1,100 new JLR jobs as sales set to boom

Thousands of new jobs were revealed today as Jaguar Land Rover announced that 1,100 posts will be created in the West Midlands and BT is to open four new call centres.

The luxury car maker is boosting its workforce with the expansion of its Castle Bromwich factory in Birmingham.

BT will have created 2,000 new jobs by the end of the year as it expands its fibre broadband network and opens new call centres.

One of the four new centres in West Bromwich has already opened, creating 300 consumer adviser posts.

The new jobs at the Castle Bromwich plant will support the launch of new Jaguar models, including the XF Sportbrake.

It comes as work is under way to build a £355 million engine plant at the i54 business park in Wolverhampton, which will provide 750 jobs, with the potential for more through supply chain companies.

Business Secretary Vince Cable hailed the expansion as "fantastic news for Castle Bromwich". He added:?"This expansion is a clear demonstration of JLR's continuing commitment and investment in the UK."

The XF, XK and XJ Jaguar models are made at Castle Bromwich, with around 80 per cent of production exported to more than 100 markets worldwide.

BT said today that fibre broadband had been connected to more than two million homes and business in the last three months and the total connected was now 11 million.

Chief executive Ian Livingston said profits before tax for the last quarter were up eight per cent to £578m.

By John Corser