Prospective applicants can apply through the JLR website for engineering, digital and supply chain management degree-level roles each paying a salary of more than £26,000, or Level 3 apprenticeships offering pathways across the company’s operations.
“Within JLR you are included – you will never be made to feel that you shouldn’t be there,” says Level 3 Engineering apprentice Niamh O'Connor from Coventry, who wanted to follow in the footsteps of her grandad who worked for JLR. She is based at the company’s Fen End site in Kenilworth.
“We all learn at different stages, different rates,” O' Connor says.
“I can watch the news and I’m like, I’ve had an involvement with something quite big, which is amazing.
“I feel really strongly about women in engineering – so more groups, more events, more activities for women in engineering. Go out to schools, really promote that it’s for everybody, this industry".
Her advice to young people thinking about careers is “just keep trying, don’t give up and work really hard. If you’ve got something you want to get, just keep aiming towards that”.
Supply Chain Degree Apprentice Amy Wilkes, from Cannock, is based at JLR’s Gaydon facility in a team focused on the sourcing of packaging and estimating freight costs for each packaging part. She is also part of a project looking into the complexity of vehicle parts and how they get to the production line.
“It’s a great opportunity as you get work experience in a large company, you get paid, and you get your degree paid for, so no student debt!” Wilkes says. “I chose an apprenticeship as I had no idea what I wanted to do after school and this apprenticeship gives you access to loads of different departments in JLR, so you’ll definitely find one you like”.
“We get to see the development of electric cars and other projects before they are announced to the public. It’s nice to know JLR has sustainability as a priority. I’m getting lots of experience using new systems and working with different people to expand my knowledge and network.
“On my current placement in a digital team, I’m learning about the digital footprints of batteries which is super interesting!”
Joshua Ogbonna from Coventry is in the second year of a four-year engineering degree apprenticeship, on a team working on car doors within the body engineering department.
“Much of what we work on is in the design phase with a lot of concept development,” Ogbonna says. “Alongside this I do a significant amount of CAD work creating models and analysing assemblies. This is definitely the part of the role that I enjoy most, focusing on problem-solving and engineering creativity”.
Ogbonna says he “absolutely” encourages young people to consider the apprenticeship route. “It’s a great pathway for those who know what they want to do as a career but aren’t completely set on going to university”.
“It was great to see when I applied how much the company was dedicated towards a sustainable future,” he adds. “They took steps towards this whilst also understanding the market.
“It’s inspiring to be a part of a company that is moving towards a future of electrification. This in itself is a big motivation for me as an engineer”.
Damien Childs, JLR Early Careers Delivery Manager, says “Amy and Josh have demonstrated exceptional dedication and resilience throughout their apprenticeship journey.
“Training apprentices at JLR has been incredibly rewarding. One of the highlights is witnessing the transformation of our apprentices from eager learners to confident professionals who contribute significantly to our products”.
As part of its Future Skills Programme, JLR is rapidly upskilling its workforce for electrification, with more than 20,000 employees and partners now trained in electrification and digital skills. This has been funded from a wider £18bn investment JLR is making as part of its Reimagine strategy, into its industrial footprint, vehicle programmes, autonomous, AI and digital technologies and people skills. Later in 2025 the luxury automotive manufacturer will launch Range Rover Electric, built in Solihull and now with 57,000 clients on the waiting list. Also built in Solihull will be the first of three reimagined modern luxury electric Jaguars.