Introducing: The Webber Alumni Series – Where Are They Now?
Here at The Webber, we are incredibly proud of the young people who leave our classrooms and go on to make their mark in the world. That’s why we’re excited to launch a brand-new series highlighting the journeys of our alumni – sharing where life has taken them, how their careers have evolved and the role that their Webber education played in shaping their futures. These stories are more than just updates, they’re real-life examples of how the values and experiences nurtured at Webber set a strong foundation for life beyond school. We hope they’ll inspire current and future students, as well as their families, with the many possibilities that lie ahead.
We’re thrilled to kick off the series with a spotlight on Thomas, a Webber alum now working in the thrilling world of Formula 1 engineering! Please click here to read this fascinating insight into Thomas’ life after Webber:
Can you tell us a little about yourself and what you’re doing now?
I am currently working full time at the Williams F1 Team as a factory-based structural design engineer. I have recently moved into this job, having spent the last 4–4.5 years at the Alpine F1 Team (formerly Renault) in a similar role. I have had the pleasure of working on projects all across the car ranging from suspension to floors, working with a range of composites and exotic metals. My role focuses on the safety and structural performance of the car, and ultimately trying to cut out as much weight as possible to make the car go quickly.
Prior to this, I studied a Masters in Aerospace Engineering with Professional Development at Brunel University London. Whilst I was on placement, I worked as an Intern Applications Engineer for a motorsport supplier, providing bespoke heat transfer solutions to a number of F1 and Le Mans teams.
What years were you at The Webber Independent School?
I studied at Webber between the years of 2008 and 2015.
How would you describe your experience at Webber?
I have many fond memories of my time at Webber. The teachers had a huge part to play in this. Webber offered so many exciting and incredible opportunities to grow academically and personally, and I feel lucky to have been a part of the Webber community.
Were there particular subjects, activities or teachers at Webber that had a big impact on you?
It would be challenging to pick out one particular aspect of my time at Webber that has had a big impact on me, as I feel my whole time there allowed me to grow and develop into who I am today. I do remember taking part in a number of school productions that stick in my mind, including An Inspector Calls and Teachers. Mr Staerck stands out to me as a teacher who really supported me, but so many teachers along the way have had a positive impact on me in so many ways, including Mr Roper, Mr Johnson, Mrs Walker, Mrs Pearman and Mrs Staerck, to name a few.
What skills or values do you feel Webber helped you develop that have been most important in your career or life?
The biggest skill I feel I have learnt from Webber (aside from the academic) would be the interpersonal skills. My teachers didn’t treat us as pupils but treated us as equals, allowing us to develop our communication in a professional environment. Not only has this helped with the transition into university and eventually the workplace, but it has also instilled respect and honesty as a core value that I carry through to this day. It’s hard to put into words, but I also feel Webber is a key reason that I approach life with an attitude to grab every opportunity that comes your way.
What was your journey like after leaving Webber?
I went straight from Webber into my studies at Brunel, where I grabbed every opportunity I could to develop professionally and personally. I was fortunate to be a part of the team that started the Brunel entry for the IMechE UAS Challenge, which involved sourcing funding, liaising with sponsors and stakeholders, and ultimately the design and operation of an unmanned aerial vehicle to perform a search and rescue mission. I was very lucky to take on the role of team principal for my final year, which involved overseeing and supporting a team of 12 Masters students, 6 undergraduate students and 30+ volunteers. Unfortunately, our final year was severely disrupted by Covid, but we were able to adapt and compete in the virtual competition that year where we won the Safety and Airworthiness award. I wouldn’t have had the confidence to take on a role like this without some of the opportunities that Webber provided.
I completed a year-long placement with UTC Aerospace Systems, working on bespoke heat transfer solutions for motorsport, all while maintaining a part-time job at Center Parcs and training as a Sailing Instructor (grab every opportunity, as I mentioned above).
Following university, I was very lucky to land a graduate role (which later progressed to a permanent role) with the Renault F1 Team (now Alpine F1) as a Stress Engineer focusing on projects around the car. Throughout this time I also had opportunities to get involved with race operations and regularly supported the reliability monitoring of the car whilst running on track. More recently, I took the decision to leave Alpine to continue learning and developing and have moved across to Williams in a similar role with a view to progressing professionally.
Were there any challenges you faced, and how did your time at Webber help you overcome them?
All sorts of challenges have popped up over the 10 years since leaving Webber. I would say the challenges faced as a result of Covid and switching to online/remote learning while also managing a team of people for a practical project would be the most significant, but I would say the confidence gained from opportunities I was given at Webber allowed me to overcome this.
What has been a career highlight for you so far?
My main career highlight so far would definitely be just getting into F1 in the first place. It was a dream for me to work in motorsport since I was 11 or 12, so I put a lot of time into working to get there. Some of the additional opportunities I had from my time at Webber definitely helped me to stand out a bit more in a room of highly qualified people.
I would also say some of the podium successes with cars I have worked on have been amazing – most notably Esteban Ocon’s win in Hungary 2021, but also more recently his podium in a very wet Monaco, where I was fortunate to be overseeing his car during the race.
How did your education at Webber help prepare you for the working world?
It would be tough to pinpoint all the ways Webber prepared me for the working world. I would definitely say my confidence grew significantly in my time at Webber, but also my ability to communicate professionally with peers, which I say was developed initially at Webber through being treated fairly and equally by the teachers. An ability to stay organised has also really helped, especially in a fast-paced and often chaotic career.
What advice would you give to current Webber students thinking about their future careers?
First of all, I would say it’s OK to not know what you want to do (I was lucky and did know for a while, but I feel this is rare). I would say grab every opportunity you can that comes your way – it may spark a passion, it may develop skills that will help you in any path you choose to pursue, or it may show you something you don’t enjoy as well.
If you have an idea of a particular path you are interested in, I would recommend looking at the professional institutions for that career path. I know for engineering, a lot of the professional bodies (e.g. IMechE, RAeS etc.) have free memberships for students and have a whole number of lectures, talks and tours you can attend (often free of charge) that allow you to meet like-minded people and often learn/see something cool that you wouldn’t often see. I know that is very engineering-specific, but would imagine there are similar opportunities for a number of different career paths.
Networking is scary and daunting, but is also a great way to get advice or learn more about a path of interest (and don’t forget a lot of these people were also in a similar position not too many years ago). I would also say do something you love. Sounds very cheesy, but can honestly say it makes the days go quickly (albeit sometimes too quickly) and keeps things interesting.
Do you have a favourite memory from your time at Webber you’d like to share?
There are definitely quite a few of these to share, but I must be honest, 10 years feels like a lifetime ago. The one that stands out would be the production of Teachers. We wanted to put on a school production, but had limited budget, limited costumes/props and limited numbers of cast, and we were able to put on a show with 3 of us, playing a multitude of different characters in our school uniform with a bunch of desks and a few pairs of glasses. I can honestly say this was so much fun (although looking back, some of the character changes were questionable at best).
If you could go back and tell your younger self one thing during your time at Webber, what would it be?
Enjoy every moment you have in the Webber community! It’s easy to get wrapped up in the pressures of exams, but there are some great people around you and savour every moment of that.
