Carmaker Jaguar Land Rover says it is increasing the number of apprenticeship places and is widening the entry requirements as it switches to electric vehicles. Tony McDonough reports
Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) is adding a further 50 places to its 2024 apprenticeship scheme and is opening up the entry requirements to coincide with National Apprenticeship Week.
JLR operates a factory in Halewood in Merseyside where more than 3,500 workers assemble the Range Rover, Evoque and the Land Rover Discovery Sport. It has pledged a £15bn investment to create a new generation of electric vehicles.
These extra 50 places will take its 2024 apprenticeship intake at its UK sites to 350. And, in a first for the company, JLR says candidates with BTEC and T-Level qualifications can now apply for its Level Four Higher Apprenticeship in engineering, alongside candidates with A-level maths.
In readiness for the company’s next generation electric vehicle value chain, JLR has also launched a new Supply Chain and Procurement Degree Apprenticeship to help revolutionise the planning, resilience and sustainability of its global supply network.
Suleman Ahmed, 19, a JLR Applied Professional Engineering degree apprentice, turned down a highly sought after place at the University of Cambridge in favour of a JLR degree apprenticeship, because of the career prospects the company offers.
He is involved in the development of JLR’s next generation electric vehicles. He tests the physical durability of parts and the functionality of car systems using a mix of software, hardware and coding to simulate a real-world environment.
“The JLR degree apprenticeship offers a great combination of working for an established global and well-known company and a place at university.
“I have always been interested in becoming an engineer and crucially, I am growing and learning every day, contributing ideas and playing a role in engineering JLR’s next generation vehicles.”
JLR has around 1,600 apprentices, graduates and undergraduates enrolled on its Early Years Careers programme. Its apprenticeships help young people to gain essential STEM skills on the job, while earning and not accruing tuition debts.
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Caroline Leslie, JLR global head of early careers, added: “Central to JLR’s Reimagine strategy is our passion for giving people from all backgrounds the opportunity to have a fantastic and fulfilling career at JLR.
“That is why we are changing the requirement for A-level maths on our Level 4 Higher Engineering Apprenticeship, to give those who may have pursued alternative qualifications with equal merit the chance to show their potential.”
Click here for more details on the JLR Apprenticeship programme.