JLR recruits nearly 200 undergraduates across the West Midlands, Halewood, and Manchester to occupy roles ranging from engineering, commercial, design, manufacturing, and HR as part of its Reimagine strategy to achieve carbon net zero by 2039.
JLR has today announced it has completed recruitment of 200 undergraduates from diverse backgrounds to work across its UK facilities.
The talented undergraduates will take up roles throughout July and August across the West Midlands, Halewood and Manchester with skills ranging from manufacturing, electrical and software engineering, design, strategy development and more.
This is in addition to its recent recruitment drive for over 250 electrification engineering roles at its Gaydon and Whitley facilities to support the development of its next generation electric vehicles. JLR is also continues to recruit further roles with over 650 apprentices and degree apprentices joining the business in September.
With a wide mixture of roles on offer JLR has recruited a diverse range of new recruits from different backgrounds by proactively engaging with students across the UK, encouraging diversity and making the application process more equitable.
JLR says a truly diverse workforce is key to unlocking successful innovation in the business by challenging conventional thinking, encouraging fresh ideas and promoting creative problem‑solving.
The recruitment forms part of JLR’s Reimagine strategy and the modern luxury car manufacturer will offer electric versions of all its models by 2030, a significant step towards enabling JLR to become carbon net zero by 2039.
Thomas Mueller, Executive Director of Product Engineering for JLR said: “As our industry continues to transform at pace, we are committed to championing the diversity that strengthens innovation and helps evolve our leadership team.
The recent recruitment of 200 undergraduates from diverse backgrounds is a great display of our commitment to improving opportunities for groups underrepresented in the industry including women, those from different nationalities and socioeconomic backgrounds and other underrepresented groups.
We continue to inspire young people today and provide a platform for them to grow into leaders of tomorrow.”
Thrilling start to engineering career
One of the undergraduates recently recruited was 20‑year‑old Surayya Kausar, Vehicle Programme Engineer at JLR who is studying mechatronic and robotic engineering, she said: “I’m thrilled to have started my career at JLR. It’s really exciting to be using my skills and knowledge to work on JLR’s next generation of pure electric vehicles. I’m enjoying my journey so far and can’t wait to see what the future holds.”
Surayya was also recently recognised with the Emerging Young Leader Award by the Institute of Leadership, acknowledging the impact she has made as the education officer for the Black and Ethnic Minority Engineering Society at the University of Sheffield.
JLR’s university engagement team works hard to inspire, attract and recruit quality, diverse talent across JLR’s undergraduate and graduate programmes. With over 30 careers fairs attended, collaborations with partners such as Bright Network and Women in STEM, employability workshops and inspiration events held at JLR sites, the team have connected with tens of thousands of students across the country this academic year – including Surayya who has now begun an exciting career at JLR.
Efforts have been recognised externally, with JLR moving up 17 places in The Times Top 100 Graduate Employer ranking, whilst also winning an award for Best Emerging Recruitment Strategy at the Firm Awards last year.
JLR’s Schools Partnership Programme
JLR’s commitment to developing careers for diverse young talent goes even further, last year it launched its Schools Partnership Programme which is helping 40,000 students from diverse backgrounds build future careers in areas such as electrical and software engineering, digital and data roles and autonomous technologies.
The programme is focused on improving opportunities for groups underrepresented in the industry including young women, pupils from varying socioeconomic backgrounds and those with English as a second language, creating a pipeline of talent to build JLR’s next generation of modern luxury vehicles. A first of its kind for JLR, working with teachers and careers leaders to develop aspirations of students which best suit their student’s needs.
JLR is currently rolling this programme out across 40 secondary schools located close to JLR sites in Coventry, Warwickshire, Birmingham, the Black Country, Solihull and Liverpool as well as local University Technical Colleges.
