Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) in the UK is tackling an anticipated shortage of automotive engineers through its Young Women in the Know program. Since the program started in 2012, 42 former program participants out of a total of 200 have secured apprenticeships at JLR, increasing its female engineer headcount from 9% to 11%.

Participants in the Young Women in the Know Program. Credit: JLR The week-long Young Women in the Know program recruits female students aged 15-18 to participate at one of five JLR Education Business Partnership Centers. Over the course of the program, students visit Jaguar Land Rover’s manufacturing, design and engineering sites, meet female apprentices, graduates and managers and spend a day on work experience. They also receive coaching in career skills like resume writing and interview techniques.

The program exists in part to dispel misconceptions about careers in engineering. A 2013 graduate and current JLR employee attributed her career choice of manufacturing engineering to her experience in Young Women in the Know.

Young Women in the Know is part of a larger JLR education program, Inspiring Tomorrow’s Engineers, that seeks to encourage interest in STEM subjects and engineering careers.