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JLR is pushing ahead with its programme to train its dealer network to handle its electric vehicles.
The company has trained 95%, or 10,000, of its retail partner technicians, to service the next generation luxury electric vehicles.
Overall, 20,000 JLR employees and partners have been trained in electrification and digital skills as part of JLR’s Future Skills Programme.
Future Skills training is being led by the JLR Learning Academy, which invests £20m a year to train employees and partners.
JLR will be training a further 15,000 employees across manufacturing, engineering and workshops as part of the programme.
JLR retail master technician Chloe Taylor who works in a Sytner retailer in Northampton, said: “I started my career as an apprentice, learning to work with combustion technology and more recently qualified to dismantle high voltage electric vehicle batteries.
“The transition to EVs presents lots of learning opportunities, shifting from much of the heavy part lifting associated with ICE vehicles, to more process-driven, technology-centred diagnostics work. I hope this shift will encourage more women to follow my path.’’
Barbara Bergmeier, JLR executive director of Industrial Operations, said: “We are working to attract and train a more diverse array of talent and electrification is opening up new and more attractive opportunities for females such as Chloe.
“The realisation of our Reimagine strategy is dependent on the skill of our people and a more diverse workforce brings additional strength.’’
JLR has also introduced a number of other initiatives to enable those from more diverse backgrounds to access a STEM career, including:
- A virtual work experience programme with 2,000 enrolments in eight weeks with of which 31 per cent are women and girls
- A schools partnership programme to encourage students from diverse backgrounds to begin a career in STEM
- Working through partnerships to attract more diverse candidates in the JLR’s Early Careers scheme, using AI to make job description wording more diverse and inclusive.