing the level of training that's needed for this far more technical world that we now live in.
You know, we need skilled technicians that are every bit as intelligent and ambitious as a college student.
Well, you know, Alan, I think we want to kind of orient the students out there to this train of thought, or frame of mind maybe is a better way to say it, that really, I think worldwide there's this change in attitude from the past where It seemed like college was seen as the right path for anybody who is ambitious to aspire to.
But I think the spotlight is really starting to turn to considering a skilled trade as well.
And I see this attitude, this shift in attitude happening in the U.S. Do you see that in the U.K. and also in Europe?
It's very slow and it's one of the things we've been doing the research, we've been talking to various nations all over the world.
India being probably one of the greater examples to use where it's almost from a cultural perspective, the kind of higher education degree approach.
What we're finding is that practical engineering will make them a much better engineer at that kind of academic stroke degree design research level.
So we obviously aware that the US, I think the programs are called EdTech in the US.
And funnily enough, last week, as recent as last week, we had a conference call with a race engineer.
He's operated in Formula One, Formula E, World Insurance, and he gave us the feedback that that's what's needed.
And the way I describe it is if I was a team owner and I wanted my race car set up to an optimal level, I don't want someone coming to me and describing it in a theoretical basis.
You know, I'm not interested that theory says that they must do this, must do that.
I want my car set up in a practical fashion and get out on the track and hit pole position.
Well, really for too long, you know, the assumption was made that a little bit of on-the-job training would suffice for people to be able to wire a house or install plumbing or repair a car or... work with an HVAC system, HVAC system.
But, you know, I don't think that this paradigm is providing the level of training that's needed for this far more technical world that we now live in.
You know, we need skilled technicians that are every bit as intelligent and ambitious as a college student.
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