Williams and Silatech announce partnership
The Williams Formula One and Silatech have entered into a broad partnership to help foster entrepreneurship among youth in Qatar and the wider Middle East region. The partnership will see Williams F1 use its engineering and motorsport expertise to work with Silatech across a number of employment-generating projects.
Qatar-based Silatech was founded in 2008 by Her Highness Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser Al Missned. The organisation’s primary aim is to address the unemployment challenges faced by the region’s 18 to 30 year olds by creating employment and enterprise opportunities through the mobilisation of interest, investment, knowledge, resources and action in the area.
The partnership will see Williams F1 use its engineering and motorsport expertise to work with Silatech across a number of employment-generating projects. This will be primarily supported from the Williams Technology Centre in Qatar (WTCQ). The partnership will create motorsport-themed workshops, provide mentors, road safety campaigns and internships with a view to encouraging young people into engineering - and motorsport-related careers. It will also provide a further extension to Williams F1’s award winning Spark corporate responsibility programme.
Williams F1 Founder and Team Principal, Sir Frank Williams, said, “We are delighted to be able to support the significant work Silatech is undertaking with young people in Qatar and the Middle East through this partnership. Contributing to Qatari society in support of His Highness the Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani’s vision for the country is an important part of our expanding presence in the region and we look forward to using our motorsport expertise to support its young people as they embark upon potentially life-changing career paths.”
Silatech Chief Executive Officer, Dr.Tarek Yousef, commented, “Young people want access to better opportunities, particularly to jobs. They want to use their skills to become productive workers, entrepreneurs, family heads and active citizens. Ultimately, the way young people navigate these years will largely determine the future of the region. To respond to the scale and urgency of this challenge, Silatech was established in 2008 with a mission to connecting young people, those 18 to 30 years old, with employment and enterprise opportunities. We are so pleased that Williams F1 team has agreed to work with us to create opportunities for young people in Qatar and around the region. The motorsport industry is the home of many hi tech specialist skills and Williams F1 will be able to pass many of these skills on to local Qataris.”
