Young people and the unemployed are continuing to benefit from new careers on HS2 thanks to the breadth of earn-as-you-learn training opportunities introduced by the project.
New figures show that in the last three months, 69 people started new careers with HS2’s Midlands-based construction partner, Balfour Beatty VINCI (BBV). Those figures are expected to rise in the coming weeks as more candidates complete employment-ready training programmes.
In all, this means that 12,535 local residents are now employed on the UK's biggest infrastructure programme - representing over a third of HS2's 34,000-strong workforce.
The total includes 740 people from the West Midlands who have secured an HS2 apprenticeship and a further 1,936 who have progressed into jobs following a period of unemployment.
Julie Venn-Morton, HS2 Ltd’s Senior Skills and Inclusion Manager for the West Midlands said:
“HS2’s training programmes are helping people of all ages to access employment. Whether stepping out into the world of work for the very first time, or opting to retrain, HS2 is getting people into jobs and boosting their long-term career prospects.”
BBV work closely with nine further education (FE) providers in Warwickshire and the West Midlands. Together they support learners to develop the practical and theory skills that will prepare them for the world of work on Britain’s new railway. This innovative approach was recently recognised by Skills West Midlands and Warwickshire, who acknowledged BBV’s positive impact across the region.
Since construction began, over 40 fast-track training into employment programmes have been delivered across the West Midlands, with successful candidates transitioning into both office and site-based roles in as little as three weeks.
Shilpi Akbar, Head of Stakeholder and Communities at Balfour Beatty VINCI said:
“HS2 is already proving to be a game changer for communities across the West Midlands, with over 12,500 people now working on the project. We’re proud of the key role we’re playing, through our training programmes and partnerships with local colleges, creating an enduring legacy that will be felt for generations.”
BBV’s four-year training partnership with Birmingham Metropolitan College (BMet) has already led to 25 candidates securing paid work trials, with 16 progressing to full-time employment. A new three-week business communication course, which completed this summer, has led to a further five job offers.
Over the next ten years, the West Midlands region is forecast to receive a £10bn boost from HS2’s construction. More immediate benefits, stemming from localised employment and the award of supply chain contracts, continue to be felt.
When complete, HS2 will improve connections between London and the West Midlands, with trains running further north on existing lines. Britain’s new high-speed railway will create quicker and far more reliable journeys, driving economic growth while crucially freeing up space for more local trains on the most congested part of the West Coast Main Line.
HS2 Ltd’s CEO, Mark Wild, is currently resetting the project to make sure it can be delivered to the lowest reasonable cost. New cost and schedule ranges will be shared with government later this year.
For more information about careers and opportunities on HS2, visit hs2.org.uk/careers
