"When we set up CAUC in 2002, "Complete And Utter Chaos" was exactly how it was! Looking back, I wouldn't have had it any other way. At the time we had no idea what it would grow up to be - we were just a bunch of like-minded girls who hung out in the tech suite at lunchtimes and Greenpower gave us something brilliantly fun to have a go at. Build an electric car? What, one you can sit it? Then race if for 6 hours, in one go? Yes please!

Reflecting on the unbelievable fact that the team is now 18 years old, it is so exciting to think about how many students have now been part of the team. I am sure each one of them has taken different things away from their experience, but for me it was being able to do something completely different with my friends. We brought in teachers, parents and neighbours with useful skills and/or bags of enthusiasm which resulted in race days where anything could (and often did) happen. We didn't qualify for the final in the first year but were allowed in as a wildcard entry; from then on, we never looked back."

Emily Wakeford - First CAUC team captain, 2002 - 2006

"CAUC has given me a chance to explore engineering more and allowed me to do what I like to do with more support. Car team has inspired me to be my own person and learn more about engineering."

Lara Stanwell-Hughes - Age 12, Joined CAUC in 2019

"Taking part in Greenpower and being a member of CAUC has inspired me to continue doing what I love: getting involved in as many clubs/competitions surrounding STEM to increase my knowledge of the area and meet more people with similar interests and hobbies as myself. It has given me an insight into the different jobs and roles I could do in the future and opened up many opportunities such as F1 in Schools. I have been massively influenced by being a part of this competition as I hadn't encountered experiences like these before; the benefits are amazing with the skills I have learnt improving my work in lessons specifically science and technology." 

Imogen Rietkerk - Age 13, Joined CAUC in 2017

"To me INWED means the chance to have a new path opened up to me. It gives me a chance to pursue something I'm passionate in and gives me a chance to make a difference. The opportunities that Greenpower provides mean that I am able to grasp more complex engineering from a younger age and have experience in the engineering world. CAUC in particular has given me access to a community of people with similar interests and viewpoints which in turn has created a group of very close knit friends that support each other through everything."

Katy Goodwin - Age 14, Joined CAUC in 2017

"Getting interested in Engineering and joining CAUC has been one of the best decisions I have ever made. It has grown my confidence and taught me so much. I have always been a perfectionist but it has taught me how to fix mistakes and learn from them without letting them hold me back. One of the best things about being an aspiring female engineer is watching people (often boys) underestimate us and regret it. At my first Greenpower race I remember overhearing two members of an all boys team complaining about the 'greedy all girls team who got all the awards' and it made me smile because from their reactions, they didn't see it coming! I would love to have a career in engineering and I look forward to seeing the amount of female engineers grow."

Rachel Garratt - Age 14, Joined CAUC in 2017

"Being part of a Greenpower team like CAUC has opened numerous doors of opportunity and inspiration. For myself personally, I am hugely grateful for all the knowledge and experience that I am able to participate in and be a part of. From the designing, to the manufacture and finally to the racing, I have learnt so many unique things all whilst being around a supportive team. Trying all these new things can be challenging, but everything pays off when you get to see the car, that you have put so much effort into, pass the chequered flag. There is nothing more rewarding and that's what INWED means to me."

Cate Rook - Age 15, Joined CAUC in 2016, Assistant Team Captain

"Joining CAUC has taught me not only about the process of designing and manufacturing electric cars but how to cope under pressure, resilience and teamwork. My favourite part about Greenpower is seeing an idea on paper, then become a working car on and off the track."

Charlotte Carrington - Age 15, Joined CAUC in 2017

"Thanks to Greenpower and CAUC, I have had the privilege to grow up in an Engineering environment where girls and women aren't only accepted, they are respected and at the top of their field. It has set up this generation of engineers who don't see gender as a limiting factor, instead judging people on their skills and experiences alone. For me INWED is a day to celebrate the successes of women in engineering, and be thankful for the people who have paved the way for the strong and intelligent young women I have worked with these past 7 years to become the amazing engineers we all know they can be."

Luke Jones - Age 19, Joined CAUC in 2013

"I was first introduced to Greenpower through Sandbach High School, where I became a member of the all female team, CAUC. Greenpower has played an important role throughout my education. I have been able to gain skills that I would not have necessarily had in a classroom. Due to my experiences with Greenpower, I have gone on to study Automotive Performance Engineering at the University of Bolton. While studying I was given the opportunity to work with the TOCA Technical team for BTCC."

