Category: Hints and Tips

Diversity & Inclusion, Hints and Tips, Home Page, People, Quality, Top Story, Who We Are

A real passion and skill for developing people and capability

Jaguar Land Rover Careers

Kevin Stride’s career journey at Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) is a testament to the company’s commitment to fostering talent from within. Starting as an apprentice, Kevin has worked his way up to a director’s level.

Kevin attributes his success to the exceptional culture at JLR, which acknowledges the significance of every individual’s skills and contributions. The company’s supportive and collaborative environment empowers its employees to cultivate their talents, take risks and foster innovation. This culture of inclusivity and excellence has been instrumental in propelling JLR to the forefront of the automotive industry.

As we sat down with Kevin, We delved into the intricacies of the Quality department at Jaguar Land Rover. With his extensive experience, Kevin was able to provide valuable insights into what makes working at JLR so special. From his perspective, he revealed the key elements of the company’s unique culture and work environment that make it an exceptional place to work. In addition, Kevin offered expert advice and tips for individuals aspiring to join the Quality department at JLR, shedding light on the skills and qualities that are essential for success in this field.

Q: What position did you start in and what is your position now? Please describe your current responsibilities. 

I started as an undergraduate apprentice in Engineering, following a career path that ultimately led to full vehicle and architecture project leadership at Executive level, delivering more than 20 car projects, two full architectures with 2 World Car of the Year recipients. My latest assignment is Director of Forward Model Quality, providing a partnership role with the future product  programmes, to ensure that the content maximises Customer Satisfaction and builds in Quality in every part of the Design, Engineering and Manufacturing process.

Q: Are you involved in any other projects / networks? If so, please describe what they are and what your contributions are. 

I am a recently appointed Trustee Director of Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust, providing my knowledge and network gained over many years in Jaguar Land Rover, to assist the goals of the Trust.

Q: What do you like about working here?

Whilst there is an obvious draw from the exceptional products we create and enjoy, the skills and culture of the people across the whole of JLR is very special for me, which continues to grow in very positive steps. The diversity of talent we have is world class and critical as we move through a rapidly changing external environment. On a practical level, significant investment has gone into the working environment, which is inspiring and reflective of how important people are valued in JLR.

Q: Describe your team / department, and what makes it stand out from our competition? 

The Forward Model Quality Team consists of an incredibly diverse set of highly motivated people, representing a vast range of experience from within and outside the Auto industry. Expertise exists from the more traditional Vehicle Engineering and Manufacture, through Electrified Propulsion, to deep knowledge of Digital Products and Services. The experiences and collaborative leadership styles at all levels in our team, have gained inclusion and respect from the whole Enterprise, representing a first class Quality capability as a Business Partner.

Q: Tell us 3 interesting facts about yourself.

  • I’m an avid Mountain Biker and have raced the Megavalanche event in the Alps
  • One of my dogs is half wolf
  • My first car (and introduction to welding!) was a Triumph Vitesse Mk2 Convertible, that by chance, was built on the day I was born.

Q: What hints and tips can you share with the potential candidates who are going through the application / interview process? 

A demonstrated ability to create positive relationships across an Enterprise, to influence a complex set of stakeholders is a critical part of contributing to the success of our team’s purpose.

A real passion and skill for developing people and capability is part of our Team Brand.

Analtyics, Analytics, Culture and Values, Diversity & Inclusion, Featured, Graduate, Hints and Tips, Home Page, Marketing, Sales & Service, People, Supply Chain & Logistics, United Kingdom

A positive, productive environment where everyone can thrive

Jaguar Land Rover Careers

Emma joined Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) as an undergraduate in 2016. After finishing her Business Management degree, she returned to the Graduate scheme where she worked in Aftersales Supply Chain in Global Customer Care.

She found her passion in working to improve Retailer experience in the Retailer Performance team for a couple of years. Exposure to the Retailer network ignited her interest in getting closer to JLR’s clients, she then jumped on the opportunity to join the Retailer Performance Intelligence team within Revenue & Loyalty in 2021 where she works today.

We asked her to share her experiences here at JLR as a Retailer Performance Intelligence Senior Consultant.

