Jaguar Land Rover is set to open a record number of degree apprenticeships this year.

The manufacturer is taking on 300 apprentices on its 2023 scheme, half of which will be degree apprenticeships - a 70 per cent increase on last year.

Degree apprenticeships offer those who might not consider university due to the cost, the opportunity to get started in the industry and get paid by their employer while they also study.

JLR offers a starting salary of £24,500.

Head of early years careers programme, Anne Marie Campion said: "Our apprenticeship programmes including our degree apprenticeships are highly sought after.

"Our apprentices will enjoy a fantastic experience.

"They will learn with the UK's top training providers and support our reimagine strategy, working on our future vehicles that are fundamental to our global success."

Two JLR degree apprentices Frazer Balzan and Erin Purewal were chosen to represent JLR at an event at the Houses of Parliament on Monday (6 February), hosted by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), to talk about degree apprenticeships.

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Both Frazer and Erin are studying part time at the University of Warwick while working for JLR.

Frazer is a JLR Degree Apprentice in Power Electronics, originally from Skipton. He was studying Physics at Leeds University until he heard about the JLR degree apprenticeship.

He said: "The degree apprenticeship was financially a much better option for me than university. There was a lot of pressure on me through debt mounting in study fees. My parents were asking me what I would be doing after I finished, and I was worried I wasn't getting a lot of relevant work experience. It was an anxious time. 

"Now every hour is used towards a future that I can see. It has relieved anxieties about the future. The next natural step for me would be to find a role in JLR in power electronic design. I'm pursuing that."

Erin, from Coventry, is working on a JLR degree apprenticeship in Digital and Technology Solutions, specialising in Data Analytics. She says she applied because both the automotive industry and the technological industry are at pivotal points of change.

Erin began at JLR in a Data Analyst role and is now currently working in the central Data Engineering team.

She said: "The work of data roles is so important to the business, and it is amazing to be a part of this change as businesses adapt to becoming more data driven."