HS2’s construction partners have joined forces with the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC) and Central and North West London (CNWL) NHS Foundation Trust to support local people with disabilities and long term health conditions into training and employment on HS2.
Through its Safe at Heart and employee wellbeing programmes, HS2 and its construction partners have implemented a broad range of measures to support staff with disabilities and specialist health needs into work supporting the construction of Britain’s new railway. And it is this positive step which has led to HS2’s three Greater London construction partners joining forces with RBKC and local NHS services to support people into a safe working environment where they will continue to receive ongoing support.
Balfour Beatty VINCI SYSTRA JV (BBV), Skanska Costain STRABAG JV (SCS) and Mace Dragados JV (MD), have all signed up to attend the London Employability Roadshow for people with disabilities and long term health conditions, which will be held from 10.00 – 14.00 on Friday, 27 May at Kensington Town Hall. All three contractors will be sharing details of their latest career opportunities, offering support with applications, and discussing the steps that they each have taken to support current and future colleagues with their health needs.
Ambrose Quashie, HS2’s Skills Manager for Greater London said: “We’re extremely proud to have been recognised for the positive steps we have taken at HS2, and across our supply chain, to support employees with long term health needs.
“HS2 is creating and sustaining hundreds of long term employment opportunities in the local area, and we want people to feel empowered to step forward and apply for a job with us, knowing that they will receive the help and support they need to progress their career.”
Through its job brokerage partnership model, HS2 works with local employment support services and specialist providers including RBKC and CNWL, which has employment specialists based within its health teams, to help people secure work placements and paid employment.
Westminster City Council’s job coaches and HS2’s construction partner SCS JV have already teamed up and supported two candidates with neurodiverse needs into work placements on HS2. Both trainees are currently working with SCS’s dedicated tunnelling team and will initially spend eight weeks developing their workplace skills and experience in readiness to transition into employment.
Frankie Jones, Skills Manager at SCS JV explains: “Being an inclusive employer means taking proactive steps to respond to the varied and changing needs of our people, and Westminster City Council is helping us to achieve that.
“We’ve implemented additional support measures at our construction sites, and in our offices, to ensure we can effectively welcome more local people with diverse needs into our workforce.”
Rash Patel, Head of Employment Services and Volunteering at CNWL said: “We are proud that HS2 will be joining the Disability Employability Roadshow and are impressed by their commitment and willingness to support disabled people and offer accessible opportunities”
For more information about the Disability Employability Roadshow or to register your attendance, visit eventbrite.co.uk/e/london-employability-roadshow-royal-borough-of-kensington-and-chelsea-tickets-323892650637
Image credit: HS2 Ltd
