When it comes to choosing a job or planning your future career, the BMW Group offers you the opportunity to become part of the world’s leading manufacturer of premium automobiles and motorcycles, and provider of premium financial and mobility services.
As a student, we’ll give you the chance to explore different career options or start the job of your dreams as an intern or apprentice. As a graduate, we’ll give you job responsibility from day one so you can really put your theoretical knowledge into practice.
We offer a range of technical and non-technical apprenticeships across our BMW/MINI Retail Network, read our latest brochure to learn more. Find out about BMW/MINI Retailer Network Apprenticeships, and opportunities in our Manufacturing, Engineering, Technician or Business Group sectors below.
Many students spend time with us to get a taste of working life and, as part of an internship, discover a lot about people, technology, processes and corporate culture. Depending on your degree course, you can complete internships in a variety of fields including production, finance and marketing.
We offer motivated graduates excellent opportunities to join the company – as well as long-term prospects. We will help you take full advantage of career opportunities in the BMW Group from the outset, and to quickly build up a network.
Our BMW Group Career Stories will provide you with an insight into what it’s like to be part of the team…
Parts Quality manager (QMT)
“My interest in cars sparked my interest in engineering and ‘how stuff works’, but I didn't know what an engineering job would entail."
My father is a true petrol head and this is what fuelled my interest in cars. Ever since I was young, I knew I wanted to work in the car industry. I didn’t know what an engineering job would entail, that’s why I wanted to do work experience, to give me a better understanding of the engineering industry. I did a work experience placement at the MINI factory in Oxford in 2011, which opened my eyes to the vast range of opportunities available in the car industry. After my placement, I decided to cancel my UCAS application and apply for apprenticeships. I chose BMW Group because they offered me a brilliant apprenticeship that would enable me to continue my education and obtain work experience in a leading premium automotive manufacturer.
The benefit of working for a company like BMW Group is there are a huge range of engineering roles available. In my last 4 years working at BMW Group, I was fortunate enough to work on a project in Rolls Royce, Goodwood. I worked in the leathershop to create an information cockpit for key performance indicators, which updates automatically.
I have recently taken on the role of a QMT (Parts Quality Manager) specifically working for exterior trim (MK-30-O), and I am also completing the final year of my electronics degree. My apprenticeship was tailored to prepare me for my final job role, so I already had experience in the department I am now working in. A typical day can be quite varied as a QMT, but the aim of my role is to ensure our suppliers deliver a continuous supply of parts at the correct quality level to the Plant. On a typical week day I am juggling university, at a supplier in the UK or overseas. I do lots of travelling, visiting suppliers and also visiting different BMW Group plants.
My advice for young people is to seriously consider an apprenticeship. Not only does it further your education, it provides you with practical experience and gives a huge head start on your career.
Parts Quality manager (QMT)
“My interest in cars sparked my interest in engineering and ‘how stuff works’, but I didn't know what an engineering job would entail."
My father is a true petrol head and this is what fuelled my interest in cars. Ever since I was young, I knew I wanted to work in the car industry. I didn’t know what an engineering job would entail, that’s why I wanted to do work experience, to give me a better understanding of the engineering industry. I did a work experience placement at the MINI factory in Oxford in 2011, which opened my eyes to the vast range of opportunities available in the car industry. After my placement, I decided to cancel my UCAS application and apply for apprenticeships. I chose BMW Group because they offered me a brilliant apprenticeship that would enable me to continue my education and obtain work experience in a leading premium automotive manufacturer.
The benefit of working for a company like BMW Group is there are a huge range of engineering roles available. In my last 4 years working at BMW Group, I was fortunate enough to work on a project in Rolls Royce, Goodwood. I worked in the leathershop to create an information cockpit for key performance indicators, which updates automatically.
I have recently taken on the role of a QMT (Parts Quality Manager) specifically working for exterior trim (MK-30-O), and I am also completing the final year of my electronics degree. My apprenticeship was tailored to prepare me for my final job role, so I already had experience in the department I am now working in. A typical day can be quite varied as a QMT, but the aim of my role is to ensure our suppliers deliver a continuous supply of parts at the correct quality level to the Plant. On a typical week day I am juggling university, at a supplier in the UK or overseas. I do lots of travelling, visiting suppliers and also visiting different BMW Group plants.
My advice for young people is to seriously consider an apprenticeship. Not only does it further your education, it provides you with practical experience and gives a huge head start on your career.
Production Steering Specialist for Paint
"It was always my dream to work in the automotive industry, so in that sense, I have achieved a goal which I set for myself when I was at school."
