Pictured: Ben Adams

Hundreds of Staffordshire graduates will have more opportunities to kick-start their careers in the county following Jaguar Land Rover's decision to locate its new engine plant here.

Staffordshire County Council played a pivotal role in attracting the prestigious automotive firm to the i54 South Staffordshire site. It is investing £18.5m to build a new dedicated junction on the M54, which will be matched by an investment from Wolverhampton City Council.

The new engine plant will create 750 jobs, with over 1,000 set to follow in the supply chain. Many of the jobs will be skilled engineering jobs - giving Staffordshire graduates a great opportunity to join a global leader or one of its partner businesses. Business and engineering graduates from Staffordshire and Keele universities will be among those looking to apply their skills at the i54 South Staffordshire site and help boost the county's economic profile.

The county council will be working with both universities to help them realise graduate career opportunities within Staffordshire. All three organisations have representatives on the Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Local Enterprise Partnership which is striving to stimulate investment, start-up businesses and job creation.

Cabinet member for economic growth and enterprise Ben Adams said: "Graduates will play a vital part in developing Staffordshire's economic growth by supplying our manufacturing and engineering companies with the skilled workforce they need.

"One of the key components of our offer as a destination for Jaguar Land Rover was the graduate workforce from our universities in Staffordshire and the wider region.

"We're fortunate to have such successful places of learning in the county, enabling people living here to develop their skills and career opportunities. 

"The county council will continue to forge links with potential investors and attract global names like Jaguar Land Rover to Staffordshire. This means people can continue their careers in the county and play their part in our increased prosperity and international reputation as a place to do business."

Professor Matthias Klaes, Head of Keele Management School, added: "We are seeing real potential in the region coming to fruition at the moment, with excellent links being forged between the county council, business leaders, and the university sector.

"Global brand leaders such as Jaguar Land Rover are an important destination for our graduates. Keele University's results in this years' National Student Survey have put us at equal seventh nationally, and the statistics on graduate employment are encouraging despite the current economic downturn with 93.8% of the 2010 graduates in employment or undertaking further study. This puts us ahead of all but a handful of other universities nationally and underlines the region's commitment to higher education and professional development."

Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Staffordshire University Paul Richards said: "JLR's plans are a great boost for our region. We work hard to ensure that our graduates leave us with the skills, talents and creative energy that industry needs. 

"We look forward to working with the county council and all our partners to secure as many opportunities for our graduates to stay in this area and contribute to the economy and the community here.

"We will also be doing all we can to demonstrate the range of expertise which the University can make available to successful businesses. We believe that the University is a key resource in an area which is highly attractive to industry."

For more information about Staffordshire County Council, please visit their website here: www.staffordshire.gov.uk