Smashing Stereotypes: Jaipal

Smashing stereotypes: Jaipal takes on Scholarship at McLaren Racing 

McLaren Racing teamed up with official programme partners, Cisco, Deloitte, Google and Udemy to deliver an immersive six-week scholarship that supports and inspires the next generation of female leaders in STEM.

Jaipal Uppal (OW 2024), who has always been passionate about becoming a role model for women in STEM, recently completed this scholarship with McLaren Racing- a phenomenal achievement! In an interview with our Head of Careers, Miss Kailey, Jaipal explained her thoughts on the scholarship, as well as the application process.

What made you apply for the McLaren Racing scholarship?

“I recently had a growing interest in F1, probably because my cousin is a big McLaren fan.”

How did you learn about this opportunity?

“I am always scrolling on LinkedIn. I spend way too much time on it. But it’s great for finding opportunities. I came across the scholarship on there. Shout out to Mr Anderson (Head) who made me start a LinkedIn account.”

What was the application process for this scholarship?

“We were asked to send in filmed responses to their provided questions, and essays on our achievements, as well as what we knew about the STEM world. I did this whilst revising for my final A level exams. It was tough, but I’m glad I persevered.”

“As part of my application, I was able to showcase lots of evidence of leadership. I talked about my work as a House Captain at WGS, and involvement in extra-curricular clubs, including BBC Young Reporter where my news entry on surrogacy became the winning entry and is still showcased by the BBC today.”

What did you do as part of the scholarship?

“We enjoyed weekly sessions with inspirational women from the partner companies, such as Cisco, Deloitte and Udemy, as well as McLaren Racing Drivers. We were also set tasks on networking, branding, and marketing. It was great for putting our employability skills to the test. We also visited the McLaren technology centre, where we delved in to the history of the vehicle, looking at a variety of older models. My favourite element was completing a ‘Pit Stop,’ which in the motorsport world means refuelling a car, changing the tyres and making mechanical adjustments.”

What’s your biggest takeaway from this experience?

“… That we’re not as alone as we think we are. There are always people or communities to reach out to for support when it comes to gaining skills and experience for your future career. Take the chance to reach out to them and apply for opportunities.”

What’s next for Jaipal Uppal?

Having achieved A*AAA in her A levels, Jaipal is off to study Physics at the University of Birmingham. Jaipal is working towards a career that allows her to travel, help people, and make a positive difference to communities.

She is keen to inspire young people to take an interest in STEM, and has recently launched a Podcast on Spotify called ‘Inspiration unplugged: the art of being inspired.’ In her first episode, she interviewed Claire Keir (OW 2007) who works as a Principal Hydraulic Modeller.

She is particularly passionate about inspiring young, South Asian women to take on careers in STEM, to break down stereotypes and diversify the industry. Jaipal has always championed this at WGS, being the only female to study Physics at A level and sharing her religion and culture with the school. She recently had taken an active role in educating the WGS community on key Sikh practices, such as the celebration of Vaisakhi.

We are so proud of you, Jaipal. You are a true role model for the WGS community and we can’t wait to see what you go on to do next!

Jaipal will be visiting us during National Careers Week in March 2025. Any students that want to connect with Jaipal for advice can meet with her then.