I have always been fascinated with cars. I chose to work at the BMW Group because I was passionate about starting my career with one of the most internationally renowned and respected companies in the world. I started my career with the BMW Group on the MAP Graduate Scheme in 2013, in Production Steering at the MINI Plant in Oxford. I trained for my current role as a Production Steering Specialist for Paint during my graduate scheme, developing skills across the whole of Painted Body (Press, Body in White and Paint) in Oxford/Swindon. I also completed placements at the FIZ (BMW Group Innovation & Development Centre), BMW Group Headquarters in Munich, and Plant Leipzig, home of BMW i production.
A highlight of my career has been being named as a Rising Star (2016) in the Autocar 100 Most Influential British Women in the Automotive Industry list. My career aspirations have developed, rather than changed over the years. I remain fascinated with cars and the future of mobility. I am in a brilliant company and feel like I’m in the right place to deepen my knowledge of future mobility and be involved in real change. I am ambitious about becoming a leader in the industry.
The most important part of my current role is checking if we are achieving our daily targets of producing and delivering 1000 high quality MINI’s. If we have a problem, my job is to help work with different teams to co-ordinate a response. The other side of my day-to-day business is long term planning, to steer how we will react to future changes, volume demands and how to plan for this in terms of budget, time and resources. It’s still really rewarding to see MINI’s on the streets all over the world and to know you’ve helped build them. The great thing about Production Steering is that you interact with people throughout the whole production process. Although it can be stressful and challenging sometimes, I enjoy how fast paced and varied my role is, and I like to see how I can make an impact on the day to day running of the Plant.
At school it is difficult to know and imagine exactly what jobs are involved in many industries. If you’re interested in working for the automotive industry, learn as much as you can about the latest scientific and engineering developments. Try and understand how the whole puzzle of development and production and the customer fits together. I’d also advise young people, especially girls interested in the industry, to be confident in your abilities and to know that with the right support, you can make a real difference.
General Manager for Group Customer Strategy
"Since my first job in the automotive industry working in PR, I have been fascinated by the emotional relationship people have with automotive brands and cars."
I didn’t grow up or study with a desire to work in the motor industry. Throughout my education, I kept my choices fairly broad. I studied Economics and languages at A Level, followed by Business Studies, gradually honing in on marketing to start with. I didn’t even think about the career possibilities ahead of me when I was at school – I had no family or friend connections to large blue-chip businesses, just a desire to find work which was challenging and feeling like I was making a difference. I began at the BMW Group in marketing communications, working with the BMW Group brand and the relaunch of the MINI brand. In 2009, I took on the electric MINI project which led me into a whole new world and culminated in the UK launch of BMW i.
Undoubtedly, the launch of the BMW i was one of my career highlights. I led a 100+ diverse group of staff to achieve what they previously thought was impossible, given the challenges of the project. Working with a variety of external stakeholders, from Government bodies to charging start-ups, journalists, customers and even Royal households, we shaped and embarked on the future together. It was something I will never forget. We successfully re-engineered our processes and IT systems as we introduced a radical new business model and services. It was a privilege to work on launching a new sub-brand that represents the pinnacle of innovation and sustainability for the BMW Group, introducing visionary electric vehicles like the BMW i3 and i8, and innovative mobility services. My family have been pretty amazed to spot me being interviewed on national TV news on occasion. I’ve been pretty amazed to find myself there too!
Currently, I’m General Manager for Group Customer Strategy, reporting to the CEOs of both our finance and vehicle businesses, with a virtual team across both organisations. This role has been about defining the customer’s journey and experience of the future. I work with our Global head office colleagues in Munich and teams in the UK, listening to our customers and trends, helping groups to collaborate and integrate new technologies with our systems and operations. There’s never a dull day and I never stop learning!
As you take risks and push yourself beyond your comfort zone, you grow beyond what you initially imagine – so too do your aspirations. Beyonce is one of my role models, because she runs things on her own terms, but not at the expense of other people. She’s also not afraid to show her vulnerability. The ‘car’ is becoming a software platform in its own right, highly interconnected with the world around it. Since 2009, I’ve been working on the Group’s future and I’m convinced that the automotive industry will see more change in the next ten years than it’s seen in the last 100. I’m looking forward to new opportunities emerging that I can’t even conceive of yet. Imagine a future with self-driving cars and repetitive jobs undertaken by artificial intelligence, giving us more opportunity to work in areas requiring creativity, social intelligence and empathy. This industry is exploding far beyond its heartland of design, engineering, production and sales/marketing. Keep your options open and watch this space!