Thousands of jobs are on offer as construction of the controversial HS2 railway line kicks into gear.
Balfour Beatty Vinci Systra (BBVS) is recruiting local people of all ages and background to begin works at Old Oak Common Station.
The station, between Willesden and Harlesden, is part of the government’s flagship multi-billion pound high-speed rail project which will take 30 minutes off a journey from London to Birmingham.
HS2 Ltd and its “Tier One” contractors are recruiting around 22,000 roles nationally in the coming years to build the Phase One route – offering people a path back into work after the pandemic.
BBVS will employ a workforce of around 1,400 as well as providing over 250 apprenticeship positions in Old Oak Common.
The recruitment of staff is a major milestone for Europe’s largest infrastructure project as it moves from enabling works to full construction following Government’s approval for Notice to Proceed in April.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said HS2 is “at the heart of our plans to build back better” adding: “As the spine of our country’s transport network, the project will be vital in boosting connectivity between our towns and cities.
“But HS2’s transformational potential goes even further. By creating hundreds of apprenticeships and thousands of skilled jobs, HS2 will fire up economic growth and help to rebalance opportunity across this country for years to come.”
Nigel Russell, project director for BBVS said: “HS2 is critical to the economic resilience of the UK and essential in driving the skills agenda forward; providing a variety of employment opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds, including a number of graduate and apprenticeship positions.
“As works begin to ramp up at Old Oak Common, we are now turning our attention to attracting, training and retaining the best talent, offering the opportunity to work on the largest new station built in the UK in over 100 years and play a key role in delivering Britain’s first low carbon, high speed railway.”
HS2 Ltd chief Mark Thurston: “The reality of high speed journeys joining up Britain’s biggest cities in the North and Midlands and using that connectivity to help level up the country has just moved a step closer.”
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