Ground has been broken in Birmingham and Doncaster as plans to open the National College for High Speed Rail move forward.
Officials posed with spades in hand at both the Doncaster’s Lakeside and Birmingham’s university district sites today (May 9) to signify the start of the college’s construction phase.
Due to open in September 2017, the two campuses will educate the next generation of rail engineers, specialising in high-speed rail.
Minister of State for Transport Robert Goodwill, said: “This landmark moment means we are one step closer to seeing students walk through the doors of the College in 2017, learning the cutting-edge skills we need to deliver HS2 and world-beating rail infrastructure.
Terry Morgan, chair of the corporate board for the National College for High Speed Rail, said: “The National College for High Speed Rail is progressing at an excellent pace and I am delighted that construction is underway on both sites in Doncaster and Birmingham.
“The college will have a major and hugely positive impact on the ability of the rail industry to develop a multi-skilled specialist British workforce, capable of building HS2 and future infrastructure projects.
“It will be a catalyst for growth in both Doncaster and Birmingham that will bring new investment into the area and provide highly skilled jobs for local people.”