What drew you to Jaguar Land Rover when you were seeking an apprenticeship?
I initially considered Jaguar Land Rover as it is a well-known, respected company and local to home. I discovered Jaguar Land Rover apprenticeships through the Young Women in the Know Programme (now Furthering Futures) where I spent a week visiting the Jaguar Land Rover sites, experiencing the facilities and meeting engineers. I was especially inspired by the apprentices I met who were only a couple of years older than me and working on some really exciting projects. My impression of Jaguar Land Rover, was that it was an exciting, friendly and supportive place to work with a focus on developing people; somewhere I could see myself being happy. This course is the reason I am an apprentice at Jaguar Land Rover today!
Why did you decide to do a Degree Apprenticeship rather than go to university?
Although I was keen to do a degree, the traditional University route didn’t appeal to me. A degree apprenticeship offered the opportunity to work/earn money at the same time as studying meaning I could afford to move out and get a car. It also offered more practical experience and a direct route into employment, which was attractive because getting a job out of university is very competitive.
Describe a typical day at work
Typically I work 7:00am – 3:30pm. My day is split between a CAD role which involves developing designs in CAD, running CAE and analysing results and a Lead Engineer Role where I am responsible for delivering robust engineering releases and managing my parts through gateways. I tend to spend most of my time at my desk, but I am regularly on the phone, attend engineering reviews and meeting with my supplier.
As part of the apprenticeship, I attend University 6 weeks throughout the year and I spend a day a week working on my NVQ and work based projects.
What is the most challenging part of your job?
The most challenging part of my job is managing and prioritising my time between work, university, NVQ and other commitments. Although, I do enjoy being busy and I am never bored at work!
What advice would you give to your younger self?
Identify role models and speak to as many people as you can about careers and their experience. Challenge yourself to step out of your comfort zone because there are so many opportunities available!
What do you love most about working at Jaguar Land Rover?
I love that there is always something interesting to work on and another problem to solve. My team is supportive and fun to work with and I love that I can look back to 2014, when I start my apprenticeship, and see how much I have gained in confidence and capability.