Q: Please describe your current responsibilities. 

My main responsibility is to provide data-driven insights to JLR’s global customer service teams and Retailer networks to drive improved revenues and customer satisfaction which is critical to delivering JLR’s Modern Luxury vision.

Q: Are you involved in any other projects / networks? If so, please describe what they are and what your contributions are. 

Up until recently, I was an active member of the Commercial Change Agent group where I supported several function-wide initiatives such as the Christmas Bake Off and the departmental shared common objective. Due to my current work responsibilities, I have had to take a step back from the Change Agent group however I am still actively championing the Commercial Wellbeing group. I take inspiration from our Commercial Wellbeing Lead, Kristina Brain, who volunteers above and beyond her day job, to drive real change in the way we collaborate and look out for one another.

Q: What do you like about working here?

I like working at JLR because of the volume of opportunities available to try new things and meet new people. For me, the extra things that happen outside of the day job, such as Coffee Roulette, learning a new skill through Employee Learning Scheme (ELS), and flexible working arrangements that enable us to work offsite at exciting locations such as Classics keep me motivated.

Q: What are your career aspirations? Do you feel that you get the necessary support from your management / department to help achieve your learning & development goal? 

I aspire to make a positive impact on the people, projects, and processes around me. Whether that be by checking in with a colleague who doesn’t seem themselves that day or supporting a project to bring in £1.8 million revenue to JLR. One person stands out to me when I think about my personal and professional development within JLR and that is my mentor – Jessica Tubb. I admire Jess for being an influential female leader within her department and thank her for expanding my perception, encouraging me to break barriers, and elevating my confidence.

Q: Describe your team / department, and what makes it stand out from our competition? 

I would describe my team as ‘forward-thinking’, driven by the belief that feedback and collaboration are the keys to success. The team is composed of motivated individuals with diverse backgrounds and experiences giving us a unique perspective on the challenges we face, and how we bring out the best in each other. Whether it’s sharing insights, bouncing ideas off each other, or simply offering support, our team is always working to create a positive, productive environment where everyone can thrive.

Q: Tell us 3 interesting facts about yourself.

Outside of work, I like to keep active and play for JLR’s Netball team (shameless recruitment plug – if anyone is interested in joining please get in contact). I need to keep active to counteract my other interest – food. I’m a known foodie and will jump on any opportunity to travel to a new country or go to a new restaurant to try local cuisines. Without a doubt, Japan is the best country I have visited and wined and dined in.

Q: What hints and tips can you share with the potential candidates who are going through the application / interview process? 

Be yourself and have confidence in what you bring to the table. Jaguar Land Rover is going through an exciting period of change so its an excellent time to join the company and make a positive impact.

Search for your opportunity here.

Apprentice, Body Engineering, Early Careers, Electrical Engineering, Engineering, Hints and Tips, Home Page, People, Technology, United Kingdom, Who We Are

“Physical training taught me that hard work and perseverance always pays off and that failure is just a route to success.”

Jaguar Land Rover Careers

Leah, Jaguar Land Rover degree apprentice, currently on her 6th-year placement in Electrification Services. In her spare time, Leah loves to train and regularly competes in Olympic Weightlifting and CrossFit.

Her top tip for you is ‘Back yourself and take time to understand your personal strengths and weaknesses. Think about the value that these skills will bring to Jaguar Land Rover and its mission.’

We recently conducted a short interview to found out a little bit more about Leah, both in and out of Jaguar Land Rover.

Q: What position did you start in and what is your position now? Please describe your current responsibilities. 

I am a 6th-year AEP Degree Apprentice and I am currently on placement in Electrification Services, whose mission is to improve the EV ownership experience for customers through services. I am specifically focussing on improving the accessibility of charging infrastructure, which requires understanding the needs of those traditionally excluded from the EV ownership experience and creating a solution to not only help the exception but improve the experience for everyone. I joined Jaguar Land Rover in my home department of Vehicle Safety, where I essentially crashed cars; planning and coordinating full vehicle and component tests to ensure the safety of our vehicles. I have had the pleasure of being involved in several other areas of the business on placements within Special Vehicle Operations, Critical Concerns, Manufacturing, and Circular Economy.

