The students were given a three hour guided tour of the plant, allowing them to experience real life production and gain an insight into the automative process; taking a look behind the scenes and seeing the hundreds of robots in action.  Students were able to witness the Just In Time methods, starting from the first sheet of steel to the finished mini made to individual specification driving off the production line.

The plant’s automotive history dates back to 1913 when the great designer, William Morris, produced its first car. Given the level of automation and investment the students were surprised to hear that today, more than 4,500 people are employed at the site in Cowley, which manufactures around 1,000 cars a day, including three and five door MINIs, the MINI Clubman and its first all-wheel drive All4 model. Evidence that investment in technology leads to increased productivity but not job loss.