JLR trains 20,000 staffers to produce high-end EVs

UK (Commonwealth) _ As part of JLR’s Future Skills Programme, almost 20,000 employees and staff members from partners have received training in electrification and digital skills.

More than 2,400 manufacturing workers with EV expertise work for the company in its UK production sites, which include its electric propulsion manufacturing center near the i54 in Wolverhampton. 10,000 of JLR’s retail partner technicians, or more than 95% of them, have received training, guaranteeing that workshops are equipped to service the company’s upcoming premium electric cars.

Approximately 2,500 engineers have received training in data and digital, 3,000 engineers have received training in electrification, and over 4,200 apprentices and early career staff from JLR and retail partners are presently undergoing training.

More than 11,000 JLR manufacturing coworkers are currently undergoing electrification training as the expeditious transformation of JLR facilities for the manufacture of electric vehicles continues. In 2023–2024, JLR opened 950 more engineering electrification positions, hence broadening its pool of talent.

The JLR Learning Academy is in charge of Future Skills training, investing over £20 million annually to teach JLR partners and workers to reach their full potential. As part of the initiative, JLR plans to train a minimum of 15,000 more personnel in manufacturing, engineering, and workshops in the future.

People from different backgrounds are getting additional chances as a result of electrification. When it comes to EV work, as opposed to typical ICE engine repair, process-oriented methods are sometimes prioritized above hard physical labor, enabling a larger spectrum of workers, including those with neurodiverse backgrounds, to access it.

“Our plans to electrify our ultra-desirable modern luxury brands are unfolding at speed, and I’m delighted with the pace that our Future Skills Programme is preparing our talented workforce,” stated Barbara Bergmeier, executive director of industrial operations at JLR. We’re trying to bring in and develop a wider kind of talent, and electrification is giving girls like Chloe access to new and appealing options. Our staff’s ability to execute our Reimagine plan is key, and having a more diverse workforce adds even more power.

In addition, JLR has launched many other programs to make STEM careers more accessible to people from a wider range of backgrounds. These programs including: a school partnership program to encourage students from diverse backgrounds to begin a career in STEM; a virtual work experience program that enrolled 2,000 students in eight weeks, of whom 31% were women and girls; leveraging partnerships to draw in more diverse candidates for the JLR Early Careers scheme; and leveraging AI to make job descriptions more inclusive and diverse.

The next electric car to be released is the new Range Rover Electric, which is made in Solihull and for which customers may sign up for a waiting list. In anticipation of releasing nine all electric luxury cars by 2030, Land Rover recently announced its new Future Energy Lab, a £250 million state-of-the-art electric vehicle (EV) testing facility.

Electric test rigs, the production of Electric Drive Units (EDUs), and test cells for electric vehicle systems are just a few of the technical breakthroughs that will be housed at the new 323,000 square foot facility at JLR’s Whitley Engineering Centre in Coventry. These innovations will enable the quick testing of EVs. This comprises a number of climate rooms designed for extreme weather, with the ability to replicate the coldest temperatures—-40°C to 55°C.

The facility will greatly expand JLR’s test and development capability and is a component of the company’s £15 billion commitment to electrify its premium brands over the next five years. This will lessen the requirement for transportation between several international test sites during the development phase and allow the firm to sustainably grow up its next generation EVs.

JLR is reducing the expense and emissions related to transporting prototype vehicle fleets across the globe for testing by expanding its on-site EV testing capabilities. The factory presently employs more than 200 EV engineers, and another 150 will be brought on board, resulting in a major increase in employment that will benefit the local economy.

Our cars are leading the way toward an all-electric automotive future, and they always will be. As a cornerstone of our Reimagine plan, this facility is necessary to supply the sophisticated testing capabilities that will be critical to the functionality and dependability of the contemporary luxury cars.