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Jaguar Land Rover presents fastest ever selling Jaguar to new engineering focused Academy

Dr Ralf Speth (CEO Jaguar Land Rover), Kate Tague (Executive Principal), Professor Lord Bhattacharyya (WMG), Yr10 Pupil Kyran Carrington, Associate Principal Stewart TaitThe new WMG Academy for Young Engineers in Solihull opened its doors to its first pupils on Wednesday 7th of September. However, it had to open those doors a little bit wider when Jaguar Land Rover provided the Academy with their very own Jaguar F-Pace car.

The F-Pace was recently declared the fastest ever selling Jaguar in the company’s history and it is sure to provide powerful inspiration and enviable opportunities for students studying at the engineering focused Academy.

Jaguar Land Rover is just one of many engineering and technology companies with plants in Solihull and Birmingham and along with those companies, large and small, they want to encourage the brightest young people to consider engineering as a career. By working closely with the WMG Academy they help students to access a curriculum offering skills that employers are seeking not just in engineering and technology but project management, team working, critical thinking and beyond.

This vision has led to the creation of the WMG Academy for Young Engineers in Solihull: a strong and powerful partnership between the WMG Academy for Young Engineers Trust, Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council, Jaguar Land Rover, National Grid, SCC, Balfour Beatty, Arup, Aero Engine Controls and more than 20 other local and national employers.

Kate Tague, Executive Principal of the WMG Academy for Young Engineers Trust said:

“The Academy will be led by businesses with a business-like vision and culture. It will offer world class education for the 21st century. The students will learn in a new way, in a business context – creating, designing and doing and solving problems that employers face on a daily basis.”

Professor Lord Bhattacharyya, Chairman and Founder of WMG at the University of Warwick said:

“Reaching a younger generation, engaging them in innovative new learning environments and preparing and inspiring them to create the high-value products of tomorrow, is the only way that we can ensure the UK’s ability to compete in the global market place for the future.

"We are delighted to open the second WMG Academy for Young Engineers in Solihull. Across our region we have some of the best companies and supply chains for manufacturing, many of whom are eager to become part of this exciting new approach to education.

"We have worked with our partners to create a truly unique curriculum and learning style that will ensure students across Solihull and Birmingham have access to a bespoke learning experience that not only gives them high-value technical skills but also vital employability and business skills; preparing them for further or higher education, apprenticeships or to move directly into careers and keeping manufacturing knowledge and excellence within the region.”

Professor Dr Ralf Speth, CEO, Jaguar Land Rover said, on presenting the F-Pace to the Academy:WMG Academy Solihull

"The WMG Academy for Young Engineers Solihull is designed to equip young people with the skills they need to succeed so they can contribute to our country’s economic performance. Companies like ourselves, working with academies like this one and local authorities, will together ensure we have the skills and jobs to make our community a world leader in advanced manufacturing. Our plant in Solihull is very important to us - it was here we built the Land Rover Defender. The automotive industry has changed a great deal since then, and the students learning at Solihull Academy will receive a cutting-edge education so they are able to enter the world of work with the right knowledge, experience and passion needed for a successful career in the automotive industry.”

Leader of Solihull Council, Councillor Bob Sleigh, said:

“This is fantastic opportunity for the borough to bring world-class engineering training within reach of our young people. With both WMG Academy and industry support I’m confident that the Academy will ensure the borough, and the region, will have enough top quality engineers to continue to maintain the area’s re-eminence in automotive and high value engineering. I sincerely hope many of our young people, particularly those close by in the north will consider a career in engineering and look to the Academy to give them the best start possible."

For further information please contact:

Lisa Barwick, WMG Head of Marketing and Communications – L.Barwick@warwick.ac.uk or 07824 540 845

Fri 16 Sep 2016, 16:24 | Tags: WMG Academy Education