Q: Are you involved in any other projects / networks? If so, please describe what they are and what your contributions are. 

SHINE Network – I recently joined as a participator to reduce assumptions when designing for inclusivity. The network supports colleagues with disabilities, whether hidden, visible or both.

Women in Engineering – I attend their annual conference, where they aim to accelerate an inclusive future for women in engineering.

Q: What do you like about working here?

It is exciting to be involved with the company during such a huge change toward electrification and sustainability. The people I work with are truly passionate about their work and are invested in my growth.

Q: What are your career aspirations? Do you feel that you get the necessary support from your current management / department to help achieve your learning & development goal? 

I see myself moving to a management role within the business, I feel I am a natural leader and have the wider knowledge to understand the bigger picture of the company. There are not enough females in this industry, so I want to encourage more young women to join the sector by acting as a role model. I would like to mentor and guide others to becoming the best version of themselves both in Jaguar Land Rover and life too. I would love the opportunity to work overseas at some point, so if the opportunity were to present itself I would work to make it happen. I think the people around me are invested in my growth, so if I work hard to achieve this, then it will be possible.

Q: Describe your current team / department, and what makes it stand out from our competition? 

The common theme amongst the teams I have been in is their passion for the work they are undertaking. The team I am in now is truly passionate about improving the charging experience for customers and understands that this is vital for the success of the business. This belief will make the team work harder and more efficiently to achieve their objectives.

Q: Tell us 3 interesting facts about yourself.

In my spare time, I love to train and compete in Olympic Weightlifting and CrossFit, and I am a qualified personal trainer. Lifting is a huge passion of mine and is where most of my spare time goes. The gym teaches me that hard work and perseverance pays off and that failure is just a route to success. It also acts as stress relief on those busy work weeks!

Last year I completed some of my first solo travel trips abroad! My favourite place I have travelled to is Costa Rica, although I got stuck in customs on the way back due to some apparent dodgy fingerprints!

I also own a paddleboard that I take out with friends in the warmer months to take some time away from Instagram scrolling and into nature.

Q: What hints and tips can you share with the potential candidates who are going through the application / interview process? 

I was incredibly nervous when submitting my application, to the point that I nearly didn’t submit it as I thought ‘I wasn’t good enough’. Now I have taken time to understand my capabilities and value within the company, with some incredible mentors along the way. My biggest piece of advice is to back yourself and take time to understand your personal strengths and weaknesses. Think about the value that these skills will bring to Jaguar Land Rover and its mission.

Apply Jaguar Land Rover Apprenticeship Programmes here.

Early Careers, Engineering, Featured, Hints and Tips, Home Page, People, Undergraduate, United Kingdom, Who We Are

At Jaguar Land Rover, we are empowered to push for change and improve processes

Jaguar Land Rover Careers

“The Undergraduate Programme allows for the freedom to explore roles within Jaguar Land Rover, from shadowing for just a day to venturing on a placement and delving into a unique project over the course of several months.

This breadth of experience has allowed an unparalleled expansion of my knowledge of the internal workings of Jaguar Land Rover, enabling me to realise and develop my strengths, ultimately finding the best career path for me.”

To find out more about Jaguar Land Rover Undergraduate Placement Programmes for 2023, visit our careers website here.

Q: Which department are you in and what role is it you do?

My current role is in Systems Integration, Technology Development. The Team is responsible for integrating vehicles into a variety of test rigs, particularly in simulating various Vehicle Components and ECUs (Electronic Control Units) to ensure the car responds to mechanical input as expected on test rigs despite having certain components removed or locked for testing.

Q: What projects are you working on?

Our Team has been responsible for designing and delivering aspects of a next generation Battery Test Facility for testing of future Jaguar Land Rover vehicles, one of the first such facilities in the World, where full Battery Pack testing can take place in a controlled environment. I have been tasked with researching existing and future battery thermal management systems on vehicles such that a representative solution can be developed and implemented on new Test Rigs. Separate to this project, I have been working closely with our Simulation Cells Team, focusing on and learning about the control systems and data reporting/database management of our 6DoF (6 Degrees of Freedom) and 4DoF rigs which are used to test the durability of our vehicles, simulating many years of use in a matter of weeks.

