High Speed Rail colleges
The National College for High Speed Rail has opened its doors to students at its two campuses in Doncaster and Birmingham.
Secretary of State for Education (and former Transport Secretary) Justine Greening opened the Doncaster facility on October 9.
The employer-led college is the largest of five new national colleges designed to ensure British workers can develop skills needed for the industry. It has been supported by the local council, which helped secure funding for the scheme, and which was also involved in the design and construction of the college.
Greening said: “It’s part of how we are steadily transforming technical education in this country, training up a new generation of skilled young people and the existing workforce so that British business has the skills it needs and people have the opportunities they want - a win-win for everyone.
“We can only do this in partnership with employers - the NCHSR is just one great example of this. The impressive new building and training facilities are at the forefront of our ambitions to create a first-class system of technical education.”
A second campus was opened in Birmingham a week later by Rail Minister Paul Maynard.
Together a total of 150 students will be educated through the 201718 academic year. At full capacity, the NCHSR will train 1,200 students per year.
Those interested in attending the college this year can now apply to be accepted onto two additional learner intakes in January and April 2018. Bursaries to help with the cost of study are available for those from disadvantaged backgrounds.
It is estimated that over the next five years some 182,000 new engineers will be required by British businesses. Right now, the UK falls short by 69,000 a year. In the rail industry, one-in-five engineers are aged over 55. It is believed that HS2 alone will create 25,000 new jobs including 2,000 apprenticeships.
NCHSR Chief Executive Clair Mowbray said: “The work has only just begun. We want to make sure we have a UK workforce that has the skills to not only deliver HS2 and other major infrastructure projects, but also become the pioneers of the UK’s new high-speed rail industry.”
Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said: “The college will play a vital role in training the thousands of skilled engineers needed to build HS2 and other projects right across the country.
“HS2 is crucial to ensure the Government delivers on its promise to spread wealth beyond London and the South East. Up to 25,000 jobs and 2,000 apprenticeships will be created by Britain’s new railway. Another 3,000 people will operate HS2 and it is estimated that growth around new HS2 stations will create another 100,000 jobs.