Jaguar Land Rover has begun recruitment for the first 500 new jobs at its Lode Lane site

As part of a 1,700 jobs recruitment drive, this will see the first intake at the Solihull manufacturing facility, consisting of semi-skilled production operator jobs to support the production of new vehicles – included as part of the £1.5bn invested to expand the site.

The recruitment of the new jobs will be conducted in three phases to support future growth and investment plans, with the next two to open later this year and in early 2015, taking the site’s headcount to almost 8,000 jobs.

Alan Volkaerts, operations director at Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), said the move illustrates the automotive’s long term commitment to the UK. He said: “To continue producing award winning vehicles and investing in world-class manufacturing technology, we need to source the best people. Our recruitment drive reinforces our commitment to the UK automotive industry which also benefits the wider supply chain and overall UK economy.”

Also included in the financial outlay is the introduction of manufacturing facilities to support a new technically advanced aluminium vehicle architecture to deliver an enhanced range of models for JLR in new segments and markets around the world. The first new model to utilise the architecture will be a mid-sized sports Jaguar sedan which will be launched in 2015.

William Wigley, an aluminium body shop group leader at the company added: “For job seekers at any stage of life, a job is important but also the opportunity to progress in your career and look to the future is equally important. I have never been so proud to work for a global, iconic, world-class manufacturer in my 25 years of working life and am pleased to contribute to this success.”

Read the full story here: http://www.themanufacturer.com/articles/jaguar-land-rover-to-recruit-first-500-in-1700-jobs-drive/.