HS2: UK’s Infrastructure Project, Employment & Training

HS2 project now employs over 12,500 in the West Midlands, boosting local jobs and skills. Training programs and partnerships are key to this significant railway initiative.

HS2: UK’s Infrastructure Project, Employment & Training
September 12, 2025 7:13 pm
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Introduction

Over 12,500 people in the West Midlands are now employed on HS2, the UK’s largest infrastructure project, supported by training and employment initiatives designed to help local residents begin new careers.

Employment Figures

A total of 12,535 local residents are currently employed on HS2, representing over a third of the project’s 34,000-strong workforce. This includes 740 apprentices and 1,936 individuals who have gained employment after periods of unemployment.

Balfour Beatty VINCI Involvement

In the last three months, 69 individuals began new roles with Balfour Beatty VINCI (BBV), HS2’s Midlands-based construction partner. BBV collaborates with nine further education providers across Warwickshire and the West Midlands to help learners develop practical and theoretical skills for HS2 work. Since construction began, over 40 fast-track training programs have been delivered, allowing successful candidates to move into office and site-based roles in as little as three weeks.

Training and Education Programs

BBV’s four-year partnership with Birmingham Metropolitan College has resulted in 25 candidates securing paid work trials, with 16 progressing to full-time employment. A new three-week business communication course completed this summer led to five additional job offers. HS2’s training programs assist people of all ages in finding employment, whether entering the workforce for the first time or retraining.

Economic Impact and Future Plans

Last June 2025, we published an article about Renfe building a cutting-edge maintenance hub in Aranjuez to boost Cercanías efficiency. Click here to read – Future of Rail: Renfe’s Railway Technology Hub, Aranjuez: Essential Guide

The West Midlands is anticipated to receive a £10 billion boost from HS2 construction over the next ten years. The project will enhance connections between London and the West Midlands, with trains continuing north on existing lines, providing faster, more reliable journeys and freeing up space on the West Coast Main Line for additional local services. HS2 Ltd’s CEO, Mark Wild, is currently reviewing the project to ensure it is delivered at the lowest reasonable cost, and updated cost and schedule ranges will be shared later this year.

Conclusion

HS2’s training programs are assisting individuals of all ages in obtaining employment, with over 12,500 people in the West Midlands already working on the project. The project is expected to bring a £10 billion boost to the West Midlands over the next decade.

Company Summary

HS2 Ltd: The company is the owner and developer of High Speed 2 (HS2), a high-speed railway project in the United Kingdom.

Balfour Beatty VINCI (BBV): HS2’s Midlands-based construction partner.

Birmingham Metropolitan College: A further education provider.

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