West Midlands HS2 contractor visit

The West Midlands Combined Authority hosted a delegation from the HS2 main civil engineering contractor Balfour Beatty/VINCI joint venture on July 17, to explain how the authority is improving the skills of local people to work on the new railway.

The WMCA’s Construction Gateway programme staged demonstrations of the new construction simulator training centre at Solihull College and University Centre, as well as hands-on civil engineering and plant training at RMF Construction’s academy in Solihull.

West Midlands Mayor Andy Street said: “HS2 is Europe’s biggest infrastructure project and will be vital to our region’s economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

“At a time of such economic uncertainty we need to use major schemes such as HS2 to help secure people’s employment and create jobs for those who sadly fall out of work.

“The WMCA’s Construction Gateway aims to support construction projects like HS2, by offering free training and a guaranteed job interview to those who are unemployed or at the lower end of the jobs market.”

HS2 Skills Manager Julie VennMorton added: “HS2 will create thousands of opportunities for people in the West Midlands.

“Right now, we are recruiting for 300 Birmingham-based roles and I’d actively encourage local people who are looking for work, or a career change, to sign up and take part in our skills match assessment at www.hs2.org.uk/ hs2-and-you/.”