Race car builder's journey started at CPUT
DREAM WORK: Alumnus Julien Hardy returned to CPUT to share his passion for building race cars
Wednesday, 08 March 2017
Building race cars must rank high on the list of dream jobs and one CPUT alumnus is doing just that.
Mechanical Engineering graduate Julien Hardy works as the team manager of Century Racing, a rally car manufacturer that builds cars to compete in world renowned races like the Dakar rally.
This week Hardy returned to his alma mater to encourage a new generation of mechanical engineering students to aim high. Hardy was a guest of CPUT’s Advancement Department and also visited CPUT’s own Adaptronics Advanced Manufacturing Technology Laboratory (AMTL) to see the work that students are doing building race cars which compete at Silverstone in the UK.
Hardy told students that a typical car he builds costs in the region of R4 million and can compete in the Dakar which is considered the longest, hardest race in the world.
“It is daunting and scary but the day you cross the finish line you are already thinking about the next car you want to build,” he says.
“Once upon a time I was also sitting there where you are now wondering how to get here.”
The experienced engineer says he loves his job and puts in incredibly long hours to achieve his level of success.
“There is no better feeling than sitting in a car you just built and driving it out of the workshop. It is exciting but very long hours because you don’t go home until the car is done,” he says.
Written by Lauren Kansley
Tel: +27 21 953 8646
Email: kansleyl@cput.ac.za
Liaises with the media and writes press releases about interesting developments at CPUT.
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