LEADING AWARD FOR DRIVING ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE

Jaguar Land Rover’s Simon Wood was one of the headline winners at this year’s prestigious Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) awards ceremony held at the Science and Industry Museum in Manchester.

Simon, who works with our Learning Academy and specialises in professional competency development, received the “EngTech Visionary Award” highlighting his outstanding work in driving engineering excellence. 

He was particularly commended for introducing a highly-regarded programme, he’d  pioneered at JCB, to Jaguar Land Rover. The programme enables our engineers to further improve their skills and progress their careers by achieving independent, formal and internationally recognised Professional Registration from the IMechE or other Engineering Institutions   

Farah Baksh of the IMechE commented:

“I am delighted for Simon. Thanks to his enthusiastic approach to EngTech registration he’s increased the number of registered engineers which helps both the individual and their employer. He is a deserving winner.”

Simon was pleased to be honoured by his engineering peers but underlined that he’s had great support from colleagues, who act as mentors for engineers seeking Professional Registration and the overriding objective is to ensure Jaguar Land Rover benefits.

“It was great to receive individual praise however my focus is always on the wider business and to provide a framework that allows our people to progress.”

“IMechE offers three categories of Professional Registration suitable for people just starting their careers through to experienced professionals. People who’ve achieved Registration status really enjoy getting there and often tell us they wish they’d done it much earlier.”

“It is a great opportunity to learn, improve your confidence and there is ultimately the genuine satisfaction of knowing your professional competence is independently verified.”

The benefits for Jaguar Land Rover are significant with colleagues continuing to learn and develop to keep their Registration up to date and engineers who have reached this standard can underline what they’ve achieved when applying for new roles. 

Simon adds that Jaguar Land Rover’s work with the IMechE is also important in terms of the way the business is perceived by potential employees and stakeholders.

“As a major engineering business it is important we demonstrate to our customers, suppliers and also engineers who might want to work here that we’re fully committed to helping our people achieve the highest individual professional standards.”

A RAF veteran who served for 22 years, Simon is very much a colleague who leads by example. In 2011 to secure his first role outside of the RAF he decided that EngTech Registration was the ideal way to verify his competence. His son, also a professional engineer, has followed his Dad’s example as well!  Simon adds:

“Even though I’d got a great deal of real-world experience with the RAF, I felt it was a positive way to start my new career and I got an awareness of things I could work on.” 

IMechE and other institutions offer three categories of Professional Registration - EngTech, Incorporated and Chartered - You can enquire about how to access more detailed  information and discuss your eligibility via  profeng@jaguarlandrover.com

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