Q: What is your journey to get to this point?

Throughout my education and subsequent career, I have been intrigued by solving problems. I have thus taken on many group and individual projects, from designing a Collapsible Canoe-Polo Goal in conjunction with industry, to most recently, a Smart Robotic Gripper with advanced sensing capabilities and object recognition functionality at the University of Nottingham. I have thoroughly enjoyed both the creative aspects and technical challenges involved in these engineering projects as well as experienced across a multitude of courses I have been on, made accessible by the award of an Arkwright Engineering Scholarship. These courses and projects involved managing timescales and team members, designing solutions to technical challenges and iterating on them to resolve flaws, as well as consulting with a number of customers. It is the love of this cyclical yet consistently varied process that drew me towards this career.

Q: What are your learning and development goals?

By the end of this year, I aim to have my EngTech (Engineering Technician, iMechE) qualification, then working towards the CEng (Chartered Engineer, iMechE) over the course of the Graduate Scheme at Jaguar Land Rover. I intend to complete placements in different Teams, fulfilling a variety of roles. For example, in October I am expecting to embark on a placement in ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems), acting as a Scrum Product Owner within the AGILE framework, responsible for a project’s outcome and maximising value through managing and optimising tasks to be completed – similar to conventional ‘project management.’ I may also work in the role of a Scrum Master, responsible for maintaining efficient and unblocked workflow across a Team.

Q: What is important to you about your work at Jaguar Land Rover?

I find immense satisfaction in improving workflows and efficiencies across a project, thus contributing to the overall sustainability of Jaguar Land Rover whilst delivering value. At Jaguar Land Rover, we are empowered to push for change and improve processes where opportunities for improvement are realised. This freedom and responsibility to challenge established practices are a key part of my work at Jaguar Land Rover.

Q: What impact has Jaguar Land Rover had on your career?

The Early Careers schemes at Jaguar Land Rover allows the flexibility to explore different Teams and Sectors within the company, from shadowing for just a day to venturing on a placement and delving into a unique project over the course of months. This breath of experience has allowed for the expansion of my skillset, building of a network and the broadening of knowledge of the internal workings of Jaguar Land Rover, enabling me to realise and develop my strengths, ultimately following the best career path for me.

Q: How is your work having an impact on society/the environment/customer experience/needs of the business?

In addition to my primary role at Jaguar Land Rover, I have also taken on the responsibilities of ‘Early Careers Undergraduate Lead,’ working to organise lectures from industry figures, socials and tours of engineering facilities for Early Careers (EC) members across Jaguar Land Rover enabling the networking and development of Undergraduates, Apprentices and Graduates. I am also working towards improving many of the existing systems in place for EC Members: looking to minimise the disruption involved in re-enrolling and inducting employees re-joining the company after a year in industry or on summer placements, thus saving the company thousands of wasted man-hours; introducing networking opportunities such as ‘Coffee Roulette’ to encourage EC members to build contacts and spark interest in potential placement opportunities; increasing visibility and advertising of useful services offered within Jaguar Land Rover, such as the Professional Development Mentorship Scheme that pairs aspiring engineers with senior mentors to guide them through the process of obtaining certain qualifications and working towards Chartership.  

Q: Tell us something interesting about yourself?

I have achieved LAMDA Grade 8 (Gold Medal) awards in Public Speaking, Verse & Prose, and Acting. I have also achieved a DofE Gold Award and a number of water sports qualifications (from Scuba Diving to Kitesurfing). Moving on to planning and leading skills sessions for children aged 11-16, teaching the fundamentals of Kayaking and moving onto more advanced Canoe Polo manoeuvres. I recently also obtained my ‘STA Level 2 Award in Teaching Swimming’, teaching Beginner and Improver classes of both children and adults. This has developed my articulation and teaching skills, being able to adapt and tailor explanations to a wide range of audiences with different knowledge levels and needs.

