Girl power reigns at JCB
2014 sees record number of young women sign up for engineering apprenticeships with the firm
A RECORD number of young women have started work at JCB as apprentices – challenging the myth that engineering is very much a man’s world. Nine females have just completed the first week of their apprenticeships – almost double last year’s intake.
They have been recruited as part of the company’s Young Talent initiative, which attracted more than 1,000 applications for more than 100 new jobs for apprentices, graduates and undergraduates. A total of 59 of the new positions are for apprentices.
Since its introduction three years ago, JCB’s Young Talent programme has seen almost 350 young people join the business. The latest recruitment drive comes after Lord Bamford underlined his commitment to ‘identifying and nurturing young talent’ in his maiden speech in the House of Lords.
This year also marks the 50th anniversary of the launch of JCB’s first ever apprenticeship programme – when every single recruit was a boy.
Group HR director Alan Thomson said: ‘We are delighted that more and more young women seem to be recognizing that engineering and engineering companies represent an exciting opportunity for a rewarding and exciting career.
‘When JCB’s Young Talent programme first started in 2012, there was a solitary female among the apprentice intake. To have nine female apprentices this year is fantastic and we are hopeful it could mean that the tide is finally beginning to turn and that women don’t view engineering as very much a man’s world. We need people who can be innovative and creative, who can think for themselves and come up with the right solutions to problems whether they are male or female.’
Mr Thomson continued: ‘We have ambitious plans to significantly increase the size of JCB’s business in the next five years and we need talented, well-trained people to successfully realize our aspirations. The Young Talent programme is absolutely key to achieving future growth and the young people joining us this year will play a key role in helping the JCB team meet its goals.’
