- Jaguar Land Rover opens the application process to recruit the first phase of its 1,700 jobs announced last year
- In the last two years 3,000 new jobs have been created at the Solihull plant
- The positions will support the current manufacturing investment of £1.5 billion for the new Jaguar mid‑sized sedan utilising an all‑new aluminium vehicle architecture
- Last year was a record breaking year for Jaguar Land Rover, selling 425,006 vehicles globally (an increase of 19%).
Solihull: Jaguar Land Rover, the UK's leading manufacturer of premium vehicles, today begins the recruitment of 1,700 new jobs first announced in September 2013. The first phase will recruit more than 500 semi‑skilled production operator jobs to support the production of new vehicles, reflecting the significant growth and expansion plans for its Solihull site.
Following a record breaking year for Jaguar Land Rover sales in 2013, the Solihull site, which has produced Land Rover vehicles for over 65 years, has ambitious plans for growth to meet customer demand. As part of a £1.5bn investment, the site will introduce manufacturing facilities to support an all‑new technically advanced aluminium vehicle architecture which will deliver an enhanced range of models for Jaguar Land Rover in new segments and markets around the world. The first new model to utilise this innovative architecture will be an all‑new mid‑sized sports Jaguar sedan which will be launched in 2015.
The recruitment of the 1,700 new jobs will be conducted in three phases to support future growth and investment plans on site. The next two phases will open later this year and early in 2015 and will take the sites headcount to almost 8,000. All new recruits will undertake a structured training programme which includes working towards an NVQ II qualification in Business Improvement Techniques, reinforcing the organisation's commitment to expanding its skills base and being named 'Responsible Business of the Year' in 2013.
Alan Volkaerts, Operations Director at Jaguar Land Rover comments "To continue producing award winning vehicles and investing in world‑class manufacturing technology, we need to source the best people. Our recruitment drive today reinforces our commitment to the UK automotive industry which also benefits the wider supply chain and overall UK economy."
Page Hempenstall a production operator at Jaguar Land Rover said "I have been with Jaguar Land Rover for just over a year and feel very privileged to work for such a successful company and am excited about the future prospects for me to develop with the on‑going site expansion."
William Wigley, an aluminium body shop group leader at the company concluded "For job seekers at any stage of life, a job is important but also the opportunity to progress in your career and look to the future is equally important. I have never been so proud to work for a global, iconic, world‑class manufacturer in my 25 years of working life and am pleased to contribute to this success."
A dedicated recruitment portal has been designed to manage the recruitment process where applicants can view available vacancies and apply online from today. The company is looking for enthusiastic, flexible and passionate applicants who want to be a part of an exciting, expanding automotive journey, irrespective of previous manufacturing experience. In addition to the portal, a Jaguar Land Rover recruitment fair will be held on Friday 28th February at the Solihull Ramada. To access the portal and find further details about the application process, please visit www.jaguarlandrovercareers.com.
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Notes to editors:
- Jaguar Land Rover has been named Responsible Business of the Year by Business in the Community (BITC).
- Jaguar Land Rover has ambitious plans for sustainable growth and profitability.
- Jaguar Land Rover is one of the UK's largest exporters and generates in the region of 85% of its revenue from exports.
- The mid‑sized Jaguar sedan is the first Jaguar brand to be produced on the Solihull plant which also makes Range Rover, Range Rover Sport, Discovery and Defender vehicles.
For more information, please visit www.newsroom.jaguarlandrover.com or contact:
Chloe Haynes,
West Midlands Communications Officer
M: +44 (0)
7747 630947 E: chaynes4@jaguarlandrover.com
