- The Range Rover Evoque WISE (Women In Science and Engineering) Scholarship opens for 2014 applicants
- Two female student beneficiaries to receive £1000 per year towards their studies for three years plus practical support through a mentoring programme and summer placement at Jaguar Land Rover in Warwickshire
- The funding programme looks to boost young female participation in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) subjects and is aimed at young women starting an engineering degree course or apprenticeship in the UK
- With currently only 4%* of the registered engineering workforce in the UK female, Jaguar Land Rover is committed to increasing the number of female engineers and technicians and creating more diversity in the industry
- In 2013, Jaguar Land Rover reached 91,760 young females through its school STEM challenges and Education Business Partnership Centres
Whitley, UK, 3 June 2014 ‑ Jaguar Land Rover today opens its 2014 Range Rover Evoque WISE Scholarship for young women planning a career in technology and engineering in the UK.
Launched last year by Zara Phillips, the scholarship will offer two young women, embarking on the first steps of their engineering career, an extra boost with financial, mentoring and practical support. Both winners, one undergraduate student and one aspiring engineering apprentice, will receive £1,000 per year for three years towards their studies, the offer of mentor support from Jaguar Land Rover and WISE, and the offer of a summer placement at Jaguar Land Rover.
With currently only 4%* of the registered engineering workforce in the UK being female, Jaguar Land Rover plays a strong role in supporting a change in how women and girls are encouraged to consider technology and engineering careers and the subject choices or vocational pathways that lead to them. In 2013, the same year Jaguar Land Rover partnered with WISE to inspire more young women to take up engineering as a career and increase diversity in the industry, 248,000 young people took part in Jaguar Land Rover school STEM challenges, of which 37%, 91,760 were female. Overall, the company's award‑winning 'Inspiring Tomorrow's Engineers' education programme has engaged more than one million young people in the UK over the past decade.
Nicci Cook, Jaguar Land Rover Senior HR Manager, Product Creation & Delivery comments: "Last year we had such an overwhelming response and we are delighted to be opening the scholarship again in 2014. 11% of current JLR engineers are female (up from 9% in 2012 and well above industry average) which demonstrates the positive impact our women in engineering programmes including the Range Rover Evoque WISE Scholarship are having engaging and supporting young women as they pursue engineering careers. Through programmes such as the Scholarship, Jaguar Land Rover is looking to contribute to the national aspirations to double the number of women studying engineering and technology degrees at undergraduate level by 2030; boost the number of women pursuing careers in engineering and technology; and increase the number of young people studying mathematics and physics at 18. We're excited this year to be able to offer two scholarships to two worthy beneficiaries, building on the success of the scholarship we provided last year".
Harriet Vickers, 19, from Spalding in Lincolnshire, was the first beneficiary of the Scholarship, which is helping her through her engineering degree course at Durham University. Harriet comments: "The support that the Scholarship has given me over the past year has been fantastic. In addition to the financial aid, having access to a mentor with a wealth of experience in the world of engineering has been invaluable. I'm now planning my work placement at Jaguar Land Rover and am looking forward to getting stuck into some more practical work over the summer".
In May 2014, Jaguar Land Rover also pledged its support to Your Life, a national government STEM campaign set up to outline national ambitions for greater participation in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), amongst women.
‑ ENDS ‑
Case studies including Harriet Vickers, 2013 Range Rover Evoque WISE Scholarship beneficiary and Land Rover Vehicle Architecture Planning Director Danella Bagnall are available for interview. Biographies available on request.
For further information log onto www.uk.media.landrover.com or contact:
Laura Hind
Land Rover UK
Account Director, The Brooklyn Brothers
T:
02072926200
M:
07917108187
E:
laurahind@thebrooklynbrothers.com
Kim Palmer
Senior
Press Officer, Land Rover UK
T: 02476
564 129
M: 07795
666169
E:
kpalmer@landrover.com
Land Rover and WISE
Since 1948 Land Rover has been manufacturing authentic 4x4s that represent true breadth of capability across the model range. Defender, Freelander, Discovery, Range Rover Sport, Range Rover and Range Rover Evoque each define the world's 4x4 sectors. Land Rover products are currently sold in approximately 180 global markets.
WISE (Women In Science and Engineering) helps organisations to inspire women and girls to pursue science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) as pathways to exciting and fulfilling careers. Our mission is to push the presence of female employees from 13% to 30% by 2020, boosting the talent pool to drive economic growth.
Find more information at www.wisecampaign.org.uk or contact Campaigns Manager, Sarah Shaw via email or phone: s.shaw@wisecampaign.org.uk and 07545 208 530
Your Life
For more information on Your Life please visit www.yourlife.org.uk
Jaguar Land Rover 'Inspiring Tomorrow's Engineers'
For more information on 'Inspiring Tomorrow's Engineers', please visit www.jaguarlandrover.com/gl/en/responsible‑business/social‑responsibility/advancing‑knowledge
*Taken from EngineeringUK 2014 statistics
