How have you seen your role develop since you first started?
For the first few weeks I was mainly settling in; I did tours of the site, networked with the people I would be working with, and completed online and instructor-led training for my area’s programmes and processes. Since those first few weeks I have gained significant responsibilities within my team, taking on entire projects from beginning to end and addressing significant customer warranty issues. I have been given more and more autonomy in my role as I have become more competent in the team.
How would you describe a typical working day?
A typical day for me consists of replying to emails in the morning and catching up on activities in China that have taken place overnight. I then chase approvals for financial and manufacturing requests to progress my projects. By early afternoon, someone has usually asked me to assist with a line trial or to look at a new issue, this means I then need to go and look on the line, in the car parks and at the E-Cubes to validate issues and their fixes. This varies though; some days I will spend all day in the office working on CAD changes and liaising with suppliers, other days I will spend the entire time in and around the build halls, conducting line trials and validation tests.
What was a project you were proud to be part of?
Recently I identified a cost save of 18p per vehicle, just by removing the packaging from a piece of NVH (Noise, Vibration & Harshness) foam. After discussing this with the operatives on the line, I found that it would also save time as they currently had to pierce the bag before fitment. I also had to work closely with NVH in order to validate that the removal of the bag would not increase road noise. This was the first change that I had started and finished by myself, and the change went through quickly and efficiently. I was very proud to have been able to implement this as the total cost save, over the lifespan of two vehicle lines, was £250,000.
How would you describe the undergraduate community at Jaguar Land Rover?
The undergraduate community at Jaguar Land Rover almost feels like a family, especially those on the Women in Engineering Sponsorship. You can go to them any time with questions or just for a chat; everyone is in the same boat!
What’s the best thing about being part of the Undergraduate Programme?
The best part for me has been feeling like a fully-fledged member of the team; it doesn’t feel like I’m an undergraduate at all. Jaguar Land Rover invests a lot of time and money in developing you and your skills – you feel valued. It has given me a real insight into what working life is like, and has taught me how to handle stress, a work/life balance and large responsibilities. Working life no longer seems like a daunting prospect after university and my goal is to work at Jaguar Land Rover. This is an excellent way to get your foot in the door and prove your worth as a potential hire.
