Jaguar Land Rover to offer almost 300 apprenticeships | Computer Weekly

Automobile company Jaguar Land Rover has announced that it will be offering around 300 people the opportunity to take part in its apprenticeship programmes in 2023.

As part of its push to find talent to work on autonomous cars, among other innovations, Jaguar Land Rover will offer apprenticeships in a number of tech-base topics including electrification, self-driving, artificial intelligence (AI), data analytics, software engineering and machine learning.

Jaguar Land Rover’s head of the Early Years Careers Programme, Anne Marie Campion, said: “Our apprenticeship programmes, including our Degree Apprenticeships, are highly sought after. Our apprentices will enjoy a fantastic experience.

“They will learn with the UK’s top training providers and support our Reimagine strategy, working on our future vehicles that are fundamental to our global success.”

There has been a scarcity of skilled technology workers in the UK for a while, with many firms complaining difficulties finding talent are standing in the way of technology projects.

Some firms are turning to alternative ways of ensuring they have access to the skills they need for roles, such as apprenticeships or upskilling and reskilling programmes to ensure those joining the organisation develop the specific skills required for their businesses.

Half of the 300 apprenticeships offered by Jaguar Land Rover will be degree apprenticeships, aimed at helping people to pursue a career in the sector without having to worry about the expense of university.

Participants will be able to earn a salary at Jaguar Land Rover while they complete their degrees part time, and gain work experience – Jaguar Land Rover claimed this, as well as a higher than average starting salary at the firm, makes working for the automobile company more accessible and inclusive.

There are also around 800 places available on the company’s Early Years Careers Programme, which includes apprenticeships as well as undergraduate and graduate courses.

Jaguar Land Rover launched a Future Skills Programme last year which hopes to train 29,000 globally in digital skills and electrification over the next three years.

When talking to the Houses of Parliament as part of an event, Frazer Balzan and Erin Purewal, two of Jaguar Land Rover’s 1,200 apprentices, shared why a degree apprenticeship has been a good option for them.

Balzan, a Jaguar Land Rover Degree Apprentice in Power Electronics, was studying for a physics degree, but claimed the degree apprenticeship route was more financially viable for him, and made his future career path more certain.

An example of this is Purewal, part of the central data engineering team at Jaguar Land Rover, who began at the company as a digital and technology solutions apprentice. She said: “The work of data roles is so important to the business, and it is amazing to be a part of this change as businesses adapt to becoming more data driven.”

Being able to step into a role with business-specific skills is one of the advantages of a programme such as this – in the past, computer science graduates have been some of the most underemployed, with many businesses claiming that those coming straight from university do not necessarily have work-ready skills.

Ultimately, these skills development programmes are feeding into Jaguar Land Rover’s Reimagine strategy, which aims to develop more sustainable vehicles in the future.