I gained incredible knowledge of the automotive industry, built meaningful connections and got an offer to work at JLR after graduation

Why did you decide to do a placement year?

I decided to do a placement year to get a feeling of what it’s like to apply engineering concepts to solve real-world problems, connect with the industry, and boost my chances of getting employed after graduation.

Tell us a bit about the role you have been doing whilst on placement.

My year at JLR was incredible, I’ve learned a lot about the automotive industry, how it works and the challenges it faces. Moreover, I managed to get an offer to work as a graduate after completing my degree.

What has been your greatest achievement or what is the most interesting part of your placement so far? 

I worked as an undergraduate in electronics and complex systems and my team owned the power electronics systems in hybrid and electric vehicles. Our goal was to find the root cause and fix for all the issues on current cars that were caused by power electronics (inverters and DCDC converters). Moreover, I worked with the team responsible for releasing the brand-new Jaguar supercar in 2025.

My biggest achievement was finding a cost-cutting solution to one of the biggest issues in powertrain. The biggest challenge involved was talking to the supplier of the component and getting them on board to follow my strategy and release the fix.

What would be your top tip / best piece of advice for other students considering doing a placement year?

The best advice I have for students going on a placement is to get involved in as many projects as you can, don’t be afraid to take responsibility, and there is no such thing as a ‘stupid question’. Sometimes the silliest questions reveal the best solutions.

How has your placement year influenced your future career plans / what do you plan on doing after graduation?

Overall, I gained incredible knowledge of the automotive industry, built meaningful connections, expanded my network and got a full time offer to work again at JLR after graduation.