Early Careers, Engineering, Featured, Hints and Tips, Home Page, Software, Undergraduate, United Kingdom, Who We Are

Tailor my career to meet my passions with Jaguar Land Rover

Jaguar Land Rover Careers

Simeon joined Jaguar Land Rover as a Product Engineering undergraduate 5 months ago. Within a short period of time, he has already made a real difference by constantly challenging himself to take on more responsibilities and difficult tasks.

Simeon has also built strong working relationships with his manager, his teams, and the key stakeholders cross-functionally. Simeon would love to return to Jaguar Land Rover for the Graduate Scheme and continue to develop his career with us.

To find out more about our latest Undergraduate Placement Programme for 2023, visit our careers website (click here) for more information.

Q: What position did you start in and what is your position now? Please describe your current responsibilities. 

I started in Systems and Software integration for the BEV Range Rover programme. The key responsibility of the role is ensuring features and functions progress effectively to meet key deliverables of the programme. My main contribution to the team has been running a workshop to cover the progress of all thermal related features. This workshop has allowed me to lead a large group of cross-functional engineers through the feature design and development process and created a platform for feature owners to discuss blockers and dependencies. The output from this workshop has allowed impediments to be raised when there are risks to the programme and therefore additional resource to be allocated where needed to ensure deadlines are met. I have gained skills such as creating detailed agendas, taking efficient meeting notes with accountable actions, and developed a strong network by working collaboratively with all key stakeholders. These are all far beyond what is taught at university but essential for the industry. I am currently on placement 4 days a week within the Vehicle Packaging team for the upcoming Jaguar. This team focuses on how the components and occupants of the vehicle fit together, as well as balancing the design vision for the vehicle with what the engineering team can deliver. The majority of my time has been spent on the concept development for future Jaguar models, which has involved lots of 3D CAD, working closely with the Human Factors and Vehicle Evaluation teams to create targets for critical dimensions based off competitor vehicles and ergonomics.

Q: What do you like about working here?

The main reason I am enjoying my time at Jaguar Land Rover is the level of responsibility that has been given to me as an undergraduate. If you can show you are willing to work hard and capable of taking on difficult tasks, there are opportunities to make a difference and gain the invaluable skills that accompany this. There are also many benefits you won’t see advertised in the job description such as Ride and Drive events, off-road driving experiences, Employee Learning Scheme, and the opportunity to take our vehicles home for the weekend as a reward. Not many other companies can offer this, and it really adds to the overall job satisfaction.

Q: What are your career aspirations? Do you feel that you get the necessary support from your management / department to help achieve your learning & development goal? 

Over the course of my career, I aspire to work with the latest and greatest technology within the automotive industry, especially as we make the shift from ICE to EV vehicles. Jaguar Land Rover can certainly provide this, so I am hoping to stay with the company for the Graduate Scheme and further. I have a great relationship with my management. They are constantly opening doors for me to progress in the direction I want so I am confident that when I return, I will be able to tailor my career to meet my passions.

Q: Describe your team / department, and what makes it stand out from our competition? 

Vehicle Engineering for Range Rover is a huge team, and by working at the whole vehicle level, it gives a broad perspective on the sheer amount of engineering that goes into creating a vehicle. This stands out from the competition because it isn’t just any vehicle, Range Rover is a market leading, luxury SUV and the attention to detail with design, comfort, materials, dynamics, noise and more really shows. 

Q: Tell us some interesting facts about yourself.

Outside of my studies and job I enjoy sport and music. I have been a keen sportsman all my life, I have played county and university football and recently joined a Jaguar Land Rover football team with other undergrads and grads. I also DJ, and what started as a hobby in lockdown, led to me playing in clubs and house parties where I go to university in Leeds.

Q: What hints and tips can you share with the potential candidates who are going through the application / interview process? 

Jaguar Land Rover is going through an exciting cultural change at the moment with the Reimagine and Refocus strategy. The company is keen to employ young, enthusiastic minds to help with this change, so my advice would be to learn the new company values and how your experiences can contribute to the success of Jaguar Land Rover’s new strategy and future success.