The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has joined forces with HS2 to invest in three new dedicated Recruitment Hubs for the project in the West Midlands.
They will aim to capitalise on continuing employment opportunities generated by the high-speed railway which is being built between the West Midlands and London.
It comes as new figures show that HS2’s construction is already changing lives and helping thousands of unemployed people to start new careers with long-term prospects.
The data shows that 4,020 people who were unemployed for 26 weeks or more have gone on to secure jobs on Britain’s new railway.
With new stations in Birmingham and Solihull, the network control centre and depot in Washwood Heath, and the HQ for HS2 Ltd in Birmingham city centre, it’s little wonder the West Midlands has benefitted from an explosion of opportunities since early works began on the new rail network in 2017.
Over a third of the entire workforce helping to deliver HS2 are based at worksites in the West Midlands, and thousands more jobs are still to be created locally as work to build Curzon Street Station, Interchange Station and the Washwood Heath campus gathers momentum in 2024.
HS2’s construction partner for Interchange Station, Laing O’Rourke, has confirmed it will need up to 1,000 people to deliver the project, while Mace Dragados, building Curzon Street, estimate over 1,000 jobs – including an estimated 150 new entrant roles, including apprenticeship positions and opportunities earmarked for unemployed people.
Given the scale of opportunity, the new HS2 Recruitment Hubs are co-located within the Washwood Heath, Birmingham Summer Row and Chelmsley Wood Job Centres – close to the three key sites where HS2 will be bolstering its workforce. The Hubs will be used to advertise new jobs on the HS2 project and provide prospective candidates with the opportunity to meet face to face with recruiters.
Speaking at an event to mark the opening of the new HS2 Recruitment Hub in Washwood Heath, West Midlands Mayor, Andy Street welcomed the investment and subsequent employment boost for the region.
He said: “I welcome DWP and HS2 joining forces to invest in three new, strategically located, dedicated Recruitment Hubs. I look forward to seeing local people right across our region continue to benefit from the apprenticeship and employment opportunities created from the development of this high-speed rail link between the West Midlands and London. It is a project that is set to boost economic growth here in the West Midlands in the months and years ahead.”
Natalie Penrose, HS2’s Head of Legacy added: “HS2 is all about changing lives and creating new opportunities and years before the first trains arrive in the region, it’s evident what a difference this project is making.
“There are lots of exciting milestones on the horizon, and we’re focused on ensuring that even more people who are out of work benefit from the opportunities ahead.”
Image credit: HS2
