Schools Welcomed To Jaguar Land Rover For See Inside Manufacturing

Budding engineers have been welcomed at Jaguar Land Rover, as part of the government's first 'See Inside Manufacturing' initiative. The company will provide school children from the Midlands and Northwest with a unique insight into the world of advanced engineering and manufacturing.

For the remainder of October 2011, Jaguar Land Rover's Educational Business Partnership Centres, located at the company's engineering and advanced manufacturing plants, will deliver a hands on programme of activities to over 120 year 10 and 11 students. The activities include CAD CAM and safety challenges, a tour of the site and guidance on interviews and CV writing.

Business Secretary Vince Cable said: "For too many young people the word manufacturing is a turn off. A worrying poll out last week found that only one out of ten children aged 11 to 14 thought that engineering was an important job and even ranked being a politician as a better choice of career!

"We are determined to shake up old fashioned views of manufacturing. Through the Government's See Inside Manufacturing campaign and Jaguar Land Rover's national activities, we will give young people the chance to see the exciting face of modern manufacturing which is highly skilled, high tech and highly paid."

Jaguar Land Rover treated the STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) programme as a high priority, being the first car manufacturer in the UK to achieve the CommunityMark. Awarded by Business in the Community, the CommunityMark is widely recognised as the national standard of excellence for community investment and was given in recognition of Jaguar Land Rover's considerable investment in community programmes, including its Education Business Partnership Centres, employee volunteering programmes, national educational initiatives and a wide range of community partnerships.

Mike Wright, Jaguar Land Rover's Executive Director said: "This initiative is a clear indication of the value advanced manufacturing has to the UK economy and as the UK's largest investor in automotive research and development Jaguar Land Rover has a critical role to play in pushing the skills agenda. Only through engagement with young people, be it at school or university, can we develop a truly capable and skilled work force able to compete on a global stage."

He continued: "That is why Jaguar Land Rover has for many years operated a structured suite of activities at its five Partnership Centres and a package of comprehensive educational programmes – including the 'Land Rover 4x4 in Schools Challenge' and the recently launched' Jaguar Primary Schools Challenge'. These initiatives reached almost 13,000 school children in the UK last year and we will continue to invest heavily to ensure we provide more young people with inspirational experiences that showcase the immense benefits of a career in this most challenging and exciting of industries."