• Jaguar Land Rover launches its 2015 apprentice recruitment campaign in search for up to 200 new recruits
•  Apprenticeships include fully‑funded degrees and NVQs
• Jaguar Land Rover rated Top Employer for School and College Leavers
• More than 620 students currently "earning and learning" with the country's largest premium automotive manufacturer
•  193 Higher and Advanced Apprentices joined the company in 2014
• Skills Minister, Nick Boles, praises Jaguar Land Rover for its support in the development of Trailblazer apprenticeship standards

Coventry, UK ‑ 5^thNovember, 2014:   Jaguar Land Rover, the UK's largest automotive apprenticeship provider, today launches its 2015 apprenticeship recruitment campaign.  The company, which has been rated Top Employer for School and College Leavers 2014 ‑ 2015 by 'All About School Leavers', is looking for up to 200 new recruits to join the 620‑strong group currently undertaking the scheme across its six UK sites.  Jaguar Land Rover currently accounts for approximately half of the total apprentices employed in the UK automotive OEM sector.   

The award‑winning Jaguar Land Rover apprenticeship programme provides students with a strong blend of real world experience and academic learning.  Applicants can choose from either the four year Advanced Apprenticeship* aimed at GCSE students or the six year Higher Apprenticeship** aimed at A‑Level entrants.  In both cases, recruits can look forward to working in cutting‑edge product development and manufacturing environments developing vehicles for two of the most iconic global motoring marques.

Noor Owarish joined Jaguar Land Rover as a Higher Apprentice in September 2014.  One of 193 new apprentices in the company's 2014 intake, Noor will be working in powertrain engineering at the Whitley engineering centre. 

Commenting on the scheme Noor said:   "Jaguar Land Rover has given me an amazing opportunity to work alongside class‑leading engineers whilst studying for a fully‑funded BEng Degree at Warwick, which is one of the country's most renowned universities.  We apprentices have joined a growing, globally‑respected company and I am excited about the career opportunities at Jaguar Land Rover."

Lauren Quinn is an Advanced Apprentice at the company's new £500 million state‑of‑the‑art Engine Manufacturing Centre, which was formally opened by Her Majesty The Queen last week.  In the final year of her apprenticeship, Lauren has seen the plant being built from the ground up.  Reflecting on her experience she said:  "I feel very proud to be working for Jaguar Land Rover and have learned so much during my first years with the company and at college.  The icing on the cake was being there when our brand‑new facility was opened by The Queen."

Commenting on the launch of the apprentice recruitment campaign, Mike Wright, Executive Director Jaguar Land Rover said:  "We are investing significantly in the future of Jaguar Land Rover, transforming the business and both brands with the expansion of our facilities in UK and overseas, as well as the development of the next generation of class‑leading products." 

He added:  "Just as important is our investment in developing the next generation of engineers and innovators to help our business achieve its ambitious growth plans.  Our apprenticeships continue to attract the highest calibre of people interested in combining paid employment with fully‑funded vocational qualifications.  As the largest apprenticeship provider in the UK automotive industry, we are delighted to have been ranked as top UK employer across all sectors for school and college leavers 2014 ‑ 2015 by All About School Leavers. "

Jaguar Land Rover's experience of developing industry‑leading apprenticeship programmes has enabled the company to play a key role in supporting the Department of Business Innovation and Skills on its Trailblazer initiative, chairing the design of UK apprenticeship standards and assessment approaches for the automotive sector to make them world class. 

Commenting on the company's contribution, Skills Minister Nick Boles said:  "I congratulate Jaguar Land Rover on their involvement in designing seven new apprenticeship standards and welcome those apprentices who have now begun working on these.  Through working in collaboration with their industry partners as part of the Trailblazers initiative, Jaguar Land Rover is giving people the skills our businesses need to grow and compete."

To apply for an apprenticeship at Jaguar Land Rover go to:
http://www.jaguarlandrovercareers.com/jlr‑roles/apprentices/

Applications are now open.  The closing date is 31^st January, 2015.

* Advanced Apprenticeship

A four year Advanced Apprenticeship is designed for GCSE school leavers with a minimum of five grades A‑C incl. English, Maths and Science/ Technology/ Engineering subjects.  The programme focuses on roles in product development or manufacturing and combines real world experience with the acquisition of NVQ vocational qualifications and a technical certificate.   

 ** Higher Apprenticeship

The six year Higher Apprenticeship is designed for A‑Level students who have acquired A‑Level Maths and Science/Technology/Engineering in addition to five GCSE's at grades A‑C incl. English, Maths, Science / Technology / Engineering subjects, or a BTEC level 3 (180 credits) or equivalent in an Engineering/Technology related subject.  The programme focuses on roles in product development, finance, purchasing and manufacturing and combines real world experience with a fully‑funded engineering degree from The University of Warwick.

Jaguar Land Rover: 

• Jaguar Land Rover has ambitious plans for sustainable growth and profitability.
• In 2013, Jaguar Land Rover sold 425,006 vehicles, up 19%.
• The company's headcount has doubled over the last few years to over 30,000.
• Jaguar Land Rover has been ranked Top Employer for School & College Leavers 2014 ‑ 15 by 'All About School Leavers'.  The ranking reveals the best employers in the UK that offer Intermediate, Advanced and Higher Apprenticeships, School Leaver Programmes and Sponsored Degrees.
• Jaguar Land Rover will invest between £3.5 and £3.7 billion in its products and facilities in the financial year to March 2015.
• Over the past 5 years the company has invested over £10 billion.
• Jaguar Land Rover was named Responsible Business of the Year 2013 by Business in the Community (BITC).

• In the 12 months to 31 March 2014, Jaguar Land Rover generated profit before tax of £2.5 billion with revenues of £19.4 billion.  

For more information, please visit  www.newsroom.jaguarlandrover.com or contact:

Joan Chesney, Senior Communications Officer
M: + 44 (0) 7467 448 229 E:  jchesney@jaguarlandrover.com 

Kate Birkenhead, CSR Communications Officer
M: + 44 (0) 7780 494 352 E:  kbirkenh@jaguarlandrover.com