Ryan FowlerFour automotive apprentices have been selected to drive a 121-year-old Thornycroft Tourer in the Veteran Car Run, the world’s longest-running motoring event, later this year.
The opportunity follows a competition launched by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) in partnership with the British Motor Museum to mark National Apprenticeship Week, with entrants sharing personal stories of how automotive heritage inspired them to pursue careers in the sector.
The winners – Matthew Cresswell, product design and development engineer apprentice at Caterpillar; Matt Ferley, panel shop apprentice at Aston Martin Works; Connor Heath, applied professional engineering apprentice at JLR; and Sophie Reynolds, project management apprentice at Bentley – will learn to operate the Tourer’s Edwardian-era transmission, steering and braking systems before tackling the 60-mile London to Brighton route on 2nd November.
Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, said: “What’s considered cutting-edge technology has changed dramatically over the past century – with zero emission cars now a familiar sight on our roads, and vehicles that may not even require a human driver likely to arrive soon.
“What has stayed constant, however, is the automotive industry’s boundless capacity for innovation, driven by a talented and passionate workforce. It is immensely inspiring to see a new generation of apprentices embrace the challenges facing the industry but also retain a keen interest in its illustrious British history.”
Stephen Laing, head of collections and engagement at the British Motor Museum, said: “Cars like the Thornycroft represent an era of rapid change in the early 1900s, employing the brightest of minds to design, build and sell the latest in technology, the motor car.
“How history repeats itself! We’re delighted that some of 2025’s top-level apprentices will be joining us on the unique experience that is the Veteran Car Run.”
Apprenticeships remain a key recruitment route for automotive employers, with more than 3,200 people starting an apprenticeship in the past two years.
Veteran cars – those built before the First World War – also remain popular, with hundreds of pre-1905 models set to take part in this year’s 123rd running of the event.