Emily Platt - Team Member 2011 - 2018, Previous Team Captain, Reading Automotive Performance Engineering at The University of Bolton

"CAUC introduced me to engineering as a broad and interdisciplinary subject and inspired me to study general engineering at university. Greenpower enabled me to gain many practical engineering and team working skills that have been invaluable in my degree. As well as the many skills gained, I also made great friends and met inspiring individuals, without which I would not have had many of the great opportunities I have had." 

Sophie Barwick - Team Member 2012 - 2018, reading General Engineering (Material Science) at The University of Sheffield.

"Greenpower in particular has played a major part in my career journey and helped me to mould my future in engineering. Greenpower has been picked out from my CV in interviews for both university and job applications by showing how I can work as a team and solve problems even when time is short. A key skill for an engineer! Even as I progress through from team member to marshal to sponsoring company representative, Greenpower is still part of my journey even today." 

Lauren Davis - Team Member 2006 - 2013, Product Design Engineer at Cummins Ltd

"Greenpower and the CAUC team opened my eyes to the scope and creativity of the engineering industry. The thrill of race days and the thirst to improve year on year was so addictive and I now use that passion to engineer new vehicles for Jaguar Land Rover. The same ethos of continuous improvement applies and INWED provides a great opportunity to look back and celebrate our successes, the strong teams that pull together to fix the issues and the power we have to shape the world."

Sophie Wakeford - Team Member 2004 - 2006, Jaguar Land Rover

"Greenpower sets out to inspire the next generation of engineers and I'm proud to consider myself one of them. I was part of CAUC throughout my time in high school and sixth form college and I honestly consider this to be one of the most vital learning experiences of my career. Being part of any team teaches patience, camaraderie and empathy, but being part of an all-female student team in what is generally considered to be a male dominated industry made it even more ground breaking. Being actively encouraged from such a young age to continuously strive for your goals and be the best you can be regardless of the industry standards, sets young women up for significant glass ceiling smashing events. The confidence and self assurance in my own abilities that I gained from being a part of a Greenpower team has been a vital part of my personal growth. 

The topic of introducing more women into the STEM subjects has always been one close to my heart and I genuinely believe that without Greenpower I wouldn't be in the industry. Many young women aren't aware of the possible career paths open to them in STEM subjects because they are not exposed to them at a young enough age; before subject options are chosen at the end of secondary and college education. What Greenpower does is introduce engineering and other STEM subjects to children at primary and secondary school level which is of upmost importance to make sure they know the options are open to them. Of course it's important that all children are exposed to these subjects, but it is the women that are significantly outnumbered in the STEM subjects and I truly believe it's down to a lack of exposure. In a society that is working towards equality in all aspects of life, Greenpower are doing their bit towards this. 

Greenpower opened my eyes to engineering and gave me the tools needed to pursue a career in it. I've held a project management role in both automotive and medical industries since finishing my undergraduate degree and studying my masters whilst working. Both roles require significant organisation and problem solving skills amongst others which were both found and enhanced by my part in the CAUC team. I've worked with some of the top automotive and medical OEM's in the country and it's a pleasure to be able to say I have come from a background of engineering from Greenpower and CAUC."

Nikki Jones - Team Member 2004 - 2011, Project Manager at Alltrista Plastics Limited

Being in CAUC taught me leadership and resilience skills I still pull on today. Being calm in a crisis, cutting through the noise to give direction on the right next step and knowing how to best use your team's individual strengths are key when working in operations. However it also taught me how to see the bigger picture, so not only to plan for the immediate - how can we do the best we can in this race, but also develop the strategy to push us in the right direction for future seasons. Now I find myself leading the design of our new operations system managing our supply chain at Innocent Drinks, and developing how it will help run our new factory - it's a big team effort! INWED's theme "Shape the World" captures exactly that of which we are all capable, go and find that thing you enjoy and be the best you can be at it. If we all do that, we will shape the world and have a great time when doing it too."

Emily Wakeford - First Team Captain, 2002 - 2006, Operations Lead for Business Transformation at Innocent Drinks.