Home » UK Business News • UK Employment news » HS2 to create hundreds more apprenticeships in the West Midlands

HS2 to create hundreds more apprenticeships in the West Midlands

By Nagasunder in UK Business News, posted February 14, 2023

The massive HS2 project has created 200 new apprentice positions for young people in the West Midlands.

As part of National Apprenticeship Week, 20 contractors working on behalf of HS2's construction partner Balfour Beatty Vinci (BBV) signed a pledge promising to invest in training for 200 more local people.

BBV also announced it will begin recruiting for over 40 new apprentices, adding to the 165 apprentices it has already employed to assist with the local construction of HS2.

The apprenticeships will be in areas including civil engineering, quantity surveying, information management, and document control.

Thousands of people are already working to build HS2 in the region, accounting for nearly a third of the total workforce on the project.

The announcement that even more new job opportunities will be created in the region was welcomed by the region's mayor.

Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands said: “HS2 has the potential to have a transformational impact here in our region and its construction is already supporting thousands of local jobs.

“The employment opportunities created by HS2 are significant and I’m pleased to see businesses winning HS2 contracts are stepping forward to ensure local people benefit – including this latest news announcing 200 more apprenticeship jobs.”

“I cannot wait to see lives changed for the better in the months and years ahead.”

More than 400 West Midlands-based businesses have now been awarded work on HS2, and BBV's 'Top 20' suppliers have pledged to employ at least five percent of their total workforce as apprentices.

200 apprenticeships by end of 2024

The move means at least 200 new apprenticeship jobs will be created by the end of 2024.

Applications now being accepted for the first 95 positions.

BBV's supply chain is looking for local talent to fill a variety of apprenticeship positions, including office and site-based opportunities ranging from level 2 to level 6.

All positions will be based in the West Midlands, Warwickshire (North and South), and Staffordshire.

In preparation for the launch of the next giant tunnel boring machine, which will depart from Birmingham later this year, Tunnelcraft is looking for ten tunneling operative apprentices to join the team excavating the 3.5-mile twin-bore route between Washwood Heath and Water Orton.

Mott MacDonald and Systra, a design joint venture working with BBV to deliver HS2, are also looking for digital design and business administration apprentices, while Flannery is looking for more plant operatives.

Shilpi Akbar, head of stakeholder and communities at Balfour Beatty VINCI, added: “We’ve set ourselves an ambitious target of making sure one in every 20 employees at Balfour Beatty VINCI is an apprentice, which is five percent of our workforce.

“Our pledge to create new opportunities and employ over 200 apprentices within BBV and our supply chain is a big step towards achieving this goal.”

HS2 Ltd will also recruit 21 new apprentices, 15 of whom will be based at its headquarters in Birmingham city centre.

There are opportunities to join HS2’s project management, HR, business administration, procurement, land referencing and surveying teams.

The construction of HS2 is expected to support at least 300 new apprenticeship positions, with the West Midlands accounting for two-thirds of the jobs.

More than 400 apprentices from the region have already begun their career journey on HS2.

Need Career Advice? Get employment skills advice at all levels of your career

Councillor Ian Ward, leader of Birmingham City Council said: “The people and communities of Birmingham are already reaping the rewards of HS2 and today's welcome announcement underlines the huge contribution this project is making to our city economy.

"Balfour Beatty VINCI and their suppliers are helping to deliver much-needed skills and opportunities for our HS2 generation and these apprenticeships will transform the lives and life chances of people across our city region."

Follow us on YouTube, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook