Young people with a passion for the automotive industry are being encouraged to apply for a place on BMW Group’s UK apprenticeship programme.
Apprenticeship applications are now open for more than 40 positions in 2017 at BMW’s three UK manufacturing sites in Oxford, Swindon and Hams Hall, near Birmingham.
The global automotive giant has reportedly crafted an intense selection process designed to attract the best candidates who will get the chance to work directly alongside skilled and experienced employees in a wide range of roles, including engineering; maintenance; finance; IT business, and communications.
Applicants will need five GCSEs at Grade C or above, including Maths and English at Grade 6 or above. For engineering, business and IT apprenticeships applicants will also need two A-Levels at Grade C or above, or a BTEC Level 3 (Engineering).
To find out more about the scheme and for full entry requirements, click here.
Entry is open from January 10 and the closing date for applications is March 13.
Apprenticeships start in August 2017.
The closing date for applications for Girls Go Technical is February 27.
The programme runs from (Mon) April 10 to (Thurs) April 13, 2017.
Places are available at MINI Plant Oxford, the heart and home of MINI production; Plant Swindon, which produces pressings and sub-assemblies for both BMW and MINI; and Plant Hams Hall which manufactures highly-efficient engines for MINI and BMW vehicles. The new recruits will join more than 150 apprentices already working across these three sites.
The business recently celebrated a major manufacturing milestone in December 2016, when the three millionth MINI to be built in the UK rolled off the assembly line in Oxford. Today, around 1,000 MINIs are built each day and are exported from the UK to more than 110 markets across the world.
Manager of Apprentice Training Programmes at BMW Group UK, Jason Gaskell explained: “An apprenticeship give young people the chance to get their careers off to a flying start and are essential for us to develop the future talent needed for our business.
“We have three state-of-the-art manufacturing sites and there are some fantastic opportunities available. We want to attract the very best young and talented people to come and work for us. So, if you have a passion for working in this exciting industry, we want to hear from you.”
Depending on the programme, apprentice training leads to a Level Three Competency Qualification, while some young people will have the opportunity to progress right through to degree level in the course of their career depending on their performance.
As part of BMW Group’s commitment to attracting more young females into engineering, applications are also now open for the Girls Go Technical programme, which will run during the Easter holiday this year.
The programme, which gives a fascinating insight into BMW Group’s three UK production sites, is aimed at females aged between 15 and 24 who are considering a technical apprenticeship in the manufacturing industry.
Apprenticeships last between three and four years and cover a wide range of areas to help equip young people with the skills needed for a successful career in the automotive sector.