Since opening its dedicated Skills Academy in Bordesley Green, Birmingham last year, BBV has helped over 30 people to move into a new career working on HS2. And with its fifth General Operatives training programme set to start on Tuesday, 3 May, it hopes that more local people will step forward and take advantage of the free training on offer.
Regardless of previous skills or experience, all trainees are given the tuition and support they need to gain recognised accreditation which allows them to progress into employment. On completion of their training, candidates are job matched into roles within Balfour Beatty VINCI’s supply chain where they begin a paid work trial based within the West Midlands, Warwickshire or Staffordshire regions.
Shilpi Akbar, Balfour Beatty VINCI’s Head of Skills, Employment and Education, explains:
“Delivering a large-scale infrastructure project such as HS2 requires significant people power. It is therefore critical that we continue taking an active approach to encouraging new entrants to the industry.
“Our General Operative training programme ensures that everyone, particularly those who are currently unemployed, can benefit from the opportunities available through the construction of HS2 – opportunities that will flourish into lifelong careers.”
In the six months since it opened, thanks to funding from West Midlands Combined Authority, BBV’s Skills Academy has supported people of all ages and backgrounds to develop new skills and build a long term career in the construction sector. Training programmes are tailored to each candidate’s needs and on completion, there’s scope to choose from a range of job roles either in plant machinery, traffic marshalling, site operations or business support functions.
An open day will be held at the Skills Academy, which sits within South and City College’s Bordesley Green campus, on Wednesday 27 April 2022 from 0900 to enable people to visit the site or register for a place on the May training programme.
To register your attendance, or enquire about joining the next fast-track job training programme, contact Balfour Beatty VINCI’s Skills and Employment team at bbvskills@sccb.ac.uk
Andy Street, Mayor of the West MIdlands, visiting the Skills Academy and meeting trainees who have progressed into full time roles on HS2
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