HS2 has announced it is to create over 200 more apprenticeships in the West Midlands.

The commitment was sealed as 20 contractors, working on behalf of HS2’s construction partner Balfour Beatty VINCI (BBV), came together on the first day of National Apprenticeship Week to sign a Pledge promising to invest in upskilling 200 more local people.

BBV also announced that it will begin recruiting for over 40 new apprentices, building on the 165 apprentices it has already employed to support HS2’s construction locally. Opportunities include apprenticeships in civil engineering, quantity surveying, information management and document control.

9,000 people are already helping to build HS2 in the region, almost a third of the entire workforce employed on the project. The news that even more new career opportunities are set to be created in the local area was welcomed by the region's Mayor.


Over 400 businesses based in the West Midlands have now won work on HS2, and BBV’s ‘Top 20’ suppliers came together today with the promise that they will ensure at least 5% of their total workforce are apprentices. The commitment guarantees that at least 200 new apprenticeship jobs will be created before the end of 2024, with recruitment opening today for the first 95 roles.

With another huge year of construction ahead, BBV's supply chain are seeking local talent to fill a broad range of apprenticeship roles, with both office and site-based opportunities, ranging from level 2 right through to level 6. All jobs will be based in the West Midlands, North and South Warwickshire and Staffordshire.

In readiness for the next giant tunnel boring machine’s take off, which launches from Birmingham later this year, Tunnelcraft is recruiting for ten tunnelling operative apprentices who will join the team tasked with excavating the 3.5mile twin bore route between Washwood Heath and Water Orton.

Mott MacDonald and Systra, a Design Joint Venture working in partnership with BBV to deliver HS2, is also beginning its search for digital design and business administration apprentices, while Flannery is recruiting for more plant operative apprentices.