JLR trains 20,000 staff to prepare for electric shift

Premium car group JLR has retrained more than 20,000 staff as it gears up for future electrification of its models.

With Jaguar set to relaunch as an all-EV brand in 2026 and plans for electric versions of several Land Rover models, the group has been training staff across the business, from engineers to sales apprentices.

So far, more than 2,400 manufacturing employees, 3,000 engineers and 10,000 dealership technicians have been trained to be prepared for the group’s move to electrification, including pure EVs as well as plug-in hybrids. More than 4,200 retail staff and 2,500 people working in data services have also been brought up to speed as the shift accelerates.

With work to transform JLR facilities for EV production progressing, electrification training for over 11,000 JLR manufacturing colleagues is now also underway. And in the coming year the group plans to fill another 950 electrification roles in engineering.

JLR has also that it will train a further 15,000 employees across manufacturing, engineering and workshops through the £20 million Future Skills programme.

JLR says that the move to electrification is helping create more opportunities for a more diverse workforce thanks, in part to what it calls ‘process-oriented approaches rather than intense manual labour’, which it says makes it accessible to a wider range of employees, including those from neurodiverse backgrounds.

JLR retail master technician Chloe Taylor who works in a Sytner retailer in Northampton, commented: “I started my career as an apprentice, learning to work with combustion technology and more recently qualified to dismantle high voltage electric vehicle batteries.

“The transition to EVs presents lots of learning opportunities, shifting from much of the heavy part lifting associated with ICE vehicles, to more process-driven, technology-centred diagnostics work. I hope this shift will encourage more women to follow my path.’’

Barbara Bergmeier, JLR executive director of industrial operations, said: “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 readying our talented workforce.

“We are working to attract and train a more diverse array of talent and electrification is opening up new and more attractive opportunities for females such as Chloe. The realisation of our Reimagine strategy is dependent on the skill of our people and a more diverse workforce brings additional strength.’’